To Be Belle

Chapter Eight

My face is still a little red and puffy from last night. I pull my hair up in the usual maid bun and splash some cold water on my face to help with the puffiness. I look at my reflection making sure I look decent. I'm not even sure why I try to look pretty when obviously I'm not. Well not to him. Towards the one who matters the most. 

Today is going to be hard. I just know it. I have to help with Isabella's chores today. There's no getting out of serving her. I've already tried getting out of that mess before. Suicide sounds like a good option right now though. On the bright side, Mason would probably be happy to see me. I'd tell him all about this and listen to him talk about how big of a dumbass Gabriel is for choosing Prissybella (Prissybella that's a good name for her) over me. We'd drink wine and talk about old times. At least that's what my personal heaven would be like.  

"One day Mason, we will see each other again," I tell myself hoping that somehow he is listening to me. 

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I begin to mentally motivate myself for the day ahead. I feel so anxious for no reason. I don't know why I even saw her as competition in the first place.

I am nothing but a weed in a rose garden.

I open my eyes and decide that feeling pitiful for myself is useless. Feeling motivated enough I make my way to the castle. 

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The castle is lively today. Servants are in a hurry, but for what? I'm in the main hall watching everyone shuffle and nearly run into each other. Everyone is carrying brooms and mops upstairs. Sarah and Elizabeth pass me just as much in a hurry as the rest.

"Hey!" I say getting their attention.

"Amelia!" Sarah exclaims. I can see the excitement written all over her face. "Did you hear?" 

"No, I just arrived what is going on?" I ask noticing a mop in her hand and a broom in Elizabeth's.

"Gabriel has demanded the library to be organized and cleaned," Sarah answers my question.

"Apparently Isabella told him she loves to read," Elizabeth furthers Sarah's response. 

"It'll be so fun to have a library again. Elizabeth and I love reading."

I barely catch the last part of Sarah's statement. The weight of their words rests heavily on my chest. I have begged him for years to open the library again so that the servants will have something to do. He never would because he claimed that the library reminded up so much of that day. Isabella asks once and it happens. I look at the ground and clench my fist it makes me so mad how she gets his way with him and how he treats me so differently. 

"What is it, Amelia? We thought you'd be happy. We know how much you've been pressing him about the library all these years." Elizabeth questions observing my reaction. 

"I am happy," I smile softly showing her I mean it. "It's just that I've begged all these years for this to happen, and she asks one time and in a snap of his finger it's done," I snap  my fingers in the air mockingly. Sarah puts her hand on my shoulder comforting me. "I know it sounds silly but it makes me so sad and at the same time so mad that he listens to her. He use to listen to me. His friend of ten years and at one time his girl."

"We understand," Sarah responds. "We remember how much you cared about him and I still think you care a whole lot more about him than you wish to tell us."

 I smile at her grateful to be listened to, but at the same time, I feel a little bit about the whole conversation. If they didn't know I've always liked him after all these years they definitely do now. My smile doesn't last long and I see Isabella on top of the stairwell observing us. She's in that new dress Rose made specifically for her. The dress shows off her shoulders and brings out her chest more. There are little diamonds embedded around her chest and her sleeves have ruffles at the end. The light blue dress matches her eyes perfectly.