“Hunter, that's cheating.” 

“You can’t fucking cheat in Scatergories!” 

“You looked at my answer!” 

“Bullshit I did!” 

I sit on the floor of Emma’s bedroom. Hunter and Emma fight over a stupid game. It’s nice honestly, and I can’t believe that our lives will probably never be the same in a few weeks. 

“Char, tell Emma I didn’t cheat!” Hunter whines 

“Yeah, I could, or…” 

“Charles Edward Anderson! You’re supposed to be on my side!” 

Charlie sits down next to Hunter, “Well when the facts are clear…” 

Hunter gasps dramatically, “And I thought you loved me,” He falls into Charlie’s lap. “How cruel.”

Charlie just kisses Hunter’s head and goes back to playing. 

As we play I look at the scar on Charlie’s face. It’s been there for years, ever since the car accident that killed both his dad and sister. No one knows what caused the crash, given it was the middle of the night. Some people say it was an animal, others say it was a witch. I can’t help but wonder if it was from a witch. I guess that would mean they are bad, wouldn’t it? I can remember how hard it was for Charlie, especially since he thought it was his fault. But it wasn’t. How could it have been? Maybe it was a witch's fault. Charlie always told us that he couldn’t remember what it was, that it happened too quickly. It doesn’t matter now I guess, what’s done is done. But just because it might’ve been a witch, doesn't mean all of them are bad. Like how not all people are shitty, it sometimes is just way more than some would think. I’m surrounded right now by living proof that not all people are dicks. I guess that's more than enough.  

“A carabiner does not count as school supplies, Hunter. How did you even think about that?” 

“Yes it is! I used a carabiner all the time when we were in school!” 

“That’s because you're weird!” 

“Or maybe, Emma, it’s because I was smart, and you were not.” 

“Did you just call me stupid? You’re on thin ice, Smith.” 

Hunter sticks out his tongue at Emma, “Charlie, Eliza, does a carabiner count as school supplies?” 

“Uh no, definitely not.” I reply. 

“Oh fuck you! What about you, Charlie?” 

“I’m gonna let you figure that one out on your own, babe.” Charlie says with a wink. 

Hunter blushes and says, “Ugh fine. I won’t take the points.” 

Emma grins, “Alright gays, next section.”  

“Gay? Me? How dare you assume,” Hunter jokes as he literally sits in his boyfriend’s lap. 

“You are literally sitting in your boyfriend’s lap.” 

“Damn, just out me like that.” 

Emma punches Hunter’s arm playfully, “Shut up, dumbass.” 

Hunter falls back onto Charlie’s shoulder pretending to faint. Charlie and I laugh, Emma smirks. “Alright, now we can play.” 

We are about to move to the next section when Emma’s dad comes through the door. 

“Emma, you’ve got a shift. Tell your friends to leave and…” He trails off, looking at Hunter and Charlie. Hunter, who is still sitting on Charlie’s lap, slides off with a blush. 

We all know how Emma’s dad is with homosexuals. It sucks given that Hunter and Charlie are very open and Emma is pansexual herself. Emma hasn’t told her parents and doesn’t think she ever will. Her parents are very traditional and even when she dyed her hair they were angry. It’s mostly just her dad. Cedric has emotionally abused Emma most of her life. If I had any say at all, I would take Emma away and we would run away together. Maybe live in the forest, making a living off of hunting and gathering. But life isn’t always that simple. 

Charlie, Hunter, and I leave after her dad finishes his sentence. 

“Holy shit he’s scary,” Hunter says, holding Charlie’s hand walking to his house.” 

“Yeah. I wish we could just leave,” I say, looking at them. “Then we could just live our lives. Without parents, or expectations, or any of this bullshit.” 

“Then why don’t we? We have nothing here, what's the point in staying?” Hunter I wish it was that easy. 

“If I could, I would be gone by now. But I can’t. If I just decided to disappear people would think it was a witch and everyone would panic. I want to so fucking badly but I can’t. 

Hunter sighs, “Yeah. I mean, once you’re married, we won’t be able to hang out as much. And that fucking sucks.” 

I smirk, “When I’m married, I’ll run away with you. Don’t worry.” 

Hunter looks at me weird, “What’s the difference between now and when you’re married?”  

“Wives run away all the time in arranged marriages. Yeah people might panic, but it’ll all pass.” 

Charlie speaks up, “I feel like it’ll be better when you are married. People might think Xavier was abusive–which happens all the time in arranged marriages, which causes the wives to leave–and then people will be hush about it. Xavier will also probably cheat.” 

I nod, “Yeah.”

We stop at Hunter’s house. 

“Bye, my love,” Hunter says to Charlie, giving him a hug and a kiss. “I love you.” 

Charlie smiles, “I love you too.” 

I fake throw up in a bush and Hunter punches me in the arm. 

“We gotta go Charlie,” I say, after getting away from Hunter. He goes inside after waving goodbye to us. Charlie and I make our way to the castle and I drop him off at his home near the kitchens. 

“Bye, Eliza!” He calls, going inside. I wave to him and go to my sister’s room, hoping she’ll be free. 

I knock on Evelyn’s door, I don’t know why, I hear talking anyways. Evelyn’s friend, Anna, answers the door. Anna is one of the prettiest people I’ve ever met. She has waist length ginger hair, auburn skin, and hazel eyes. I don’t understand why she’s still single, she’s liked by so many and has been asked out by maids, guards, nobles, and even commoners. I find it odd, but good for her.

“Oh, hi Eliza,” Anna says with a sweet smile. “Come in, Evelyn and I were just talking.” 

I step inside and give Anna a nod. I sit on Evelyn’s bed, “Whatcha guys talking about?” I ask, kicking off my shoes. 

“Oh nothing much, mostly just about the ball and such,” Evelyn replies. All of a sudden her eyes light up. “Wait! I have to show you our outfits.” 

My sister disappears into her closet, Anna trailing behind her, both of them giggling like fools. “You know the ball isn’t until next week, right?” I call into the closet. 

“I know, I know. But Anna and I want to be prepared, we were planning on coming to find you so we can plan your outfit,” Evelyn responds. 

“Don’t I have a dress fitting tomorrow or something?” I ask, thinking I remembered incorrectly. 

“Yeah, you do,” Evelyn replies, coming out of her closet with a flowing gold dress on. Anna follows behind her with a satin emerald dress with gold embroidery on the side. Her dress is simple–unlike my sister’s whose dress is full length with a golden skirt that shimmers when she walks. 

“You guys look amazing,” I compliment as they spin and show off their dresses. 

My sister beams, “I know right? We’ve spent all day trying to find the perfect one.” 

I look at my sister confused, “Wait, why don’t you guys have a fitting?” 

Evelyn sighs, “Because, my dear sister, we are not betrothed to anyone and our presence is less important–persay–then yours.” 

I roll my eyes, “Bull. Shit. Everyone’s gonna be looking at you anyway with those dresses.” 

Evelyn looks at me, “Well not really because we aren’t the ones engaged. Now come on, we have to look at dress designs!” My sister and Anna head back into the closet to change out of their dresses. When they come out, my sister carries a big book of dress designs that was given to her by the royal dressers. She opens it as her and Anna sit on the bed. Holding it in her lap, she flips through until she comes with the ones she marked. 

“These ones I really think you’ll like,” She says, pointing to one. 

It's literally just a white purple dress that is made up of ruffles, ruffles, ruffles, and did I mention ruffles? I sigh, this was going to be a long night.