Florentine

three

Chapter Three:

     Phoenix held true to his words and showed up at 6:55 on the dot. He swung the door open, not even glancing at me before he started speaking, "I hope you're done crying by now."

Had everyone heard?

"Everyone heard, there cupcake. We got thin walls." He tapped at the wall, finally looking up at me.

I got up, feeling mortified. I must've stood there for a second too long burning up in embarrassment, because he grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the room. "You have no sense of time. You can't stand in one place just staring off into space. Punch in the face, remember?"

I felt my shoulders tense, feeling acutely threatened. I didn't want to get punched in the face, I don't handle pain very well. I must've stood there for too long because he let out an aggravated sigh, "Are you coming to supper or are you just going to go without food for the whole day?"

I snapped out of it, "I'm coming."

I followed him, truly starving. Not eating all day was something I wasn't used to, as I frequently ate small snacks to keep my energy up. I'd been craving fruit all day. He led me down a twisted maze of a journey to the kitchen which involved a walk through the slightly damp boiler room that rested right outside me room, three stair cases, two ballrooms, and around twenty hallways.

I had no idea I was living in a room tucked in the corner of the boiler room, deep in the underbelly of the castle. I felt a bit hurt to know I wasn't given the decency of a room near any other life forms, but the insensitive part in me reasoned that if someone were to attack the castle I would be the safest. No one would ever think to look through the boiler room and into the corner where a wooden door encased a tiny box of a room.

Nevertheless, I brushed it off and resumed watching the hallways go by. "Phoenix, will I be able to shower any time soon?"

"Yeah, you've got free reign. There's showers down by the boiler, and there should be hair shit under the sink in your bathroom to use." He grunted.

I sighed in relief, thankful that tonight would be my shower night, I was in dire need. No amount of deodorant and perfume can mask my unshowered self. When we entered the dinning area I was surprised at how many people there were. My pack was a free for all; a take, bake or order whatever the hell you wanted. That was with the exception of Sundays, when we had a cookout.

Phoenix tugged at my arm, "I swear, Ninny, if you daydream one more fucking time I will punch you in the face. Don't think I'm joking."

I looked at the ground sheepishly, "Sorry, Phoenix."

I wasn't used to such a fancy, well put together pack such as this. It was like everyone was brought up with nothing but class and royalty. Phoenix roughly sat me down in a chair close to the end of the table shoved in the corner of the room, sitting down next to me. "Now we wait to be served, so stop looking so awkward."

He smacked my shoulder, making me sit up straight, then took my wrists off of the table. He folded my hands for me then dropped them into my lap, "You've got a lot to learn, Ninny."

"Will you please not call me that? I prefer Florentine." I ask quietly, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"You're making demands right now? You really think that's smart?" He whispered in my ear.

I rushed to explain myself, "No, no! I know I'm in no position to make any sort of demand, I definitely understand that. I was just hoping that here I could finally get rid of the nickname. I don't really like it."