Loyalties

Annabelle

Annabelle paced the room for the hundredth time before someone knocked on her door. She walked across the plush rug, peering out to see who it was before flinging open the door.

"Where were you?" She said, her voice impossibly high. "I was scared out of my wits. We were locked down for four hours. Four whole hours! And I found out that you were off campus somewhere, free to roam around as you wish with your little entourage?" She felt tears coming up to her face, but she tried to hold them back. "Michael I was scared, and you weren't there. When I got out and back to my rooms, you still didn't call. I thought that you might have been kidnapped or worse! So when I found out that you were fine and never thought to call me?" She laughed in frustration.

"Annabelle I didn't think to—" he began, but she wasn't finished.

"Of course you didn't think. No, you were barging around worried only for yourself. You didn't once think about me? Did you?" Tears were falling now. Wonderful. Her makeup would never survive. And she still had a charity ball to go to tonight. She stormed into her sitting room, launching herself into a soft seat, sinking deep into its recesses. "Where were you Michael?" she demanded after he followed her in. He had large bags under his eyes, and his shoulders were slumped.

"I was in the hospital…"

"Baby what is wrong with you? You didn't think I should know that—" she sighed. "Are you okay? If they discharged you you can't be injured too—"

"I wasn't checked into the hospital. Somebody else was. A student who fought the shift-shaper. They… they don't know if she is going to make it." He sighed, plopping down in a chair, head in his hands. "I'm sorry Annabelle. I didn't know you were this worried."

She pursed her lips. Of course he was visiting someone in the hospital. Now he was making her sound like a bratty little princess for complaining. She could be one sometimes, but she had been genuinely worried. "It's… it's fine," she massaged her temples with her perfectly manicured nails. She sighed, "Who was the student?" When he didn't answer, she tilted her head, "Michael. Who is she?"

"Gisa."

"Michael." She said. He was so naive.

"Annabelle, please don't begin with this again…"

"Michael, how do you know that this wasn't some ploy? So what if she almost died? I'm sure they would stop at nothing to bring this kingdom to its knees. They could get close to you, make you feel this sadness, and regret for judging them when they tried so hard to save the precious nobles, oh but they could spin this. And you'd be the king under which this kingdom fell." she spat out. Why could nobody else see this? Did anyone have some sense? Only a few of her friends still believed in her theories. She didn't understand how everyone could miss the point so wildly…

"Annabelle, I'm not doing this right now." He stood up and left. The door shutting harder than it needed to on the way out.

She fell back on the couch with a groan of frustration before pulling out her phone and rocketing off a message to friends of hers. They all responded that they would be over and within minutes, her good friends arrived.

"Aw Anne, I'm so sorry, he's not thinking straight. All this pressure on him as king. When you two are married you'll help him I'm sure, and things will get better." Mina said, combing out the tangles from one part of her hair.

"It isn't fair that you had to play the bad guy either." Lisette said with a sigh as she stretched out across the rug on the floor. "He doesn't want to hear that his newest project is failing, but he has to hear it from somewhere."

"Yeah he'll thank you someday." Kethura said from where she was perched in an armchair. "I know it's hard, but you gotta keep on going, alright?"

Annabelle nodded. She knew. It was just hard sometimes. "I have half a mind to not go to that stupid ball and stay here. I have that singer Larson Carols on speed dial. A personal concert would be relaxing. His music is amazing…"

"His abs aren't a bad addition," added Lisette. The other girls giggled and nodded their approval.

"Ugh I can't skip it however. Unless I am literally dead, my parents wouldn't have it. My public image is supposed to be some sweet little angel. I have four charities in my name I think now. Every now and again I go to visit, stand outside in the cold for a half hour to hand something out so the magazines can get their pictures taken and all. If I missed this one, my parents might hurt me. You know how the press changes the dumbest things…" Annabelle pouted.

"I know, it's rough." Mina said, "I have to go to this event to get my image back on track after that fiasco with Jacob. What a loser. But my point is that we could go together, perhaps arrive a little late so we can tell the paparazzi and the reporters all about the funds we are donating on our own to… who is the ball for?"

Annabelle rolled her eyes. Mina was just a pretty face. Nothing else lurked beneath there. "Castle restorations destroyed by age and battle and all. Some are being turned into housing for low income families or whatever." Annabelle stood up, pushing the buzzer for her seamstress. "You all are welcome to stay while I have my dress' final alteration done. There is only an hour till it starts at eleven p.m. so I plan to be fashionably late. I was um… doing another charity event and got caught up, right?"

The girls nodded. They all knew how it was. They were completely different from whatever the press said they were. Stories could be as far fetched as you wanted. Your public life was a story that you wrestled the reporters to control. While the two rarely overlapped, it was important to make sure your public image was good to be sure the real you didn't have to scrabble for whatever it was that you wanted.

Annabelle sighed as the dress was pulled over her head. The seamstress began hemming the bottom skirts. Kethura oohed over the color, fingering the material. "My mama absolutely loves this color. Pastel green is such a flattering color on you. Your skin looks so tan." Annabelle smiled despite herself. At least there was one good thing about the day. If nothing else she would look good.

Mina giggled. "Wait until you see my dress." Annabelle's improved mood dropped. "I'm sure we will look great together. Why don't I actually go home and then we can coordinate times to arrive!" She flounced out, picking her handbag up from the chair.

"Why are you still friends with her?" Lisette asked when the door had shut. "She's a backstabbing little airhead."

Annabelle sighed. "My parents are business partners with hers. We're expected to someday have that same relationship or something. Trust me, I still haven't forgiven her."

Kethura shrugged, "Your parents would understand. She went to Gisa, the girl trying to take over the kingdom that should be yours one day. Just because Lucy got her hair done, doesn't give Mina any right to ask Gisa as well."

Annabelle frowned deeper. Ever since Gisa had given Lucy the new hairstyle and the manicured nails every girl had come running to Gisa to magically change their appearances. Mina had finally caved despite knowing what Gisa was.

Lisette said quieter, "You know… I've seen a lot of girls with the new hairstyles. Gisa is making bank off of their money."

Annabelle's heart leapt, "More people?" Her voice came out as more of a shriek. "Of course! Of course she makes even more people pretty with her magic. She probably has a spell connected to it as well or something. I'm furious right now! This is getting out of hand and Michael sees nothing but their innocent little fake personas!" she huffed, "and now I have to go to the ball with Mina. She's such a backstabber. Her hair is magical, not natural. Her regular hair was ugly!" She almost wanted to cry. Why was nobody listening to her anymore? Ever since Gisa came, her friends grew fewer and her boyfriend was more distant. Gisa was doing it on purpose.

With her dress hemmed, she said goodbye to the other girls who headed back to their suites while Annabelle ran downstairs to catch her ride.