Waking up to the bottom of another bed in a room with three other bunk beds doesn't bother me. It's the way they look at us, their whispers in the corners and the way they think they are better than us. As I stroll into the bathroom I picture myself in one of their gowns, big and puffy with my hair up in one of their fancy hairdos. I lift my green and brown cotton dress up into a curtsy and bow slightly into the mirror. When I look up at my reflection I am in a blue dress standing in the middle of the courtyard. It is casual, no one seems to be bothered that I was there. They weren't looking at me like I was a maid anymore. They would laugh with me not at me and have conversations with me. Like it was normal just for a second, but then the second ended with Rebecca’s voice. It cuts into my daydream like a knife.
“Eloise?” Her hand falls onto my shoulder and I swirl back to reality. I stare at her dark brown eyes framed by the locks of curly brown hair. Her dark skin calms me as I make my way into a hug.
“Its not fair, I want to be like them. I want them to look at me lipke I'm important. I want to be someone important.” My voice fades into a whisper. She looked like she was going to say something but then the breakfast bell rang. I grabbed the ends of my dress and we ran through our room out to the courtyard. Racing through the flowers my dress slips through my fingers and my arms spread out wide brushing the leaves as I passed. I shut my eyes and breathe in the amazing scent of the flowers. Rebecca grabs my left hand as she passes me and jerks me forward almost loosing my breath. My eyes pop open and they go wide as I see one of the boys staring at me through his window. Before the wall cuts him off I see a smile form at the edge of his mouth.
I stand in the prep room with the other twenty something girls in my section. Shela is our group leader, we do what she says and go to her if we need help. She tells us what our daily chores are and tells us who we are serving everyday. I normally listen to what she says but I can't stop thinking of that boy in the window. I can't help but wonder who he is. I will just ask Rebecca, she knows everything about everyone. The girls start to move around me and I come back to reality. I grab Sarah's arm and power walk with her down the hall.
"What did she say?" I ask in a panic.
"We are in the kitchen today, are you okay? You look off." She had that something's-going-on look. I couldn't tell her that I'm freaking out because a boy looked me way she would think I'm crazy and laugh at me.
"Yeah I'm good, thanks." I lie right through me teeth. I look down at her arm and I still have a death grip on it. I jerk my hands down to my side letting go of her pale arm. The ceiling-to-floor tall doors are made of carved wood and extremely heavy. I knock my shoulder in to the front of the door and force my way into the room. A breeze of fresh air dances through our hair as we admire the rooms glory. The long dinning table could fit up to twenty at a time. It was clothed in a golden yellow cloth with Violet strains running through it hat draped over the sides. The chairs were covered in white fabric with the same embroidery on them. The chandelier must of had one hundred pieces to it, and lit up the large royal purple room. We all shuffled into the large kitchen. Some of the older ladies start to cook and clean while us younger kids gathered up the silverware and started to wrap them up in white cloths.
After we lay out the wrapped silverware on the table the student sit and wait for us to bring out their breakfast. Tray after tray are set out in front of them. Watching their faces brighten up and their eyes glaze over when we lift the tops is weird. I walk around with a rag over my left arm and a pitcher of water in my right hand. I walk around the large table catching a glimpse of the boy in the window sitting, laughing with his friends, not paying any attention to me. I get to the side table in the corner of the room to set the pitcher down. I stand still with my back to the rich kids still, trying to listen to their conversation. They are talking about the gathering in the courtyard tomorrow afternoon. They will have snack and there will be dancing. "Oh I just can't wait! It is going to be a wonderful night.” said one of the girls in her giddy high pitch voice.
I set my cloth down on the table slightly annoyed and walk back into the kitchen. Rebecca finds me shuffling through the pots in the lower cabinets behind the back sink.
“What's wrong Ell?” not knowing she was there I jump bumping my head.
“Nothing.” My short tone never went over good with her but I used it anyways. She looked at me with that Do-I-look-stupid look.
“Eloise.” my name flowes off her lips and into my ears. I set down the pot in my hand and wrap my arms around her neck. Her large hands pull me in close and she whispers in my ear, “I love you.”
I push my body off of her and wipe the tears away from my eyes. “We should go clean up with the others.” She nods.