***
"Jada I just checked the list and I will be going with the others, what is more disturbing is I didn't see your name on the list", Kate rasped out in a hurry. "Calm down, have you been running? ", Jada asked pulling the sheets from the line.
"You know I can't help it, are you not coming?", Jada shook her head.
"Madam Amelia instructed I stay here".
"But...But that's not fair!", Kate half yelled.
"Life is not fair Kate", Jada laughed at her best friend's childish behavior. The sound of a bell chiming in a distance.
"It's six pm, let's go to the dining hall for dinner quickly". Kate stated getting impatient.
"There's enough for everyone, why hurry?".
"I'm hungry"
Jada rolled her eyes at Kate's behavior. "I'm worried mi lady, you might become obese before your wedding". Jada bemused.
"Oh please, a few bowls wouldn't make me obese and with your magical tea herb there wouldn't be any trace of fat in my body", Kate stated confidently.
"There's no such thing like magic, it's Just made up to trick kids". The ladies walked in silence. As they walked down the hallways, a lady was walking opposite their direction.
"Stacy dear, please help me with the sheets", Jada said giving her the basket of sheets. "The room at the top floor close to your right needs this", Jada gave her a sweet smile. "Oh no problem, I was just heading to the top floor and congratulations Senior Kate", she said before rushing away.
"Oh my, I have gotten famous", Kate giggled.
Jada rolled her eyes.
"Is that jealousy I smell ?",
"Jealousy my old rat @ss", Jada said naughtily.
"Tch, would it kill to say yes", Kate whine. "Yeah, it would kill my pride", Jada laughed.
The two girls walked into the dining hall taking their respective seats. "I heard we are having something a little unhealthy tonight, the ladies cooking in the kitchen said we are having ham for dinner. Can you imagine, I wonder what Madam Amelia was thinking when she agreed to that... That's for the better, I'm tired of eating vegetables I think I am getting too healthy and I don't like it!", Kate kept whining.
Jada noticed that everyone's attention were on her. Some ladies murmur among themselves.
The double door flew open.
"How dramatic", Jada murmured under her breathe. Eleanor walked in with her head up high, Her hands holding the front hem of her dress.
Kate kept talking oblivious of her surroundings which became tense as Eleanor took a seat beside Jada. Shortly the meal was distributed.
"The ladies weren't lying about the ham, but ham and mashed potatoes is a treat!", she started eating.
Kate noticed her friend have been quiet for a while. She turned to look at Jada who was clearly not interested in her meal.
"Jada honey, can you finish that?",
"I think I'm filled", Jada stood up.
"More for me then" Kate said taking Jada's plate. "Yeah whatever, I'm going to bed".
Kate didn't respond as she stuffed her mouth with ham. Jada kept hearing mumblings as she walked passed the ladies. She knows what they are all saying.
'Why she didn't make the list even when she's a top student'. Those were the words that she kept hearing.
She choose to ignore them.
Several hours-ago she asked herself the same question. Apparently she has no answer.
Her hand reached for the door knob when she felt something warm at the back of her head. This wasn't the first time and she only hope this was the last time.
The room was filled with laughter. She turned slowly as the mashed potato hit the wooden floor.
Eleanor had a smirk on her face.
"Oh my, if we keeping wasting food like this we might run out of them", Jada stated. Kate rushed to her. "Are you alright ".
"It's just mashed potatoes, I'll just take a shower before going to bed".
"I need to teach this girl a lesson", Jada held her arm before she did something disastrous. "Remember the late time we did that, we got into trouble. She has freaky parents, let's not do something that would make you loose your opportunity to go to the central empire", Jada patted her shoulders before walking out.
***
Jada walked into the little room. An old bed that would collapse if she weights more than she is right now was placed at a corner of the room, a broken mirror and an old drawer. She had the worst room in the institution. She had no parents to cater for her needs, her guardian, Madam Amelia cared more or less about her unless topics of her leaving the village arises.
The madam would refuse without thinking. Jada sighed as she got rid of her faded clothes and walked into the bathroom. She turned the faucet.
Filling the bucket with cold water. The cold water bite at her skin as she washed her body and hair.
Drying her hair with an old faded towel. She stepped out and walked to her bed with the same towel tied around her chest.
A nightdress laid on the bed. Putting on the dress, she climbed the creaky bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
***
There was a soft knock on her door. The drowsy Jada lazily opened her door.
The door pushed open as Kate walked in, Jada's vision became clearer.
"What are you doing here, what about the carriage, the empire?!", she rushed the questions.
"I can't leave my best friend, if you can't go to the central then I wouldn't go too, let's remain single together and maybe elope to a distance land", She whined dramatically.
"How dramatic, Kate you don't have to be single because of me, I've resigned to my fate long ago dear",
"I've made the decision already. I told Senior Alanna I can't go. I've been replaced already", Kate stated firmly leaving no room for argument.
"What should I do about you", Jada hugged her. "Breakfast would be ready any time, hurry wear something let's get going", Kate rushed. "What a way to spoil the mood", Jada groaned.
***
Eleanor looked out of the window as the carriage rushed pass the woods. The other ladies kept talking about the kind of males they hope to attract. Eleanor smiled at her reflection on the carriage windows.
Her parents did a great job in pressuring Madam Amelia, her mood would have been sour if Jada joined them in the journey.
The carriage jerked and slowly come to a halt. "What the hell was that", a lady named Nancy almost screamed.
They all got down from the carriage. "Am sorry ladies, the wheel broke. It would take a while to repair, just be patient", The carriage man gave them a bow.
"Tsk what do you expect from a peasant, always incompetence", Eleanor spat out.
"Am sorry", The old short man with a hunchback bowed again.
"There should be another carriage passing this path ", Nancy said.
"Am afraid not mi lady, we are pretty close to the heart of the black woods",
"Really, I've heard allot about the black woods", a lady said with fear apparent on her face and voice.