14. Chapter 14 (1/2)

three day weekends are great, aren't they? and i don't have too much homework, making it even better.

so, i have lots of things to say in this authors' note. feel free to skip it and just read the chapter, if you want. first thing: i'm planning on updating every other weekend, so check for new chapters on saturdays and sundays. secondly, i have decide to take the suggestion of a lovely person called tiedietruth (hi!) and make approximately one-third of the chapters from ember's pov.

third, i decided i want to do a thing in every author's note telling you guys about a story on this site or fictionpress that i really like. i would make this one about tiedietruth's red mirror, but i already mentioned that in like, five other chapters, so this chapter's featured story is abizeau's story looks don't say it all. it's fairly short and really sweet. i recommend reading it all in one sitting while snuggling with a kitten. if you have a kitten. if not, a teddy bear and/or little sister works well, too.

fourth (and i swear this is the last thing besides reviews), i don't think i really like the summary as it is. if you guys have any better summaries of enough, please put that in a review or pm me.

tiedietruth: i'm glad you liked the chapter. i was trying not to copy you, but i really wanted a foodfight, so . . . yeah. 7 years of tae kwon do? wow. remind me not to get into a fight with you.

sorryi'mreading: thanks for your review(s)! i am going to be writing some from ember's pov, but not the whole thing, don't worry. i love the username, by the way.

stanford18: i don't know why, but i didn't see your reviews before. i rely mostly on email notifications to tell me about reviews, and for some reason i didn't get an email about yours. anyway, thank you so much for your kind reviews!

guest: okay, okay, i'm writing more, lol. thank you!

other guest: thank you! i'm really glad you liked the chapter. it was fun to write.

if you read all that, i am very impressed. now, (finally), enough chapter 14!

ember's point of view

i flop down on my too soft, too fancy bed, exhausted. allysa's idea to teach self defense was a good one, but i suspect that tomorrow will be filled with complaints of sore arms and shoulders. not that i care. in my opinion, if a girl can't deal with a little pain, she has no business ruling a country full of people who are hurting. ignoring the dull pain in my biceps, i pull my dress over my head and toss it on the floor, knowing that anna will probably pick it up later tonight. i wish she wouldn't. i survived more than sixteen years (i'm pretty sure my parents cleaned up for me when i was two) of picking up my own stuff, but now (gasp!) i could be a princess, so i no longer need to have any personable responsibility.

right on cue, anna, leslie, and seraphina walk in. i ignore them all and continue undressing. leslie blushes and stammers, "oh, i'm sorry, miss, we didn't-"

"i'm fine," i cut her off. "and no, i don't need help taking my clothes off, or drawing a bath, or getting into bed, or whatever else it is you were going to offer."

"miss, are you-" seraphina starts.

"yes, i'm sure, i'm fine, and no, nothing happened. i just want to be alone." they exchange looks but say nothing. leslie and seraphina walk out. anna hesitates at the doorway for a second, looking like she wants to say something, but she stays silent and follows after the other two, softly clicking the door shut behind her.

finally alone, i finish changing into my nightgown, splash some water on my face, and crawl into bed.

after tossing and turning and rearranging pillows for several minutes, i finally give up and pull the blanket and a pillow with me onto the floor. i fall asleep there, on a plush rug that probably costs more than my entire house.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

the next couple days all run together in my mind. they are full of boring lectures from gina, the other girls

agging about their dates with prince foster, and many hours spent doing absolutely nothing in the women's room. the only highlights are allysa's boxing lessons and the meals.

then, one hot, muggy, boring tuesday, while we are all sitting in the women's room, we hear isolde scream. november drops her book and rushes over to see what happened. "are you okay?"

"look at this!" isolde yells, pointing to a huge pimple on her chin. "look at it!"

"oh, you've got to be kidding me," i say.

"what?" isolde glares at me.

"that's all it takes to get you to scream?" i say, disgusted. "you nearly gave november a heart attack thinking something was wrong. all over a zit. seriously, grow up."

"well, excuse me for caring about how i look," isolde says snottily.

"yeah," i say. "well, while you're over here having a

eakdown over a pimple, some people have real problems."