The Cultivated Girl

Chapter 13 - A Challenging Morning Tea

"Don't laugh, it's true." Nada leant forward with the air of someone sharing a particularly chunky piece of information. "When I was on kitchen duty, sorting herbs, I heard Mother Joan say Alexia was looking pale, and that it's a shame Earth Years have to be vegetarian, she needs protein more than most. It explains everything; why she's so sensitive to light, why she's so strong..."

"That's ridiculous," said Simone, glancing over at Alexia, sitting by herself on the grass, one arm wrapped lightly around her knees, staring into the distance. Simone's sweep took in Due, who was stretched out next to the pavilion talking flowers into growing in her hair with her chirping plant talk.

That answers that then, she thought, darting, There you are, I was worried, to Due. Due waved a slender, green tinged arm at her. It looked like a leaf swaying in the wind.

She returned her attention to Nada. "I hope you didn't say anything to Alexia. You did, didn't you?"

"Say what?" said a whiny voice.

Simone sighed, inwardly willing herself not to react. She usually didn't dislike people on sight but since she arrived she'd managed to make an enemy a moon, which brought her current tally to two and she was working on the third. She didn't count Alexia. She was like a relative you didn't really like but had to get on with anyway.

Both enemies were standing in front of her now.

"Ok then, don't tell us. Hope you don't mind," said Janie. She pulled back one of the wrought iron chairs and plopped her curvy behind onto the cream silk cushion. Janie was an attractive, slightly plump blonde who matched the mecca's summer decor perfectly. Simone thought her apple cheeks looked better when framed with long honeyed curls, although her hair had grown enough so that she looked cute rather than a fat cupid.

The thought would never cross Janie's mind that anyone she deigned to bless with her presence would object, although she was usually too intimidated by Alexia, to dare join the clutch.

"I see you've lost two of your members," said her sidekick, Amanda, a blunt faced, dour brunette. "It's about time you saw the light about little Miss Perfect and the retard over there but where's the fish girl?"

An unlikely pair to be combined in a clutch, the abrasive Amanda and pretty Janie had similar personalities and enjoyed wielding what little power they had, bullying others when they thought they wouldn't get caught.

"Our clutch enjoys their independence." Simone grinned at Amanda, who was about to sit down. "Quickly Amanda, Janie's sat down, better copy her. Isn't that what you do best?"

Amanda scowled and hastily stood behind Janie.

"They say that only insecure people have eating disorders," said Janie brightly, helping herself to some lightly sweetened melon balls off a stack. She made a big deal of passing the plate to Simone, who wolfed at least five, only half listening. They were sprinkled with a deliciously spicy, orange powder that offset the sweetness of the fruit. She put the stack down long enough to hear Janie say:

"It's a bit embarrassing if the only way you can have a perfect figure is to starve yourself. See, she hasn't even touched her food. It must be such a pain sharing a cave with her. Does she stash rotting food everywhere?"

Simone looked at Nada sternly. Finally, something she could legitimately take her bad mood out on. She remembered Alexia's heated words from earlier: "Loyalty to your clutch comes first". It was the only time she had ever seen the cave dweller raise her voice.

"Do I detect some jealousy there Butterball?" asked Simone.

Janie dropped the scone she'd been plying with strawberry jam. She had no will power when it came to sweet treats and had definitely put on a few pounds since arrival.