Chapter 4 chapter four

Emilia's P.O.V

Signing at the contact I felt against the plush and soft mattress I slept on; I felt almost relieved I wouldn't be waking up with back pains like I usually would. Turning on my side I attempt to gain a few more minutes of sleep when the door is practically thrown open and woman begin pouring inside.

What the hell is this?

"Madam, its time, " the tallest out of all the woman say.

Her hair was put up in a neat ponytail. She wore maids clothing like the rest of the girls in the room but instead of a maid dress she wore khakis with a black top and her name encrusted at her right chest. It read Ellis.

"Time for what?" I question rubbing at my tired eyes.

"Your Manners and Etiquette classes of course, " another maid, Gloria, pipes up.

I blink then I blink once more trying to register what they were saying. Once understanding my face turns into pure anger. I had manners! This was completely and utterly ridiculous.

Gloria sneezed and Ellis and the other girl, Maria, squealed backing away from her in almost a panicked state. Gloria apologized profusely and seemed like she was even disgusted in herself for doing something natural. A smiled slowly creeps up onto my face as a plan begins to form in my head.

Sliding off the bed, I yawn stretching my arms into the air with an open mouth. Scrunching my nose I fake sneeze on Ellis and she shrieks in horror. Eyes widen, Maria and Gloria take a cautious step away from me.

"Oh, my ba-ah-ah-chooo, " I fake sneeze once more and make my face as red as I possibly can. I start scratching my skin and walking in a confused state.

"I-is there something w-wrong, miss?" Ellis questions looking over me in disgust.

"Oh its nothing, " I wipe my nose with my arm, "i just have this contagious disease, buts its nothing."

"Oh God!" Gloria screams horrified as she runs out of the room as if the devil himself was chasing her.

"How is that poss-" Ellis begins, I cut her off.

I cough violently and fall dramatically onto the floor. I begin fake hacking and coughing then slowly begin pulling at my clothes. By the time I look up the room is empty with only myself in it.

Smirking im triumph, I stand and brush the dust off my night gown that was found in the large closet I was given.

Proud of myself, I lay back on the bed, throwing the covers on me and lie there staring at the cream coloured ceilings.

That was fun, I think to myself.

The door comes open and I groan rolling to my side. I hike up the covers and hold on them tightly while shutting my eyes closed tight.

"Emilia, enough with these childish games, " a deep voice barks in frustration.

"Sir, I told you, she's most likely dead, " I hear Gloria whisper.

I cover my mouth to keep from laughing but the giggles slips past my lips and I begin laughing out loud. I hear an annoyed sigh.

"I knew it, " Ellis murmured.

"Enough with the nonsense, " Alton rips the covers off me, I gasp and glare at him.

"What if I was naked, " I accused pointedly.

"Then it would've been my lucky day, " he says nonchalantly.

I gape at him with mixed emotions while the maids stand by trying to mind their own business but I knew they'd spread the events to other workers who worked here for Alton. It was there own source of gossip.

"Fuck you, " I grumble.

"Watch the language, " he glares, "get ready for your class and be at the piano room by 8, no later."

He begins to leave when I call out:

"I don't know my way around, " I mutter.

"I left you an IPhone by your nightstand with directions around here, you'll be fine, " he says finally before leaving.

Maria hands me a light purple dress with ruffles at its bottom and a pretty bow at the center. Gloria gives me purple flats with a small bow on it, thank God for flats.

I silently thank them and they take off quietly.

I enter the large bathroom that's most likely the size of my room back at home.

Home.

I missed home. I missed my parents, I missed the creaky sound the fourth staircase made when you stepped on it, I missed the warn down but functional kitchen, I missed life back their. I didn't want to be here. I didn't care about the money.

With those things in mind I made it my absolute goal to do any and everything to get back home without causing my parents financial trouble with Alton.

Taking a long needed shower, I wrap a blue soft towel around myself before leaving my bathroom and walking down the spiral stairs that were in my room that lead to this massive size closet.

There were lights installed into the ceiling of the closet with the clothes inside clear class walls; with a push of a button it'd open and you were allowed to pick your outfit of choice. The carpet was clean and grey with two small cushion seats on top and a display with a dress on it.

The dress I was to wear was on one of the seats with my shoes beside it.

I pick out matching white undies and bra before allowing the beautiful and nicely made dress to slip onto me. I zip it up myself before slipping the purple flats onto my feet.

Walking up the stairs, I head into the bathroom to do my hair. I decide on putting my hair in a fishtail braid to the side with some pieces of hair to escape the front of my head. I ignore putting on makeup.

I leave the bathroom and walk over to the nightstand where the iPhone sits on my nightstand.

I've never seen one of these up close before.

I grab it delicately, pressing the circular button. A sky themed wallpaper greets me with multiple applications on the screen. I scroll left and right in search of the navigation app. Once met with it I tap on it to see the directions are already in place. I also noticed its 8:10.

Fuck.

I follow the arrow on my screen that leads me to one of the center staircases. I make a turn then another before I'm met with a large wooden door. Opening the door, I shyly walk inside to see a women in her 40's most likely waiting with her feet tapping in agitation.

"Do you have any idea how late you are?" she glares in anger and disappointment.

"Very?" I squeak and she gives me a flat look.

I notice three girls sitting to the far back of the room on a seat. They seemed to be talking until they noticed my presence. They stood and made their way towards me and the grouchy woman who was scolding me about time.

One of the girls placed a gentle hand on the womans shoulder. Her hair was a dark brown and in perfect curls, her eyes were a mysterious blue that looked almost purple in the light and she possessed full lips. She owened nicely tanned skin that went well with her. She wore a black dress that hugged her chest and flowed the rest of the way down to her knees. She wore black heels that made her taller than everyone here.

"Its her first day Tabeth. You know how young girls are, " she emphasized young which caused the other girl and the much younger girl to laugh quietly.

Tabeth, I assume, purses her lips with her hands on her hips. She didn't look like she was having any of it.

"Tabeth, why don't we just start?" the girl of the same age as the one who just spoke suggested.

This girl had almost black hair but was just barley a dark brown. Her skin was pale compared to the other girl but she was just as beautiful. She had a small mouth but the way she did her makeup made her lips look unnaturally full. She had button nose that made her look younger than she most likely was.

She wore a strapless light blue dress that flowed down above her knees with blue flats. Her hair was straight and pushed to the back.

"Fine, " Tabeth agreed walking off to a table where there were multiple books.

The last of the girls was the same girl I ran into the day I came. The one who thought I was a maid. She was short but at the same time tall if that made sense. She had long legs that she showed off with the floral dress she wore. Her hair was in a simple ponytail and she wore a cream colour two inch heels.

She looked at me.

"I know you..." she trails, "i assumed you to be a maid."

She ends up recalling. I blush slightly, with all these beautiful girls It seemed to make me feel small somehow.

"Thats me, " I mumbled.

"My apologies, " she says apologetically, I shake my head quickly.

"No, no. I come off as a maid don't I? Yeah it's, uh, regular thing. Well...not exactly, you were the first. But I'm sure it would've happened. Its a simple mistake, not that you're simple or anything I-" I cut myself off as I realize I'd been rambling.

A smile comes onto their faces that soon blossoms into laughter.

"Alton picked a good one, " the tan girl said.

I rub my arm sheepishly and in slight embarrassment.

"I'm Aren, Altons sister and one of your bridesmaids, " the youngest girl introduces herself.

"I'm Camie, one of your bridesmaids, " the pale one says.

"I'm Fallon, another one of your bridesmaids, " she finishes.

They picked my bridesmaids? Did I receive any choice? Not that it mattered, I wasn't intending on getting married.

"I'm Emilia, Alton's-" I choked out the words, "fiancée."

Aren't clapped excitedly with a bright smile.

"Im glad. The women Altons chosen in the past were all, how do I put it..." Camie trails unsure.

"Golddiggers, whores, desperate, " Fallon continued to list as I laugh quietly.

"Fallon, " Tabeth scolds sternly, I see the faint sight of her rolling her eyes.

"Its true, " Aren mumbles and Fallon smiles down at her.

"There will be no such of that talk here, " she gives us all pointed looks.

Tabeth grabs me, taking me over to where the books were stacked. Fallon, Aren, and Camie take a seat at the long cushion seat that was against the wall.

The old lady grabs three heavy looking books and hands them to me.

"Rule One is posture. Yours is horrid, " I glare at her as she goes off about the things that are wrong about my posture.

"What exactly do I do with the books?" I question cooling my temper.

"Put it on your head, " she says slowly, "then walk in straight lines until you're not walking like some peasant. "

I begin to laugh and I continue until I realize this isn't some joke. She actually wants me to put these books on my head.

"What the hell? I am not putting books on my head, " I shake my head defiantly.

"Watch your language and yes you will, " she argues with her lips curled into a snarl.

"This is not some movie nor is this some type of book. Last time I checked this wasn't 'The Princess Diaries, " I argue back.

I hear Aren giggle.

"Stubborness is a bad trait Loveheart, " Tabeth grits her teeth.

"Is it?" I reply watching as she gets angrier.

Before anything can spiral out of control Alton enters the room; a sudden calm and yet tense atmosphere enters along with him. Aren smiles happily and gets out of her seat and runs over to give him a hug. A ghost smile appears on his lips but as soon as I see it, its gone in an instant.

Alton releases Aren and his eyes capture mine. I huff and turn my gaze onto something else.

"Sir Alton, Emilia is just unteachable! I refuse to teach someone who is incapable of comprehending such simple tasks, " she yells.

"Maybe it isn't me, maybe its you, " I quip smoothly with faint anger.

"Emilia, " Alton says my name softly, surprising me.

My heart did this weird thing and my cheek turned a faint pink. What the hell.

"I want to talk with you, " he grabs my wrist gently, dragging me out of the room and around the home until we find an elevator.

We enter and he opens this glass box that's on the other side of where you press the buttons on where to go. Inside is a button that he presses.

Its silent and very much awkward with me trying to distance myself unnoticeably while he tries to stand directly next to me. It'd be cute if-well no, it is cute. Damn, him.

The clear glass elevator doors open to an empty hallway with no doors, just a staircase at the end of it. He starts walking and so do I before I pause as a thought comes to mind.

"You're not planning to kill me, are you?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

He doesn't answer me. He quickly turns around but by the way his shoulders are shaking I can tell he's silently laughing and that brings a small smile onto my face but I shake my head. No.

Alton climbs up the staircase but stops to unlock and open the upside down door. Pushing it open he walks up with me tagging along. A gush of air blows passed my face that pokes the outside.

We're on the roof.

He stands with the wind blowing through his dark brown hair. His eyes seeming to sparkle for some reason dispute his mouth pressed in a thin, expressionless, line. He holds out his hand for me to take and I take it with a small whisper of a thank you.

We sit down gazing at the fields of trees and sky ahead of us with the sight of other houses. I stand quickly as I spot my house; a smile comes onto my face before it slowly begins to fade away. Sadly I sit back down slumping my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he interrupts the silence.

I don't respond, I didn't know how to respond.

"Emilia, say something, " he urges turning to face me, I look down at my hands.

"What am I supposed to say, Alton? That it's okay? What are you even sorry for? For taking me away from my life or forcing me to do something I don't want to do?" I spit out with tears now streaming down my face and landing on my hands.

After bottling it all up and trying to remain strong. Trying to escape it all. I've finally given up because was it worth even fighting for?

"Emilia, I didn't mean to snab your life away. Your family is better now, you'll live a nice life. I have money, isn't that-"

"Why aren't you understanding?" I grit out with angry tears falling down my face. I look at him to see an expression I never think I'd see. Hurt. But how in the hell is he hurt?

"I liked the way my life was! I was content with the way things were because as long as I had my mum and dad, things were alright. Even if that meant I had to have five jobs, " By the time I'm done I'm practically breathless.

"And I am not a gold digger nor do I care about your money, " I add quietly.

Its silent with the both of us just staring. The only possible sound to be heard would be the fountain out front.

"Why do you want to marry me anyways?" I whisper.

"Because I love you, " he doesn't hesitate and my heart actual does flips but I shake my head.

"Liar, " I accuse before standing and walking away.