✔️ The Unwanted Bride (Book One) **UNDER EDITING**

A Cold Wake-up Call

"Well, that was fantastic." Reena breaths as she hops off the last step of the large staircase. "I though this lady was going to hold a lot of favoritism considering most do." She adds the last statement under her breath as I step off the steps and gaze at the completely different interior. The windows are now all open, and it doesn't seem like windows at all. It appears as if you are outside. "Am I right?"

     "What?" I ask turning to look at her, but she doesn't seem to have noticed as she continues on.

     "I mean she doesn't care about anyone's feelings! She made someone cry already." Reena turns around, showing a devious smile. "I love it."

     I have to admit. I am a little bit happy with how she was as well. With most people, I am treated as someone so unimportant that it gave me a bit of pleasure seeing someone else go through it. Then immediately I felt guilty for feeling that way. Someone in the back of my head, I could hear Joe's voice saying, "even though people are mean to you, it does not give you the right to be mean to them". The guilty feeling bubbles back into my gut just remembering how happy I was to see someone get treated poorly. I'm so sorry Joe.

     "Juniper?" I jump and look towards her. How long has she been waiting for a reply?

     "I'm sorry, I got lost in thought. What did you say?" I say honestly and she gives me a few blinks before shaking her head and beginning again.

     "I was just saying how many girls she will rip to shreds while she is teaching us this stuff!" She sighs happily as Bronson opens the door for us and we step outside. The air has warmed substantially since the morning and I wonder how much time has passed. "I think we should make a bet on how many girls she makes cry for the first month!" From the corner of my eye I see Bronson and McQueen share a look. "What do you say?" She grabs my arm pulling me and whispering, "wanna make some bets?"

     "I don't know..." I say as I twiddle with my hands. "Maybe we shouldn't do that. It seems a bit, mean."

     "Mean?" She asks as she crinkles her nose. "It is not mean at all, not compared to what they already do to you." She says and when she pulls her hand away, I notice dirt. Again... why is there so much dirt everywhere? "I guess it isn't entirely ladylike." Her statement comes out in a bitter, muttering mess. "Fine, we won't do that, but you have to admit, she is freaking awesome!"

     "I had thought you a quick leaner Miss Adell." Mrs. Webster stands by the door, the wrinkles around her eyes deep as she squints, or glares, towards us. "We just went over greetings and appropriate conversational skills after all." Her large navy blue dress sways as she steps forward. Her neck is surprisingly short, but she holds it so high it is hard to tell. The dress comes up around the neck as if to help elongate it as well. "I don't think words like, 'freaking awesome' are in there." Reena's face flushes and her hands clench. "Perhaps you need more thorough studying in acceptable description words?"

     "Of course Mrs. Webster." Her words are curt and cold sounding as she give her a slight curtsy. It is almost like she had to cut it off or else she would say something far worse. Mrs. Webster nods slightly as she walks between us and walks along the path until her back disappears behind the buildings curve. "Well that was unpleasant." Reena whispers as she pulls herself from the curtsy and stares from where she walked. "She's still really cool though."

     After that run-in with her, Reena is no longer talking so much about her as we make our way back through the labyrinth of greenery. Off in the distance, a whistle from a bird sounds off, unable to be seen over the hedge. I look up at the sky. The blue blanket has soft pillows of clouds, and the sun is placed perfectly in the middle.