IV: Soap and Chocolate

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IV: Soap and Chocolate

"Soap and chocolate? That's an...odd request," Odette looks at me with confusion after returning from my adventure to the Paramount Conservatory. She raises her brows and retorts, "You'll throw up if you eat the chocolate, and—"

"It's not for me," I glance away, standing in the middle of my bedroom. I know...I'll never be able to experience the curiosity of mortal food, however, that doesn't mean I can't try and apologize for whatever I did to offend that man. I know mortals give chocolate to one another to make each other feel better, so that's my first thought.

Odette raises her brows, "The soap?"

"Yeah...that's not for me either," maybe if he showers with nice soap it might make his mood better.

It's quiet between the two of us before she sighs, "Alright, I'm heading out any way to the 24-hour store at the other end of town, and I'll grab what you need. Try not to get into too much trouble tonight, alright?"

I nod my head quickly, watching as she heads toward my bedroom door.

She rests her hand on the knob, glancing back at me to ask, "Did you have a good time though?"

"It was...different," it's all I can really conclude from it, also adding in, "I got to see so many books I could sit in there for a century and not cover them all."

Odette's features shift as she smiles at me, nodding and saying, "Have a good night."

I really am tired though, staying up during the day prior didn't help. Pulling and locking my drapes into place, I pause a moment as I take one last look at the college before allowing the room to darken. Sleep finds me relatively quickly, even managing to sleep through the following day as I didn't realize how sleep deprived, I'd made myself.

When I do wake, I get ready for the night, wondering if Odette was able to get the things, I asked of her. As I wander the hallway, I don't find her, though as I pass my mother's office door, it's open. She calls for me, "Wren, dear," I pause, glancing at her as she sits behind her desk, closing a book she was reading, "did you get good sleep?"

"Yeah, I feel refreshed," I smile at her, though all she does is wave me inside.

Once I cross the threshold, she tells me, "Close the door." I follow her instruction, walking forward while she then tells me, "I think we should get started on picking your new dress out." My heart falls into the pit of my stomach when she mentions this. She reminds me, "The Dance of the Lilies will be here before we know it."

Great, just what I wanted to spend my night doing...

...I really wanted to find a way to get back and apologize to that man.

It's still a few weeks away, so I don't understand why she's being so adamant I'm prepared to not be selected.

Mother has me pull up a chair beside her, pulling the laptop she had pushed away while reading her book closer to the two of us. She starts it up, showing me so many dresses I'm not sure exactly what she's expecting me to pick at this point.

"I think you'd look stunning in the red or black one," mother adds her input as she finally settled on a dress style for me. It's a strapless dress that hugs tightly until it reaches the hips, flowing out until it reaches the floor.

I shrug my shoulders and reply, "Okie, whatever one you like better."

"Wren, make a choice," mother commands this and I internally grimace. I don't like doing this, I hate having to make choices.

Uhh...

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...

"The black one," I finally point at.

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