by S. K Munt
And what beautiful skirts they were! Not just because Amory had had a very precise vision about how the first Australian kingdom ought to look, but because Miriam had been studying to be an architect before the Strike and therefore, had understood how to marry design and function to that particular part of the world- to build a castle that was not only defensible but suited to the climate. Lady Miriam had made a few mistakes along the way, like by forgetting certain, engineering details, but visually, Castle Laidlaw was absolutely enchanting. The sprawling estate definitely had that sandcastle look to it, especially on days like that when the sun reflected off the sandstone walls, making it glitter goldenly, and the Manifest had accomplished that by employing a lot of the Georgian- Regency architectural concepts that had been used to construct Government House in Adelaide, which was one of the few buildings in Australia that had looked castle-like before the Strike. Finn hadn’t actually known that before Miriam had mentioned it, because she’d never gone further south than Brisbane herself, but she’d looked it up in an old book in the library after and yes, it was clear where Miriam had drawn her inspiration from.
All of the buildings- even the apartment buildings and schoolhouse- matched and had been fashioned with plenty of design and fortification attributes, including crenelated battlements, cloistered stone porches, and turrets. However, there were a few nods to the federation-style architecture that had once been prevalent in South Australia (mostly in the private sandstone cottages) that were just for decoration too, including decorative asymmetric gables, terracotta roof tiles and tall chimneys. At first it had all been too new and too bright, and people had complained that they got headaches from just looking out one of the windows, or sunstroke from standing at the assemblies for too long, due to the way all that sandstone and quartz had reflected the sun and caused a glare. But Amory and Miriam had fixed that by filling the stone gardens with Indian Mast Trees, Mock Oranges and Aussie Boomers, which had already grown tall enough to be shaped into handsome topiaries, and provided both a welcome wash of green and a great deal of shade into all of that gold.
Unfortunately though, that feeling of having stepped into a fairy-tale ebbed away the moment you actually entered the castle, because Amory had smartly refused to allow Miriam to continue to exhaust herself further by decorating it. It was pretty in a minimalist but cavernous way, and so clean that it gleamed, but the rooms and halls were so big and sparsely furnished that the wind whistled through those yawning corridors and up the spiralling staircases, making them seem more hollow than hallowed- all except for the library of course, which was the one room that felt home-y. There was certainly an abundance of natural light, and the strong coastal breezes that blew in from the harbour kept it cool in the summer while providing views that were as beautiful as any painting could ever hope to be… but there was no glass in any of the windows yet because it was so hard to manufacture, so the complex seemed cold and unfriendly during the winter, and positively sterile on the quiet days, no matter what the season.
So yes, although Finn admired the castle from a distance that morning as she had on so many others, and even indulged herself in a brief fantasy about swanning along the promenade the following evening in a dress that made her look closer to being a woman than a child for once, she was perfectly content to let the fantasy of living there the way the Enigmas got to, stay a fantasy for the time being, if that was what it took to keep her safely tucked up in her cosy little book nook at night with her mother within arm’s reach, like the child she still was.
*
Finn got to the castle, locked up her bike and collected her weeks’ earnings from the administrative Tutela at the gate without issue. But unfortunately for her and her positive attitude, her fortune went downhill after that on an angle so gradual, that Finn didn’t see rock-bottom coming until she’d face-planted on it.
The issues she had that day started out small, like when she arrived at the table that the Hive girls usually sat at every day, and discovered it empty, save for one or two other Clings, who didn’t know where the Hive was either. She didn’t know what to make of that, because the Hive girls had claimed that territory when the academy had first opened in January and hadn’t left it unattended for fear that Georgia Janks’ clique would try to steal it since, but she told herself that they must have been at the library doing a last-minute assignment- and that she was paranoid for assuming that they were avoiding her because of Aaron. However, her paranoia was re-ignited after the warning bell rang, when she walked upstairs to her first class and immediately saw her friends sitting on the port-racks on the balcony, casually chatting with some senior boys that Aaron knew and apparently oblivious to her arrival.
So… what? I don’t even get a ‘Hi’ today? Finn thought, glancing over the edge of the balcony to where you could see the table she’d been sitting at for half an hour alone. Did they really not see me from up here? Or is there a chance they’re mad at me because of what happened with Aaron yesterday?
Telling herself that her imagination was getting the better of her, Finn inhaled a quick breath and opened her mouth to break the ice by calling out a greeting of her own, knowing that she’d be a wreck all day if she didn’t clarify who had actually gotten her and Aaron in trouble ASAP. But before she could make a sound, all four girls ducked into class without once looking her way, making her feel like she stuck out like a sore thumb again, which was never fun. Nor was the way Aaron caught her eye and smirked before sidling off after Bonnie, making it clear that he’d seen her and the way her face had fallen and had gotten a sadistic kick out of it.
Again, Finn tried to assure herself that she was being paranoid, because Aaron smirked at her like that at least once a week and often for no reason, but that feeling that she was being purposefully avoided only increased as the day progressed as she mentally replayed the way Cara had turned to look at her the afternoon before, and had then turned away, like a door slamming. She didn’t get to speak to Mischa between first and second period, because the Hive girls all walked out quickly and in a cluster, whispering in a way that discouraged intrusion, and then they disappeared so quickly after second period English that Finn lost sight of them within seconds. They didn’t return to ‘their’ table at lunch either, then came in late for third period science, explaining to the lab teacher that they’d been helping get more stock out onto the shelves at Suave, because they’d gotten mobbed because of the Gala the day before.
The teacher accepted their explanation, which got a few sets of eyes rolling in the class (only Lady Miriam’s sister could get away with being late to class without getting a fifteen minute detention) and then that was it- Finn ran out of chances to talk to Mischa, or clear the air with Bonnie over the argument she’d had with Ag, because the last period of every Friday was the one that they all went their separate ways for, because that was when the Straight-A students went off to their electives, while everybody else suffered through study hall.
Study hall was basically a complete waste of time, but the Elective classes were special, because that was the only time that the students of Laidlaw Academy had the opportunity to study something that interested them that wasn’t considered to be an essential ‘core’ subject. They weren’t taught by the same teachers that taught them everything else either, but by ‘experts’ in whatever field it was, who were brought in from the community once a week to work on developing the student’s natural abilities or interests- whatever they may be. Both Cara and Bonnie attended music together in the Conservatorium in the castle, (Bonnie only sang, but Cara was decent at Clarinet) Mila went to the self-defence class down at the town hall (which was what they’d replaced PE with), and Mischa went off alone to art, which was a class she shared with just four others at a local gallery.
Finn would have loved to be able to study dance, or even self-defence, but she’d never received an A in math or Science, which meant that she got schlepped off to study hall with all of the other under-achievers every Friday
instead. Finn was grateful for the fact that study hall was as packed as the other classes were combined, because that made her part of the majority for once, but it bugged the heck out of her that she was the only Potential girl that hadn’t made the elective cut yet, and it really bugged her when other people noticed, or drew attention to it.
‘Sitting with all your friends, Monroe?’ Aaron sneered as he came into class and noted that instead of sitting in the back row with him and the other seniors where she usually did, she’d opted to sit in the empty one in front of it instead.
Yeah… Finn thought, noting that he had finger-shaped stains on his grey trousers, like he’d eaten something greasy before wiping his hands on himself. Just like you will be when you wait for a lunch truck out at the mines next year!
Outwardly, Finn didn’t acknowledge that he’d spoken at all, but inwardly, her stomach knotted, because if he was still mouthing off at her, then it meant that he was mouthing off about her too, which wasn’t good. That class seemed to drag on forever, and when the final bell rang, she practically raced down to the waterfront esplanade where the shops were, knowing that she had to sort things out with Mischa now, before her mounting anxiety could make her throw up.
They’re not gonna wreck the Gala for me! she told herself firmly as she strode toward the thrift shop, fidgeting with her pendant again. It may not be a ball, but that dress looks amazing on me, and I’m going to get my Cinderella moment, even if they-
But Finn’s train of thought came to a shuddering halt when she got to the window of Suave and saw that her dress, which had been hanging in the window all week with a big, hand-written sign in Mischa’s cute block-lettering with ‘Sold’ on it- was gone.
No! Finn thought, shaking her head at her watery reflection in the glass, staring at the ugly gold dress that had taken her dress’s place: a puffy, scratchy-looking tragedy, that looked like it would have fit right into a prom scene from an 80’s slasher flick, which was appropriate seeing as how the day before had technically been Halloween. She can’t have sold it to someone else!
Finn’s mind had immediately gone to the worst-case scenario, because Mischa had always been unfailingly (and weirdly) loyal to both Bonnie and Aaron, which was weird because Mischa and Aaron had gone out in eighth grade before he’d dumped her for Bonnie. But then she remembered how Mischa had smiled at her the day before while assuring her that the dress was on hold for her, and that got her feet moving and her heart beating again.
She probably just took it off display like I asked her to two weeks ago, to stop people from nagging her about it… Finn reassured herself, as she entered the shop and looked around while the brass doorbell tinkled above her. There were already two or three other people in the store, but other than that, it looked pretty deserted. Not just devoid of people, but devoid of stock too, judging by the clothes racks, which had more coat-hangers on them that they did clothes. I know we’ve had our issues, but she wouldn’t hurt me like-
But then she saw Mischa step out from the little back room, looking as sweaty from rushing and as wide-eyed as Finn probably did, and her heart sank again, because Mischa did not look like someone who was about to make a sale- but like someone who was about to get yelled at. Finn parted her lips to announce that she was there to collect (still desperately banking on the power of positive thinking) but Mischa’s charcoal smudged hands- which she’d obviously been in the process of cleaning with a rag- flew up before Finn could make a sound.
‘I’m sorry!’ she cried softly, and indeed, she looked sorrier than anyone ever had before. The doorbell jangled behind her again then, but Finn didn’t turn to see who had come in because she couldn’t move through her mounting horror. ‘She made us sell it to her yesterday, Finn, and I couldn’t say no! I tried, but I just couldn’t.’
It was like all of the oxygen had been sucked from the room. ‘What?’ My dress? Is she actually admitting that she SOLD MY DRESS TO SOMEONE ELSE? Or is this a nightmare?
‘She’s telling the truth, Finn…’ Cara said, and though Finn didn’t turn to face her, Cara came right up to Finn’s side with her clarinet case and rested one tiny hand on Finn’s shoulder- close enough that Finn could hear how she was panting softly and smell the shampoo wafting out of her thick, perfect hair. ‘She wouldn’t take no for an answer. She pulled out an extra two chips for it, slammed them on the counter and started going on about how the money raised for this place goes back into producing more new cloth for the Tutelas uniforms to keep us safe, and basically implied that we were killing guards by not selling the bloody thing to her at twice the asking price!’ She sighed and shook her head mournfully as a still open-mouthed Finn pivoted to face her. ‘It was pathetic, but you know how she can be. Plus, there were customers everywhere and she was ranting about how unfair it was for us to hold dresses for our friends-’
‘Who?’ Finn demanded, wracking her brain as she tried to think of who it was they knew that had an ego big enough to carry the weight of that kind of scene, but a body small enough to fit into Finn’s dress. She came up blank though, so she whirled back to face her ex best-friend. ‘Who did you sell my dress to, Shelly?’
Shelly’s eyes slitted at the sound of her ‘old’ name, which Finn had only let slip by accident, but instead of pulling Finn up on it like she usually did, she lowered those blue eyes and whispered Georgia’s name, making Finn feel like she was thirteen years old and helpless all over again!
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘Georgia? Georgia Janks bought my size four dress?!’ Finn’s voice same out like a yelp. ‘She’s almost as short as I am, but-’
‘I told her it wouldn’t fit!’ Cara supplied helpfully, patting Finn’s shoulder before stepping away and going back behind the counter, looking pretty darned pleased with herself, and Finn could only imagine the rush Cara would have gotten out of slyly implying that Georgia was overweight to her face! Georgia wasn’t overweight she just didn’t have Finn’s delicate bone structure, and was better off financially too, which meant that she got larger meals more frequently, which kept her pleasantly plump. Sort of like Cara, but more solid than gamine. ‘But that only made her angrier.’
‘I don’t believe this!’ Finn stammered, looking desperately around the empty store, which she’d already gone through a dozen times before, noting that there was nothing left for her to buy between sized four to eight, even with all the money she now had to spare. She did, however, see a baby sling like the one Tim the Outsider wanted to buy, draped off the edge of a rack of tiny baby clothes, and the sight of it almost made her collapse into a hysterical heap, thinking that if that wasn’t a sign that she ought to be thinking more of others than of herself, then she didn’t know what was. ‘And I can’t believe you left it until now to tell me either!’
‘Well, we tried to find something else that might fit you first, like a peace offering you know? That’s why we came down at lunch.’ Cara put her clarinet case on the floor and then clasped her hands together in a business-like manner on top of the glass counter- like she’d hit her maximum threshold for compassion for the day already. ‘But we didn’t have much luck, I’m afraid- you’re just too damned tiny.’ She sighed again, glancing over at the customers that were rifling through what was left on the size twelve rack before turning back to Finn and saying in a lower voice: ‘I know you’re mad, but please, try to understand: we didn’t actually sell her anything! She just sort of took it, threw money at us and then stomped out; you dig?’
‘She didn’t even browse,’ Mischa whispered then, the picture of desolation when she finally met Finn’s eyes and then gestured around to the almost empty racks. ‘She didn’t look at the size eight rack either, like she should have. She just walked straight in and demanded the dress in the window.’ She wiped her hands with the ruined cloth again, though Finn couldn’t tell if she was actually cleaning them, or wringing them. ‘I told her it was sold, and she said: ‘Oh so you took money for it? Let me see the ledger then.’ And I said no, so
she just smacked the money down on the counter and said: ‘Well now it’s sold, and if Finn doesn’t like it, tell her to take her business somewhere where they deal in more than just promises between besties.’ Mischa wrinkled her sloped nose. ‘Which is weird, because I didn’t say who I was holding it for.’
Finn sucked in another breath, remembering the way Georgia had brought up her dress the morning before after the assembly after eavesdropping on her and Mischa’s conversation. It wasn’t even that she wanted it! Finn’s heart burned. She just knew I did, so she came to nab it before I could get paid!
‘I’m sorry, okay?’ Mischa’s voice was hoarse as a single tear slipped down her high cheekbone. ‘But Cara’s right: you know what she’s like; if I’d chased her down, she probably would have gone straight to the king to report me for-’
‘Report you for what?’ Finn’s blood was boiling. ‘She’s the one who took something from a store without permission!’
‘That may be,’ Mischa said wearily, ‘but she would have found a way to make us look worse, and seeing as how you got both you and Aaron saddled with a detention yesterday-’
‘Don’t go there!’ Finn snapped, feeling her heated blood rising to her face like she was a thermostat. ‘Don’t act like I had this coming because of Ag! You know what he’s like, Mischa! You know he gets detentions without any help from me, and you know how it feels when his mood snaps and he decides to take it out on you-’
‘I’m not saying it’s totally your fault!’ Mischa mewled, holding her hands up again. ‘I’m just saying that Georgia’s record is spotless, which would make it harder for anyone to take our side against hers. And I’m really not supposed to hold things for people in the first place!’ She sniffled and bent over, rummaging around behind the counter. ‘But here… I knew you’d be pissed so-’
