Madelaina :
I am currently in my closet, staring at three dresses that lie on an ottoman, which stands in the middle of the large room.
Three dresses.
One blue.
One purple.
One red.
Each beautiful in their own way.
All flawed in some way as well.
Just like people.
Just like....
No.
Not the time.
I have been standing here for twenty minutes and still haven't made a decision.
A soft tap sounds against the window that overlooks the courtyard, luring me to it.
I place my hands on the window and press my face against the glass.
It is early evening now, around five o'clock and I can see the stablemen tending to the horses as well as more servants roaming around the area, lighting lanterns and sweeping the ground.
I look up to see dark clouds forming in the sky. A drizzle already making its descent.
I smile to myself.
I love the rain.
I open the window a little, just enough that no water can get inside.
Walking back towards the dresses, a cool breeze now brushing against my back, I take another look outside.
Black it is.
After a long time staring in front of the mirror, debating whether or not I should change my outfit or my hair or my shoes, I decide to leave my room before my head explodes.
Saying goodbye to Salem, I take my phone from it's charger and put it into the hidden pocket in my dress.
I go to close the door, leaving it slightly open in case Salem wants to leave my room and freeze in realisation.
The blond girl.
She was in the window.
Our neighbours window.
Lucas's house.
That means....
I shake my head.
Doesn't matter. Forget about it.
I don't care.
I make my way to Alessia's room, seeing mamma instructing the maid, who's doing my sisters hair.
She turns at the click of my heels on the floor.
"Oh Madelaina , you look beautiful."
"Grazie, mamma. So do you."
"Hey! What about me?"
We spin towards Alessia, her hair now complete and her arms firmly in place, crossed over her chest.
"You look magnificent, Alessia."
"Like a real Italian princess," mamma adds.
Alessia nods her head in approval, a smile now spread across her face.
"You all do," a new voice sounds behind us.
The three of us turn towards papa.
"Papa!" Alessia runs towards our father and jumps into his arms.
"Shouldn't I be a queen instead of a princess?" mamma stands and walks to us.
"Ah, I guess you're right. Yes. La mia regina e le mie due principesse."
I roll my eyes although a smile still crosses my face.
"Come on then, famiglia," he leads us out of Alessia's room and towards the ballroom on the first floor, where a dozen guests are already here.
"All right," papa claps his hands together. "I'm going to go and greet everyone. I'm sure you will be meeting most of them tonight. More guests will be arriving soon as the ball is set to start in half an hour. So, good luck my loves and remember to have fun." He kisses the tops of both me and Alessia's heads before holding his arm out for mamma. "Mattea?"
She takes his arm and they walk away.
"Bye, Della"
"Wha...where are you going?"
My little sister points a finger over to the food table and gives me a look as if saying "duh" before she runs off.
Wow. Just....wow.
I look back to the people already here, talking to each other and laughing with one another and I feel a chill go down my spine.
This is happening.
Moving aside from the doorway, I go to the side end of the ballroom, near the windows, and plaster myself to the wall.
If I stay here no one will notice me. Right?
Wrong. Because not two minutes later an old lady is passing by me and decided to say hello.
"Ciaro, cara," she smiles at me.
I try to smile back, sure it comes out as more of a grimace than a smile though.
"Ciaro."
"sembra magnifico qui dentro, vero?"
"lo fa. mia madre fa di tutto con queste cose." I wring my hands behind my back to stop them from shaking too much.
"Madre? Mamma Mia, questo farebbe di te la figlia di Mattea e Alessandro, no?"
Clearing my throat, i hoursely get out, "Sì. Loro sono i miei genitori."
"Santo cielo, questo deve significare che sei Madelaina. Ho già conosciuto tua sorella, dolce ragazza. Wow, guardati, hai la bellezza di tua mamma."
If I could blush I'm sure my face would be red as a rose by now but it is nice to hear that I am beautiful like my mother. She is beyond gorgeous, inside and out.
"Gracie," I manage to get out.
"È stato un piacere conoscerti Madelaina. Spero che ci rivedremo presto."
"Sì. Anche io. ehm..." I dig my nails into my palms. This just got really awkward, well at least I think so. She just laughs it off with a smile on her face.
"Giovanna."
I just nod, seeing as it's the only thing I seem capable of doing.
She touched her palm to my cheek before walking away, that smile still in place.
Letting out a breath of air, I shake out my hands.
One down, about a thousand more to go.
An hour passes and I'm still contemplating whether or not I should murder my little sister for abandoning me.
It's not like it is looked down upon in my world.
She is happily talking to some middle aged woman with a sense of fashion as good as a caveman's. Mismatching colours and a dress that only reaches her ankles,
Not to sound cruel.
I may not be outgoing and have crippling anxiety but at least I know how to dress.
Even if no one can see it since I am still cemented to the side wall of the ginormous ballroom.
Hidden.
I have been in desperate need for a drink for the last half hour and yet I cannot muster up the courage to walk out into the sea of people.
Giovanna, thankfully, was the only person to come up to me so far. However, every time I take a step forward, I retract until I am flat against the cream stone.
Taking a breath, I decide not to think about it.
My foot is only an inch off the floor before I hear it.
"Stefano! What took you so long?" The sound of my fathers bellowing voice has my gaze snapping to the entrance of the room to find him, mamma and the Agosti family greeting each other with hugs and smiles. Alessia runs to then and says her hellos as well.
My parents look around the room, no doubt searching for me. They must seem to give up though because they turn back to the Agostis and motion then further inside.
Holding in a breath I pray they don't see me as they move their heads in every direction.
But as usual, in these types of situations, I'm never lucky.
Bright green eyes find mine in a second.
Just like before, our stares are unwavering. Only question is, who will look away first?
After a minute, our eyes are still locked, none of us backing down from the unspoken challenge we both know exists.
Ten more seconds pass before another guy, who looks around the same age as Lucas, throws his arm around Lucas's shoulders and says something I can't make out.
Lucas holds my eyes for another few seconds before begrudgingly looking away and begins talking to his friend.
One point for me.