A/N: I am so, so sorry that I made you all wait such a long time for this, but I was swamped and right now, I'm having trial exams so I can't update until after them. So I hope this is enough for now. Really,really sorry!
"Suzette?" Rita rapped her hand loudly on the hard dining table twice, trying to get my attention."Wasn't it the most spectacular, most divine thing that had ever happened to you?" She narrowed her eyes, sarcasm dripped venomously in her voice. I didn't understand her. Why was she being so petty over this?
I fiddled with the scraps of scrambled egg on my breakfast plate, pushing them around in little circles. I didn't want to answer her. She was just trying spoil my mood because I'd been in such a joyous state since my dance with him. But Rita wouldn't quit it. I sighed angrily and looked over towards Anneliese, hoping that she could alleviate the situation. She stared back at me, her eyes betraying no sympathy whatsoever. In fact, she looked like she was saying that I deserved this.
What was wrong with the two of them?Why couldn't they let me have something for once?It was hard enough being the youngest child already. I swallowed my breakfast meal and abruptly left my so-called family, with Rita still giving me jealous glares and Anneliese completely ignoring me. I blocked out all my hurt from being mistreated just because I was happy.
It was sunny out today. But it wouldn't brighten my mood whatsoever, because I hated the sun. It made me unhappy for some weird reason. Rain was always so much more pleasing. I headed upstairs to my room and felt under my pillow for the novel I'd been reading. I'd swiped it from Anneliese's room the day before. Unfortunately, I hadn't realized that she herself had left it in open view because it was a horridly dull book. The main character was a dumb twit who kept complaining about her woeful life. She'd known that I'd pick it up first if I came in there. I slumped lazily against the blankets and started reading boredly.
My mother was out, of course. My father where he always was. In actual fact, I sometimes went months without seeing him. Whenever he was free from his work, he went out to his club or to the pub to drink. My father was handsome, but time had wrinkled his features, and the constant stress of his business burdening him only made matters worse. One of my mother's socialite friends had once commented that lack of male exposure made young girls become wild when they debuted into society. She'd been talking about my sisters and I, no doubt. It was common knowledge about my family situation.
My mother had once had some vicious rumors that she was having an affair with a young viscount spread around, but it was pure hogwash. There was no truth to it. My mother managed to hold her head high throughout the whole thing, but I can still remember that I myself had mistrusted her too. I was 10 years old then, and in my eyes, the world was black and white. There could be no gray area. And I'd believed the awful rumor. I distanced myself from her, and I suppose that's why even now, she never showed much, if any, affection towards me. I was the invisible daughter.
And once in awhile, I cried. I would cry because I had no one to turn to. No one to listen to me, and fully understand what I wanted to say. Even my sisters wouldn't tolerate me. A shy tear crept out of my left eye and slid down my cheek, wetting my collar. I closed the book and curled up into a ball. I didn't want to cry, but it was hard not to. And when I recalled how often I'd been shunned, I'd been ignored. Rejected. Unwanted. Then, I'd cry. But, not today.
"May I have this dance?" His melodious voice rang in my ears, and all the tears left me. Last night, I'd felt like I'd belonged. Just once, while we danced, I'd felt that I was perfect. Good enough for this handsome stranger to choose me over the rest. I replayed our waltz in my mind's eye, and I smiled. I'd probably never see him again, but still it'd been enough. To know that somewhere out there, somebody found me beautiful.
The birds were cooing outside my window and I felt the sunlight on me. It was nearing midday. I didn't want to spend the whole day here, feeling sorry for myself. I straightened up and brushed out my dress evenly. A slight ripple of sound broke through the silence in my room. I heard it again. Somebody was giggling. And really loudly too. Obviously it was Rita. What over I hadn't a clue. I sighed and trod downstairs, meaning to take a walk around the manor.
I reached the bottom step and visibly froze. It wasn't Rita giggling like a madwoman. It was Anneliese. And she was doing it in the middle of our back kitchen. What in the world? was all I could think of. I concealed myself behind a pillar and listened in on her conversation. It was him. Miles Frank. She was seriously taking her romance up to the very high levels of utter scandal. More giggling ensued and I felt absolutely nauseated by it. I silently returned to the parlor and pretended that I hadn't heard a thing.
Rita was nowhere to be found, as if I wanted to have to deal with her petty jealousy. After all, it was merely one dance (despite it being a very magical dance...) and I would never have much of a chance of anything else with him. However, my train of thought wandered off and I began imagining us as lovers. I felt a bright red blush fluster my cheeks at one particular interval and immediately banished my impure thoughts. This was hopeless.
Why was I being such a child? Entertaining such fantasies was strictly forbidden. But I really couldn't help myself. I was a child. I was barely eighteen years old. A bell chimed and tinkled signaling the arrival of lunch. I waited for one of the maids to call us each. Eventually, Greta called and I went in to the dining hall to endure another meal with my malicious mirage of a family.