SIR Chris is such a jerk! I’ve had it! I’m going to do whatever I want! Sonia ran to the chambers assigned to her in the Royal Palace as she fervently wiped away the tears that flowed on end.
A young noblewoman crying as she ran through the palace halls must’ve made for a peculiar sight. But the burning stares and voices of bystanders couldn’t reach her as she was now. Plus, it helped that she had run from the quiet garden to the section of the palace restricted to the King, his family, and close friends. Aside from a few startled maids who jumped to either side of the hall, Sonia made it to the wing where her room was located without running into anyone.
She could barely hear the dance music drifting in from afar. The guests were probably in the midst of the revelries. Fortunately, it was still too early for men and women to share their tender affections.
Crudely running as fast as she could had left Sonia horribly winded. She slowed to a crawl as she fought to catch her breath.
When was the last time I cried so hard that I got the hiccups? Sonia wondered, her mind thinking back. I’m pretty sure it was when I was notified that the youngest of my older brothers had died. His death had whittled their family down to just her, and she had been filled with sadness and uncertainty. What was she supposed to do henceforth? How was she supposed to live? What was she supposed to live for?
Back then, it’d felt as though she had been abandoned in a wasteland without a compass. She hadn’t known whose hand to take. Who should she turn to for advice? Who could she go to convey this indescribable sorrow? Although she had sought the teachings of God while at the Royal Abbey, the fact was that God only smiled down at her and never extended His hand. It wasn’t like He would hug her tightly. The idol before her had been merely a symbol.
An accident had taken Sonia’s parents from her first. Her wounded young heart could hardly be mended from “prayer” alone after she was shuttled off to the Royal Abbey immediately following their loss.
She had wanted warmth. However, all of the people who provided her reassurance with a simple hug had passed away. Young as she was, she had known that the slick, cold, white statue couldn’t offer what she sought. Perhaps worshiping the statue instead of the God in the Bible was the problem, but she didn’t know the difference.
Sonia had cried and cried and cried—and Pamela had cried along with her. “I don’t have a mother or father either. I’m all alone,” Pamela had confided in her. Facing the same situation, they held each other and wept.
Sonia wanted to see Pamela badly. She wanted to pour out her feelings.
“...Pamela,” Sonia called her friend’s name, choking back her tears.
“Sonia...?”
Surprised to hear the familiar voice come from behind, Sonia slowly turned around. “Pamela? Is that you?” she asked.
In a red and black dress with real flowers pinned in an updo, something about her attire looked different from the other noblewomen. It was shiny and sexy.
Sonia was so surprised by the stark contrast to the innocent and cheerful image she had of Pamela at the abbey that she forgot all about crying.
“What? Why do you look so surprised? Do I look funny?” Pamela asked.
Sonia shook her head, still dumbstruck. In reality, the dress looked beautiful on her. It just didn’t look like something she would have expected to see her old friend wear. Not with that color combination or the mature design, let alone the accompanying vivid red lipstick. Pamela looked at Sonia with a slight smile on her lips, and it felt to Sonia like her best friend had matured much faster than her.
But this is definitely Pamela standing in front of me! My irreplaceable best friend! Sonia’s vision slowly began to blur yet again.
“Pamela!” Sonia cried and flung herself onto her friend in a fit of tears. “What are you doing here? I went to the abbey the other day, but they said your family came and picked you up...!”
“My uncle threw my coming-out party. He means to marry me off as quickly as he can,” Pamela answered. She twisted her mouth distastefully and clenched the skirt of her dress. “I thought you might be here tonight, so I was searching for you.”
“Same here, Pamela!” Sonia breathed.
“I saw you with Sir Chris, but lost sight of you after you split up. So I waited for you to come back until it was time for the Debutante Presentation. But you never did show up! I asked around if anyone knew what happened to you.”
“Ah! The Presentation! I completely forgot!” Sonia exclaimed.
All of the young noblewomen who became debutantes that year were presented individually during the annual birthday celebration. Sonia was supposed to stand in line and wait her turn to come out in front of the court.
“I can’t believe it...! How could I forget?!” she cried out.
“It’s held all three nights of the festival, so don’t worry about missing it tonight.”
“Have you already done it?” Sonia asked.
“My uncle stuck to me like glue so I would. As you can see, he doesn’t care what I do now that it’s over and done with,” Pamela said with an exasperated shrug. Sonia was inwardly relieved to see she was still the same Pamela she knew. It was a testament to just how far the impression Pamela gave deviated from the past.
“Anyway, what’s going on? I found your room and was waiting out here for you. I didn’t expect to find you come sobbing down the hall... Why isn’t Sir Crisford with you like always?”
“...Pamela!”
Reminded of why she had been crying by Pamela’s question, Sonia fell onto her friend in another fit of tears.