The Executive Monologue

“We brought you in here, clothed you, fed you, and even gave you a good education. I want the best for you. We took you in. Be grateful.” I am now silent, and so is she. It’s like the world is on pause for a second. I tilt my head just enough so she can see my: are-you-serious-look.

The low-­cut bodice of the woman’s enormous, trailing gown was made of pale green silk, its waist ending in a deep V shape. Her draping sleeves gently brushed the floating skirt as she walked. The skirt was made up of countless layers, decorated with ropes of green fabric and processions of pink roses. The lady’s powdered white hair rose in an elaborate tower above her head, only letting a few corkscrew curls fall down to her

“Thank you for taking the time, Princess,” she waited to see Rosalie smirk, the curl of lip that teased, she waited to her voice full of mirth asking her why she was being so formal, after all we’re all friends here,

Tiny snowflakes glided down around me, like icy ballerinas swaying to a gentle beat. The view before me held a bittersweet memory, but my own heart felt empty. I remember the times I spent here with her. She wanted to stay, yet she knew she wouldn’t last. It was a different kind of stupidity. We met before this sunrise, before this sunset, and before the nighttime skies. She smiled a lot, making people smile and smiling in place of others. I’d met a lot of people but none like this girl. She was different, a perfect, original beauty in my own eyes, but she never stayed for long. She always drew in her sketchbook and focused on making smooth lines curving into her own creations. The thin, spidery webs intertwined on the paper, forming a delicate piece of art, her own webs.

She tapped her long, glossy fingernails on the wooden table. All around her were cheers, dances, and loud, boisterous voices. The girl couldn’t help but sigh, feeling so hopelessly thoughtful in the dark, cramped dining hall. Prideful men boasted about the room, while their obedient wives quietly conversed amongst themselves.

It must have been around eight o’clock in the evening when Johnny saw the flickering lights from the tiki torches that were bordering the outdoor terrace. The two had been facing each other for a while now in the hotel’s lounge, and Johnny’s sight of the outdoor terrace gave him the out he needed to get Clarissa to a more secluded and romantic spot. “Pick up your drink…we’re going onto the terrace,” he quickly and bluntly told her with a grin. As soon as she could grab her lemontini with one hand and her purse hanging from her arm, her beau gracefully clasped her other hand and led them both through the crowd of hotel guests to the terrace entryway. She couldn’t help but be turned on by his spontaneous ways and smiled the whole way to the terrace

Alex addresses the room with mirth and a very handsome grin. “I welcome all of you to the first royal ball in ages. It’s wonderful to see the ballroom so full after years of remaining unused.” The crowd said small words of agreement. His hand found mine and he held it up. “This woman is the reason we are having this ball today. She is the one whom I love.”

With a warm greeting, he slips the dress over my head and I twirl, admiring the beautiful handiwork he has put into my victor's costume.

“Don’t worry about anything! Tonight is on me!” He throws back at me smiling seductively. We walked into his loft and it was decorated so nicely. His furniture was modern and he had all kinds of different ethnic paintings on the wall. As I looked around, he told me to make myself comfortable while he went to get some wine. While he was in the kitchen I yelled,

We needed to get ready, put on our dresses and doing our makeup. We all traded dresses, Mckenzie and Isabel pulling on my matching floral dresses; Mac’s was blue with purple flowers, Isabel’s orange with pink flowers. The dresses flowed perfectly on their thin bodies, reminding me of colorful butterflies, twirling around with skirts like wings. I slipped on a soft dress that was the color of the night sky, my hair cascading down my back, and glancing over at Elise looking like an angel in a white

“You made it!” There was something so delightful on her face when she turned around. It almost looked like she was going to cry.

“Abby!” I squealed, pulling her into a bear hug. She looked at me bemused, “Its night to see you too, and morning breath.” I blushed red as she began to shape my hair into a delicate braid and applied light lip-gloss to my lips before offering me

“You were both in front of his room. Yes?” I said, firmly. “But! Tell me!” I added, in a lower voice, adorning it with a soft veil of mystery. “Who was there first? You or your Mistress?”

As I sat there thinking about what I am going to do when I get back to the house a beautiful young woman walked in. All the heads turned as she walked to her table to sit, which was right by mine. We made eye contact and smiled to one another.

My heart had become its own planet spinning on its axis too fast for me to feel my the floor below me and I still don’t know how I kept my balance, especially to the point of dancing the night away with the girls, as Mr. Wonderful watched. Something was missing; since moving back to Southern California every attempt made to court me had made me literally sick to my stomach. There was a strong sensation in my