"Thank you. Thank you!" I told the movers as they set the last boxes into my living room. They nodded and quickly shuffled out of the house. I stood at the doorway, hand on my hip, as I watched the men get into the moving van and drive off. I turned around on my heels, staring at the boxes in the same position. I groaned, not wanted to do all the unpacking. As I started to open my first box, my phone began to vibrate. I quickly pulled it out and saw the name flashing on the screen. "Hey Mirrly," I excitedly yapped in the phone.
"Lesil! How's the house? The view? Can you see the castle? Are you going to go on a tour? When will you be unpacked? I can't WAIT to visit. What are you doing to-" Mirrly rambled on. I quickly interrupted.
“The movers just left. I’m going to start unpacking today. The castle is about 10 minutes away, I can see it from the bedroom window upstairs, and I am going to attend a ball held there this weekend. It’s called-“
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, since when are you invited to royal balls? It’s insane!”
I chucked at her eagerness. “If you would let me finish, I would tell you! It’s a community ball. Basically, the whole kingdom is invited, but they do regions at a time. Once a month. I’m just lucky that I moved in on the month they are inviting the Brevnik region.”
“D*mn, girl. You are good. It’s so boring in New York without you! We miss you! Your brother won’t leave me alone! You left him all alone in that apartment and he thinks it’s cool to ‘hang out’ with big sis’s best friend.” Mirrly’s voice was cracking.
“Haha! I’m planning on having my family and the chicks over next month. Hopefully by then, I’ll be settled in. I still have to set up my office. The boss says I can put anything in and out of it because if I’m going to write this book, I need to be as comfortable as possible.”
Mirrly was crying now. “What’s your book about anyways? It must be good to move you across the world.”
“Um, that’s the thing. I haven’t the clue. Look, I need to start unpacking. I love you. Tell everyone I miss them. Bye!” Mirrly sniffled and hung up; I was left standing in my huge empty house in silence. “Ugh.” Unpacking was going to be he*l.


At the end of the day, I was sweating like a man, the furniture on the ground level was where I wanted it to be, and all the boxes (although they weren’t unpacked) were in the rooms they belonged in. I pulled out a phonebook the previous owners left me and dialed a pizza place. My fridge was empty at the moment, and I wasn’t getting my advance until I went to the office in the morning. All I had was a twenty in my back pocket. I ordered a cheese pizza and sulked around the house while I waited. I ended up staring at the space my TV was supposed to be from my couch, but I hadn’t set it up yet. When the pizza came, I ate at the kitchen counter, drowning my tears when delicious, cheesy, greasy pizza. God, it was so much better than American pizza. Oh, and the reason I was crying? I was crying because I was alone. I was away from home, my family, and friends. I even missed my turtle. I was across the world, where the only person I knew was my boss, who I’ve only met twice. This might be the worst mistake I’ve even made. I didn’t know what to do, what to think. I was confused.
I spend Tuesday to Friday night unpacking, organizing, crying, getting tangled in TV wires, arguing with the pizza guy about toppings, and getting hopelessly lost in my work building every time I went there to pick things up. It was not pleasant. I would have totally forgotten about the ball if Mirrly hadn’t had called. “The ball. Do you have your dress? Do you even know how to do make-up? Stupid question, I’ve seen your idea of ‘make-up’. Will the prince be there? I googled him. He’s hot and single. Want me to email his profile? Does that seem a little like a stalker? I’ll email it anyway… Loading, loading, sent. Are you checking your email? Do you see it? Do you see it? Babe, are you listening? Do you see-“
“Mirrly! SHUT UP! I totally forgot! I don’t have a dress! I brought some eye shadow and eyeliner, I don’t have email at home yet, and I’m listening to you and trying to get dressed to go by the pizza place!” I nearly tripped over my shoes as I slid my slackers on.
“You don’t even have the dress? Are you CRAZY? The ball is TONIGHT! You are hopeless. You need me.”
“Mirrly, the ball isn’t even that important. I don’t need to go.”
She gasped loudly into the phone. “Don’t need to go? Are you crazy? You have to go! I’m begging you! You need to find a local, make her take you to a dress store, and you are going to the ball with her so you aren’t lost. Go! Go! Knock on every door! Hurry! Bye! Love you! Kisses!” And then, the phone went blank. She was gone.

What was even the point of going to this ball? I might eat free refreshments and get a glimpse of the ‘hot’ prince, but I’d never find a guy, much less befriend someone. But Mirrly was right; I guess I have to go. It’s all over the news (of what I saw. My TV doesn’t show the picture without black lines going across the screen). I thought for a moment of who my neighbors were. An elderly man across the street, a family with at least eight kids next door, and, of course! I saw a woman my age walking her dog! Mirrly would be so proud of me. I got into my Prius and drove down the road to pick up my lunch. I picked up my order and drove back home in a shocking 10 minutes. I walked two houses down with the pizza in hand. Before knocking on the door, I checked to see if there was a car in the drive way. I saw a blue convertible. Yes! I knocked gently twice and waited patiently, the pizza box held in my left hand. After a few seconds, a blonde, skinny, young girl answered the door. “Can I help- oh hey, you’re the new girl a few houses down, aren’t you? Come in, love, I see you brought pizza. Yum!” I offered a smile as I walked into the house. Her home was similar to mine, except her TV was set up correctly and her furniture matched. “I’m Cheryl. Cheryl Simms. You?”
“I’m Lesil Main. It’s nice to meet you,” I told her, trying to sound friendly and casual. Actually, I felt awkward.
Cheryl took the pizza box and said as she walked off, “I’ll go get some plates. Take a seat and get comfortable.” I studied
the seating options and finally sat on the long couch. I laid back and looked at the many painting on the walls.
Noticing the signature at the bottom of the closest painting was CS, I yelled to her, “Are these paintings yours?”
Cheryl laughed, “Yeah, most of them. If they look like actual art, then they are paintings by my parents. Sorry the house is a mess; I’ve been getting ready for the ball.” I heard the microwave beeps. “Are you going?”
I looked at the tiny mess in the hall. It was hardly noticeable. Oh, the question. “Um, I was thinking about it. I forgot about it and didn’t get a dress. In fact, I don’t even know what kind of dress I’m supposed to wear.”
Cheryl walked in with two plates on top of the pizza box, set it on the coffee table, and sat next to me. “Oh, it’s very formal. You wear like $200 dresses with a tiara and every thing. I made my dress, though. You know what; I think you could fit in my dress from last year’s ball. I’d love for you to come with me! All my friends are out of town. It’d be so much fun, love! Would you?”
“Oh! That’s be awesome- I mean, cool, er, lovely.” I still wasn’t used to all these proper terms. My cheeks began to burn as Cheryl laughed. I shyly took a big bite of pizza. Cheryl put her hand on my shoulder and continued to laugh.
“Awesome is just fine, love! Just fine,” she chucked. I smiled and we both giggled as we ate our pizza.