*****CHAPTER 30

PEARL'S POV
 
"You have been suspected indefinitely?" Snow's voice rang too loud as she scolded me while I was seated on my bed, staring into blank space, pretending that none of this affected me in any way, even though my heart was aching badly at the unfair judgment the school management had passed on me.
 
But then again, what was I expecting after beating the principal's daughter to a pulp? Definitely not a warm welcome.
 
"Who would have thought the world's most perfect daughter would be involved in a violent act in school?" "How could you beat a girl so bad?" Snow kept yelling at me, flailing her hands around. I moved my gaze to her angry face now.
 
"You didn't even ask to hear my side of the story." I answered her after remaining silent for most of the time she had scolded me.
 
But Snow scoffed ridiculously and placed her hands on her waist now. "Ask for your side of the story?" "How is that important when you can't go to school anymore because you went around fighting with other kids at school?"
 
I felt a wave of anger rush through me, and as I opened my mouth to reply to her, my cell phone rang out, cutting me off on time from saying something stupid that could land me in more trouble with Snow.
 
I glanced at the caller ID, and a new wave of calmness took over me, melting the anger in me away as it revealed Mae's name. Ever since Mae left to work at the castle, we had only spoken once over the phone. I've missed her too dearly already, so much more than I ever thought I would.
 
"You know what?" "I'm done with you." Snow sighed and rolled her eyes in surrender before leaving the room. Glad to be finally rid of her, I immediately picked up the receiver and placed the phone on my ear.
 
"Hey."  I said excitedly into the phone, forgetting for a moment that I had been suspended from school. All that mattered right now was this moment with Mae.
 
"Hey, you."  Mae's voice came from the other end of the line. I took notice of how slightly dull her voice was and concluded that it was probably because she was overworked and physically drained.
 
"I've missed you." I told her regardless.
 
"I've missed you more." She replied with an almost quiet chuckle. "How is mom?"
 
"Good.  She's been taking her drugs and herbs."
 
"And Snow?"
 
I rolled my eyes now and shrugged defiantly as if she could see me.
 
"She's good, I guess." "Just finished scolding me for getting a suspension letter from school."
 
"Wait, you got a suspension letter from school?" Mae's voice sounded more alert and a little panicked now. Instantly, I regretted mentioning the suspension to her. I would hate to add to her mental stress, aside from the one she was probably facing at the castle.
 
"Yes.  I did."  I admitted with a self-deprecating sigh.
 
"What do you mean you got a suspension letter?" She sounded like she didn't believe any of the words I was saying. "How did that happen?"
 
"I don't know..." I ran my fingers through my hair and bit my bottom lip. "I got in a fight with a girl."
 
"You got into a fight with a girl?" She repeated my words as if trying to believe what she had just heard. I could imagine her running her fingers through her hair and biting her tongue. "There's no way you would get into a fight, Pearl." "You don't get into fights."
 
"That is because you don't know sh*t about me, Mae." I was beginning to lose my cool again. It saddened me that my family knew nothing about what I was going through at school and amongst my peers. Or that most of the issues I was facing in school were because of the pathetic state of my own family.
 
There was silence at the other end of the line for a while, and just as I was about to think that she had ended the call, her voice came again, this time calm and calculated.
 
"What is it that you're not telling me, Pearl?" She asked.  "You have always been one quiet and timid girl. But I knew you had stuff stuck in that tiny mind of yours that was screaming to be left out.
 
I put my chin down and played with my tongue. I blamed myself for being harsh with her just a moment ago. She was right. I had so much stuff tucked away in my heart that I refused to share it with anyone else. I had no right whatsoever to blame anyone for not knowing there was always a tiny crack in that perfect facade I always had on as a disguise for my shitty insides.  
 
"You know what?" She said it again as it took me longer to give her a reply. "Let me propose something to you. I don't know if you'd like to take it. But I'll say it anyway."
 
"Okay." I whispered back.
 
"Let's do this." Come visit me at the castle during this suspension of yours, and then we can talk about everything. "What do you say?"
 
A small smile broke across my face now, and my insides felt elated.
 
"What do you mean, what do I say?" You don't know how much I want to see you, don't you? Plus, it's the freakin' castle, Mae! The castle!"
 
She laughed gently too. "I guess I'll take your response as a yes then."
 
"Of course it's a yes!" I laughed this time, but the laughter died as soon as it came. "But hold on. "Are you sure they're going to let you bring someone else into the castle?"
 
"Yep." She answered. "All servants are allowed at least one visit for a duration of at least one week. So yea. We're good."
 
"Woah.  Cool."  My insides were literally dancing at the thought of visiting Mae after missing her so much. "I'll be in the castle first thing tomorrow."
 
"I can't wait to have you, Pearl."
 
"Me too."  The smile on my face remained unfaded. I just couldn't wait to connect with the only person I felt a connection with in the entire world.
 
But perhaps there was more. Perhaps the gods wanted me to go to the castle for something else too.
 
Or rather, someone else.