I felt myself being stripped, a soft silken cloth being put on me, my face was being touched and brushed, my lips and my nails were being painted, it felt like I was on fire.

And I'm literally on fire.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" I gasped furiously at the servants touching my body.

"Princess, calm down."

"I will not calm down when strangers are touching me!" Are they fucking crazy? They think I'm just gonna let them do whatever they want with me?

"Clarissa you're a-awake," a familiar voice and face finally appeared.

I glared at the girl. She had kidnapped me and I don't easily forgive those type of people. "What the hell's happening?" I stood up and shivered, feeling the cold air breathe at my bare back.

"I-I'm sorry," she whimpered. Her eyes brimmed with tears. "But I couldn't do it."

"Couldn't do what?"

"Attend the p-party. I'm too scared and s-self-conscious." She began crying and took the napkin that the servant gave her and blew her nose.

I cringed my face. I didn't like to see people crying, much less a girl myself.

"Please, you have to go to the party instead of me otherwise I'm going to die with humiliation."

"I don't understand," I said, genuinely curious. I have calmed down and decided I would hear her whole story. One by one the servants fled from the room, giving us solitude.

"M-my parents hate the w-way I'm shy and unsociable. I could barely speak to people I don't know and I hyperventilate when there's too much pressure. And since they didn't like this part of me, every time there's a party they would hire a professional actress to attend it for me. In the magazines you'd see Princess Catherine as a strong woman and a social butterfly." She looked down and frowned.

I sighed. "And I bet this has been going on. So what happened to hiring an actress?"

"She's not feeling well and I have to get another substitute in less than an hour. I read your profile and immediately got you." She looked up at me with big, googly eyes. "C-clasrissa? Will you please attend this party for me. Please."

How could I refuse? She looks so pitiful, my heart aches when I imagine her attending the party and embarrass herself. That's just sad.

"Fine," I sighed then thought that maybe if I persuade the judges about helping this cute princess they might let me through the announcement of the fifth challenge.

She jumped up and hugged me tightly. "Thank you! THank you!!!"

"On one condition," I said, "You have to be there as well. And you will be acting as my friend."

"What?" Her eyes widened. "I've never done that before."

"You've never been to a party?"

How could she socialize if she doesn't even practice it? Clearly her parents easily gives up.

She shook her head, her orange ringlets falling across her face. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Then I'm not doing it," I said stubbornly and sat down, crossing my legs.

"F-fine! I'll do it. But please just attend the party in my name."

I smiled. "You betcha."

10 minutes later we both rode a limousine to a fucking gorgeous palace. Seriously, no words can describe how fudging beautiful it is. I remained my composure though, because as I've read stuff about Princess Catherine, she was used to the elites and asked nothing but the best. She's spoiled but she's very fun to be with. She loves attention and is always the subject in any event.

I breathed in deeply as I entered the palace. Many were already inside, each person wearing a dress that screams millions and suits with the finest clothing. There were a few paparazzi around and I waved my hand at their cameras, giving them a small smile just like how Princess Catherine did in her pictures.

My head's itchy though, I hate wearing wigs.

"There you are Princess Catherine, I heard it's a different girl again. And you certainly looked different. I'm surprised the press hasn't noticed it yet. That poor girl disgusts me." It was a middle-aged woman who said this as she glared at me. I raised an eyebrow at her. Was this how Princess Catherine been treated all this time?

"Aunt Rachelle, please be m-more discreet. People might s-see," Princess Catherine told her meekly.

The middle-aged woman looked surprised to see her. "This is unbecoming. The real princess coming to a party, don't make me laugh." But she did anyway.

I glared at her. "What's wrong with a shy girl attending a party. There's no description in the invitation that you have to be loud to attend it. There was no rule that a quiet princess cannot attend. You--"

"Clarissa, that's e-enough." Princess Catherine held my arm tightly.

"You have a foul mouth young lady. I suggest you watch your tongue or I might cut it." The woman glared at me.

"Oh sorry" I placed my hand on my heart. "But are you talking about yourself?"

She looked like she was about to erupt. Burn lady, I hope you burn your dress good coz it looks too constricting.

"Rochelle, there you are." This time it was a tall man, fairly old but not too old. "Catherine? Why are you here?" His gaze penetrated at the real princess beside me and she stepped back, recoiling like a turtle.

"D-dad."

"Ken, what's happening here?" The beautiful woman who resembled so much like Princess Catherine gasped then a second after composing herself she glared at her. "Catherine, who told you to go to this party?"

"M-mom." She clutched on my arm tighter, pulling me back with her. Her eyes were frightened like a small animal.

"I did," I answered confidently. "So don't fucking blame her. I forced her to come here."

All of them glared at me.

"And who the hell gave you the authority to---" The mom began.

"Please, I run the rules when I'm being asked for a favor, and as for you lot, you are the worst parents and relatives born in this universe. Look at your child. No child should be that intimidated by their supposedly family." I quoted my hands with my hands.

Two things happened at the same time. The aunt poured her wine on my face and the mom slapped my cheek. By this time, we have gathered a group of elites watching us and the paparazzi filming everything.

"Mom, Aunt!" Princess Catherine gaped at them shocked.

"This is all your fault Catherine. Out of all the people you could choose, why chose this bitch who has no manners to royalty."

I turned my head, wiping the wetness of my face with my hand. "Why should I respect you, when you don't even respect me? And I have no disregard to people who treats their family like shit."

"You rotten bitch! You should get out of here!"

"Remember who you're talking to Rachelle. I'm princess Catherine."

She gasped, looking frantically at the people surrounding us while covering her mouth.

"Let's deal with this outside," the mom said and clutched my hand.

I pulled my hand away. "No let's do it here."

'Follow your heart,' my dad has always said.

'Follow your heart,' Carlos advised.

I spoke for Princess Catherine since she couldn't do it herself. I became her medium. I closed my eyes and internalized the agony that she must have felt all these years. The frustrations, the sadness, the longing, the fear.

"I'm tired of you guys! You cannot be called my parents or relatives. All you've done is lock me up in the palace because you're too ashamed of me. You hate me because you can't accept me. You can never accept me for who I truly am; a shy girl who can't relate to strangers. You knew my weakness but what did you do? You gave up on me!" Tears flowed from my eyes and my voice cracked. "You never helped me. You didn't even give me a chance. You just threw me away as if I'm not your daughter but trash, you couldn't wait to get rid off. If you can't accept me then I. . .I can never accept you. I can never respect you."

Everyone was gaping at me. The parents and the aunt's mouths were ajar, hundreds of flies could have huddled inside. Princess Catherine was crying as she heard this, she slowly tugged my dress then tip-toed to give me a small kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

Her mom finally broke down, she fell on the ground. "Catherine, I'm sorry," she wailed again and again.

Her dad looked at her guiltily. "I-I don't know what to say. Have you been feeling that all this time? I-I'm sorry Catherine. We thought it was for your own good."

The aunt began sobbing as well. "I'm a bitch." Yes you are.

"Yes, what she said was all right. I even thought of taking my own life. Y-you guys gave up on m-me. You never l-loved me."

"Baby." Her mom stood up and stepped towards her.

"I thought you were the worst parents in the world. And I tried being more sociable for you but you won't even let me go out. You are too ashamed of m-me," Her lips trembled as she said this, and tears flowed from her beautiful green eyes.

"B-but even if you didn't give me a chance, I'm w-willing--"

She was cut off by her parents embrace. "Baby I'm so sorry."

Her aunt stood still at the side as she sobbed, still chanting that she was a bitch, I couldn't agree more.

I was happy for her, so happy I thought the fifth challenge could go to hell. I wouldn't trade this moment for some challenge. But then a nagging thought still remained in my head, asking me about my father and my safety.

A small pang of sadness filled me. I lost the challenge. I lost the whole competition. I will never be able to get out of the academy until next year.

Suddenly there was a loud applause and everyone looked at me.

A familiar looking man took off his wig and went on the stage. Hitler guy?

"One of the most important qualification of a princess is to be selfless and be helpful to those people who are in need before she helps herself. Tonight, you, Clarissa has showed us just that. For that I am here to congratulate you for passing the fifth challenge. May we give her another round of applause please."

Another round of deafening applause followed.

I couldn't believe it. I screamed.