Chapter 4 - Better Tomorrow

"Alright everyone! Today's project will be done in groups!" I felt my heart stop at the announcement my teacher gave. As everyone rose from their seats and asked their friends to join, it wasn't even a matter of friendship—it was a matter of if they could pull their own weight and I...I stood up and hurried to the teacher's desk. "Um, miss?" I fiddled with the hem of my skirt; I always have trouble keeping eye contact."Yes, my dear?" the teacher replied."Could... could I perhaps do this project... alone?" Even if I couldn't see it, couldn't bear to, I knew the teacher frowned. What a disappointment, right? All those gentle lectures about bringing myself out there and talking, and whatever encouraging words she spat did nothing.My teacher could only sigh as she raised her voice. "Would anyone care to partner up with Alice here?" She said in such a sweet voice. Yes, keep this student's burden off my hands.My peers didn't speak. They didn't have to."ᵤ𝓰ₕ, ₕₑᵣ ₐ𝓰ₐᵢₙ? Wₕᵧ 𝒸ₐₙ'ₜ ₛₕₑ ᵦₑ ₘₒᵣₑ ₗᵢₖₑ ₕₑᵣ ₛᵢₛₜₑᵣ?"No one would willingly take me."Wₕᵧ 𝒹ₒₑₛ ₛₕₑ ₐₗ𝓌ₐᵧₛ ₕₐᵥₑ ₜₒ ₘₑₛₛ ₑᵥₑᵣᵧₜₕᵢₙ𝓰 ᵤₚ?"No one would want me."Wₕₐₜ'ₛ ₜₕₑ ₚₒᵢₙₜ? ₛₕₑ'ₗₗ ₒₙₗᵧ 𝓌ₑᵢ𝓰ₕ ᵤₛ 𝒹ₒ𝓌ₙ."I'm—I gasped for air, my chest was burning and my face was wet. Wet? Shaking, I brought my to my cheek, tears? I sat up, no no, not right now. I'll wake everyone up. I can't—breath..just breath. You're not there anymore, it's dream. It is just a dream. Don't think about anything else just—just...breath..I exhaled slowly and tried to register my surroundings, a row of beds with sleeping maids, bed counters, windows display the pale blue..I softly groaned, it's morning.I pushed my hair back, and sighed, well it's not like I have anything better to do. I slipped off my bed, pushed on autopilot to get ready, and start my day.✧༺♥༻∞Some days, I would have an arrangement of tasks to do, whether it was cleaning, washing dishes, or doing laundry. Other times, I was left with nothing to do but wander around. Sometimes Madam Amelia couldn't be bothered. Sometimes she would just say, "Assist your colleague," which led to me doing all the work they didn't want to do.And here I was, organizing a library no one would even touch. The bookshelves were all covered in dust and the little corners in cobwebs. Sometimes I don't really get the whole idea of a big mansion. I mean, yeah, I get it, you're rich and everything, but if you have piles of rooms just collecting dust, then why even bother?Maybe reading a book here would be something. I was always curious about this world, but whenever there was a big encyclopedia of world history and philosophies, my mind would just space out and not absorb anything. So maybe not."Hm? Alice?""Wah!" I almost fell off the ladder as I snapped my head to the voice. There I saw Diane at the door frame."Oh, I'm so sorry, are you alright?" she asked, somewhat frantic."I'm fine, I'm fine, don't worry about it. Hang on." I climbed down the ladder, only taking a few steps before my feet landed on the ground. I turned to face her."I didn't expect to see you so soon, my lady." I bowed slightly."Yes, well..." Diane trailed off, her mouth curving downward.I tilted my head. "What's wrong?""Oh, it's really nothing. I was just on my way to the kitchen to grab a snack.""By yourself?" I raised an eyebrow. "What about your maids? I thought they would be on your beck and call.""They said they had something urgent to tend to.""Gee... I can't imagine what important business they had to go through," I muttered before shaking my head. "Er... anyway, how about I escort you there?""Oh no," she put her hands up, "you don't have to.""Are you kidding?" I chuckled. "Please save me from the torment of these dusty leather and papers. Surely you would be so kind?""Ah..." She lowered her hands. "Well, alright, come along.""Ooh, hopefully there are cookies!"We moved swiftly down the stairs and through the dimly lit hallway until we reached the kitchen. Diane was more than content to eat the first thing that was available, which was a basket of bread. However, I was not. So there I was, searching high and low for anything that resembled something with sugar in it."You know the bread is really good too," Diane commented as I reached into the cupboards."And you know that cookies are better. I know they have some; every kitchen in a mansion has them.""I don't know about that—""Aha!" After I pushed aside the jars and bottles, I saw one glass jar of cookies. "So, my lady, I suppose you'll eat your words—wait..." I grabbed the glass jar out of the cupboard. "Oh come on, blondies?" I stared deadpan at the milky plain cookies before eventually just shrugging and hopping down off the chair."Here." I handed her a cookie."Thank you."I sat down on the stool next to her and bit a piece of the cookie. We were silent for a moment, which was fine, of course. I'd grown to expect it. But the way Diane kept glancing at me told me she wanted to ask me something."You can, you know? Ask me anything. I am your humble maid, after all.""I... I didn't want to be rude, but ever since that day, I've wondered: why do I always see you in more... um...""Secluded and unused areas in the mansion?""Yes, that. I mean, I understand the purpose of a maid is to maintain the orderliness of the household, but I only ever see you clean these types of areas. And I never see you with all the other maids that wander around and clean the more main areas.""I suppose I can understand that curiosity," I breathed out as I lifted my head up, gazing at the ceiling. "The main areas of the mansion are more significant than the rest, as they are more often used and seen by the nobles. As such, most maids tend to those widely known locations. However, areas such as small libraries, attics, and common bedchambers, there is little if not no importance there. There is little to mess up, there is little to... to be incompetent at."Diane perked up. "I don't think—""My lady, do you know what my first day on the job was like?" I lowered my head to the counter.Diane shook her head, so I continued. "My task was simple: organize one of the young lord's studies... it was so simple. But you know what happened?" I didn't wait for a response. "I accidentally caused a fire in the study. It was extinguished quickly, but the damage was already done. And... Madam Amelia took the fall for what happened. I didn't know what punishment she received, but from that day onward, she looked at me as trouble.""I..." Diane's mouth was open for a few moments, as if the words would just flow out of her, but they never did."Hey, I don't expect sympathy. I messed up. I knocked over a candle, I wasn't careful, and someone had to pay for my mistake. I don't expect anything, alright?" I then slipped off the stool and grabbed the glass jar. "Anyhow, we better get going. I know the chef well, and if he finds out we stole something, he will be... well, not lenient with me, at least."Diane nodded and got off the stool as well. She waited for me to put back the jar, and then we were off again.As we made our way down the hallway, the soft patter of our footsteps was the only sound.Finally, Diane spoke up, so quietly I almost didn't hear it. Almost."The other maids... they don't... they don't like me."I turned and look at her as she clutched the hem of her black dress, " I know what they think. I'm an orphan. What right do I have to be in Marrow's household? And well... tomorrow, the Archduke requested me to attend dinner. It's said to be special, and all the maids were talking about it. I don't know what to expect, and I'll be... I don't know... I...""Hey, hey," I interrupted gently, reaching out to touch her arm, "Look I..I think I know what your referring to, but let me tell you, you have nothing to be afraid of. I don't know exactly what your going through but I know the Duke inviting you for dinner is so amazing, and you'll do just fine. And besides, isn't the head maid going to be there? And she likes you, she knows you are important.""That's still..can you be there?" She asked so suddenly I become rigid."My lady, I can't—""You don't have to be beside me, you just have to be there, in view, where I know I can be okay. Just this once, just for tomorrow night, I can't—please..?" She gazed into me, and the first time she showed such intense emotions, any other emotions beside indifference or nervousness, she has ever shown was faint.But this? This was not subtle, quiet, this was plea. I can't bring myself to say no."I'll..I'll do what I can to make it."Diane's eyes shifted, as if inspecting I was just lying but then she nodded slowly and with a few breeze of utter crickets, we continued on until we reached the raggedy room she felt so at peace with."Thank you Alice.." She waved at me before moving inside and closing the door with a gentle click.I watched the stilled door before sighing and making a turn to my own quarter for the night. Please whatever god up there, don't make it too hard on her tomorrow.