The Dog Princess

by Laci Long



 

  The Dog Princess

  By: Laci Long

  Children’s Entertainment

  Middle Grade age group

  Adapted from: The Swan Princess

  “Martha, are you ready for school?”

  “Yes dad, I will be right down.”

  The truth was I really wasn’t ready for school. I mean who really ever is. It’s just a place where you are constantly going through depression, stress, and anxiety each day you are there. For me its like I was sentence to life in a prison where I am being tortured everyday by vicious beast. Not literally beast but girls that are constantly trying to claw your eyes out for being different. With that being said of course I am ready for Hell.

  “You look beautiful dear.”

  “Thanks dad.”

  “You look more and more like your mother each and everyday.”

  “Do you really think so dad?”

  “Of course I do.”

  As he walked away I could see the tears begin to fill his eyes. My mother passed away two years ago. She was pretty much both of our rock. She was the one person we depended on more than anything in this world. Cancer took her away from us and I wish I could bring her back. Sometimes I feel guilt because I find myself trying to remember what she looked like and how her hands felt or simply just the sound of her voice. I guess that’s how I got to where I am today because I was such a girl when she was still here. Now I am just like the Dark Princess in my very own fairy tale. You know the story where you’re a beautiful magical Princess and everything goes right and then one day your Prince charming comes along and you’re happier than ever, well scratch that story. My story is more like this, a dark lonely Princess that lost everything in the world that made her feel beautiful and happy. She is put down by the evil beast (popular girls) that haunts her dreams every night. Waiting patiently she wonders when her true love will come along and take away all the pain and sorrow and make her feel beautiful again.

  “Are you ready sweetie?”

  “Yeah dad, I am ready.”

  The way to school is always a quiet drive for my father and me. It’s nothing like it used to be when my mother was alive. I remember playing little car games on the way to school and everyone was smiling and having a good time. My father tries but it just isn’t the same without her. I don’t think anything will ever truly be the same without her.

  “Did I give you your lunch money?”

  “Yes dad, I got it.”

  “Do you need more?”

  “No this is plenty dad.”

  Do you know that gut feeling you get when something that makes you nervous is about to happen? Yeah, that me right now because we just pulled up in front of my school. The feeling of pain and sadness suddenly enters me and my stomach starts to ache.

  “Martha, here is your bag sweetie.”

  “Thanks dad.”

  “I will be here after school to big you up. I may be a little late though I have a meeting sweetie.”

  “Okay, I will be here.”

  “I love you angel.”

  “I love you too dad.”

  Pain was dwelling deeper in my soul with every step that drew me closer to my school. The people around me whispered and giggled as I walked by. I officially just entered Hell and the darkness over powered. I walked towards my locker when all of the sudden I was approached by Satan herself. Emily Watson was the most beautiful girl in the entire school and the most popular as well. She let you know just how powerful she was every time she ran into you. Her and her little clique ran the school. Her friend Mary was her little sidekick and Emily took advantage of her just like everyone else. Mary was just too blind to see it.

  “Looks like their letting dogs in now girls.”

  Emily said as they all walked past me and started laughing. I was pretty much used to the pain and her words. However, that didn’t mean they still didn’t hurt. I closed my eyes and imagined me being in my happy little fairy tale. I saw myself lying in the grass and butterflies flew all around me. For that moment everything was reassuring and peaceful. Then I heard the bell ring and just like that my happy time was over. I shut my locker door gently and walked to class.

  “Okay class, lets sit down and get started.”

  “Mrs. Grendel, can you call the janitor?”

  “Why Emily?”

  “Someone let the dog in the building.”

  She pointed at me and the whole class started laughing.

  “Emily knock it off, and for the rest of the class settle down.”

  I opened my textbook to the page Mrs. Grendel told us to turn to.

  “Today we will start reading a classic love story I am sure we all have heard of. It’s called Cinderella.”

  Mrs. Grendel started teaching and as she was reading the story I couldn’t help but to imagine myself being Cinderella. I closed my eyes and pictured myself in my fairy tale again. This time I was sitting by a water fountain playing with the frogs on the lily pads. As I was sitting there peaceful and happy I heard a voice coming from behind me. Someone tapped my shoulder and woke me up from my daydream. I turned around and saw Lyle Crabtree. He was the most gorgeous thing I have ever laid eyes on.

  “Excuse me, can I borrow a pencil?”

  “Yes, you can?” I replied.

  “Thank you.”

  I handed him the pencil and sat there quietly the rest of the class. The rest of the day went as expected. Emily and her clique reached their goals of making everyone around them absolutely miserable. In gym, they put y clothes on top of the lockers and I couldn’t find them. Finally, at lasts the bell rung for us to go home. I stopped by my locker to put my book away. As I was standing there I felt a tap on my shoulder.

  “Here is your pencil, I forgot to give it back.”

  “Oh thank you, you can keep it if you need it.”

  “No that’s okay, thank you though. I’m Lyle by the way.”

  “Yes, I know. I’m…”

  “You’re Martha, I know.”

  We both just stood there for a minute in silence.

  “You like Avenge Sevenfold?”

  “Yes, their my favorite band.” I replied.

  “Mine too, that is awesome.”

  “They are.”

  I smiled and he smiled back at me.

  “Do you need a ride or anything?”

  “No, I am just waiting on my dad.”

  “Okay, well it was nice talking to you.”

  “Same to you.”

  He walked away and I saw my father pull up. I jumped in his car and put my seat belt on.

  “How was your day Princess?”

  “It was okay dad.”

  I never really told my father what happened at school because I thought he had enough to worry about.

  “I figured we would stop at the Café’ for dinner tonight.”

  “Dad, can we just please go home? “

  “Aren’t you hungry angel?”

  “No not really, and I have a lot of homework to finish.”

  “Okay sweetie.”

  We stopped in front of our house and the breaks squeaked really loud.

  “Darn car.” My father said.

  I grabbed my bag out of he backseat and ran up the steps to our house. Throwing my bag on the floor I jumped in my bed and pulled out my book and started reading Cinderella. I couldn’t stop thinking about Lyle without smiling from ear to ear. It was the first time he has eve talked to me, and probably the last. He was the Prince in my fairy tale, well I could only hope he was. Lying there I drifted off to sleep.

  When I woke up I was in my fairy tale again. This time I saw Lyle and he was the Prince he asked me to dance. All have t
he sudden he backed away and Emily appeared and started calling me a dog and barking at me. I heard laughing from everywhere and Lyle walked away.

  “Martha, Martha.”

  I woke up and saw my dad sitting next to me in the bed.

  “Dad, you scared me.”

  “Were you having a good dream Princess?”

  “More like a nightmare.”

  “Here I brought you something to eat.”

  He placed a plate on my nightstand that had a sandwich and some chips in it. Then he placed a glass of water next to it and sat back down on the bed.

  “Martha, you know I love you right?”

  “Of course dad. Why do you ask?”

  “I just wanted you to know.”

  He kissed my cheek and walked towards the door.

  “Will you turn my light off dad?”

  He flipped the switch.

  “Goodnight, I love you angel.”

  “I love you too daddy.”

  The next day at school was completely odd for me. I saw why shortly after when I was walking to my locker. Emily was passing out invitations for her sweet sixteen party. As I was putting my books in my locker I saw Lyle standing by his. I couldn’t help but stare at him, he had them most gorgeous eyes that I have ever seen. Emily’s voice came from behind me.

  “Hey Martha, how are you girl?”

  I looked at her with a puzzled face and wondered why she was talking to me.

  “I’m fine, how can I help you?”

  “I was just coming over to say hi girl and wanted to see how you were.”

  “I am fine thank you, but why do you want to know how I am?”

  “Actually I did come over for a reason Martha. I wanted to see if you would like to come to my birthday party this