The Pharaoh's princess

Getting Ready

Renee – POV

The day of the Fall Formal had arrived. Annavi and I had spent all Friday afternoon getting ready. It had been a long week of juggling our world history project, sports, and other classes—now it was finally time for some fun.

I chose to have my hair curled and pinned into a soft, side-swept updo. The soft bristles of my brush tickled my eyelids as I blended the warm yellow into vibrant orange. A hint of vanilla-sugar hairspray lingered in the air, mingling with the scent of fresh flat-ironed hair and perfume.

Annavi styled her gorgeous hair in an elegant half-up look, with a braid woven across the back. For a self-proclaimed tomboy, she was surprisingly graceful in heels. My mom even managed to bribe her into wearing makeup—a navy-blue smokey eye that made her eyes pop and paired perfectly with her form-fitting dress.

A knock came at the door downstairs. I figured it might be Jacob or Idris and smiled at the thought of Idris, who had been growing on me more and more lately. That smile quickly vanished.

A crack of shouting shattered the calm—sharp Spanish slicing through the air like broken glass. Elena’s brittle sobs echoed from below, panicked and raw.

“¡Donde está ese cuero?!” (Where is that w***e?)

Annavi's mother.

I had warned Elena not to open the door unless she knew who it was.

Annavi shrank back like a flower under storm clouds. I refused to let that woman ruin our night. My legs trembled with adrenaline, but I kept my back straight. The warmth of Elena’s small fingers curled around mine gave me just enough strength as I marched down the stairs.

I greeted her coldly. “What seems to be the problem?”

"Where's my worthless daughter? I know she's here! If she has money for a fancy dress, then she has money to give me for rent!"

Stupid me. I had posted our final looks online. Her brother must’ve seen it and ratted us out. He was no better than she was.

I was ready to speak, but my mom appeared behind me, thunder in her expression.

"What do you think you're doing, causing a scene in my home?" she asked firmly.

Linda, clearly unused to being confronted, shifted her tone immediately. She claimed her daughter had stolen money to buy the dress and attend some “silly” dance.

I knew that was a lie. Annavi used her own hard-earned money from her summer job, and my mom helped with the rest. I opened my mouth to argue, but Mom cut in.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding," my mom said evenly. "Those expenses were on me."

It wasn’t like Mom to lie. But I was grateful she did.

Annavi came downstairs slowly. Her mother glared at her but, faced with Mom’s steely gaze, said nothing more than, “Good night, Miranda,” before storming off without so much as a glance back.

The room fell quiet. The mood ruined.

Then another knock, softer this time. I opened the door, ready for round two.

It was Jacob.

Annavi ran straight into his arms, and he wrapped her up tight. Her shoulders sagged into him, like a dam finally giving way. She buried her face in his chest, clinging to the steady beat of his heart like an anchor. Elena vented about everything Linda had just done, and Jacob looked ready to explode. But he held Annavi close and whispered that everything would be alright. Slowly, her tension melted into a relieved smile.

Another car pulled up. Idris.

Idris – POV

I pulled up in Mom's car and spotted Jacob hugging Annavi. Whoa. She looked incredible.

But then I saw her.

My princess.

Renee looked ravishing. The porch light caught the shimmer of her dress and the soft waves in her hair. I almost forgot how to breathe. I stepped out and handed her the flowers I’d picked. She beamed, and I swear my heart skipped a beat.

Her mom took the bouquet, placed it in a vase, and then went full paparazzi—snapping what felt like a hundred photos of us. When she was finally satisfied, we climbed into our cars and headed for the school.

Unknown – POV

I watched from my window as Renee prepared, flawless as always, alongside that lanky friend of hers. The giraffe actually looked decent tonight. I checked myself in the mirror—forest green vest, bow tie, and my date's barely-there dress. Evelyn wasn’t Renee, but she’d serve her purpose. Just a placeholder until the beauty queen was finally mine.

I smirked.

Time to pick up my date.