Just a short story I wrote for school. I haven't proof read yet, too lazy right now. I thought I'd wait for feedback first, if I get any.

I should be working on my other story... But I'm not.

Anywho, here's Cornelia being a bitch.

:)

My cheek burned from the slap that had been brought down upon me. Griet took no more notice of me as she wiped her hand, as if touching me had given her some disgusting illness that could been remove by rubbing it on her dress.

My hand held my face; my eyes wide, my mouth agape, as I tried to comprehend that she dared to do such a thing. She still do not look at my, instead just turned and left, with the earring that should have rightfully been mine.

I hated that woman. How she was able to get everything, everything that I should have. The affection of my father, which no one in my family had felt, but somehow she had the honor of having. Before even that, she had the audacity to hit me when she was my family's maid and I was just a child, just because I would not help her carry water.

She acted like she was so much better than my family, but she wasn't then. She had the blind father and had to work as a maid to support her family. Not me, her. Only now might she be better off that I and that makes me hate her even more.

Her butcher is supporting her, while my family is on the verge of losing everything. She doesn't understand how embarrassing it was to give our deceased father's paintings away just so we'll have enough food. She's sitting pretty wit h her pretty little children with her pretty husband and pretty life. She doesn't deserve such a happy life. I do. My family does for allowing her into our home and for her just to ruin it with her wide eyes and silly cap.

"Cornelia?" I heard my mother's shaken voice call; the unevenness obviously from her excessive crying over the earring that she had not worn in a decade. She knew I was out here, listening to the exchange between Griet and her. She knew I would not be able to stay away from it. My mother understood me.

"Yes, mother?" I answered, entering the room that Griet had just left. Just as I thought I found my mother with her face red and blotchy. Tear tracks down her face, and she still looked like she was on the edge crying some more. Maybe the edge of sanity with the way her life was going.

I didn't say anything about her ruffled appearance, I pretended like I saw nothing.

"Cornelia, I need you to go to the butcher and get some fish." I didn't know she was asking me. That had been my job since she had Sabastian, the last of my siblings. The only time she talked to me about the butchers was when we couldn't afford it. Apparently right now we could, which meant she must have found a buyer for one of my father's few paintings.

I nodded, taking the coins she offered to me. "And take Aleydis. She hasn't been going out lately, she needs the air." I nodded once again, this time more hesitant. I didn't want to take Aleydis. Not with her indecisive eyes and red locks that could never stay in her cap. I did not refuse my mother in such a state though.

Once I gathered my younger sister we began to make our way to our butchers. Neither of us attempted conversation, I was too stubborn and Aleydis was too busy looking at everything that we passed.

We had gotten a new butcher when Griet left us. We left Pieter so quickly that we didn't even pay our tab. I didn't think that they would even ask for it. Pieter too kind and I didn't think that Griet even really wanted to speak with us again. The only thing that made her come earlier was my father's death.

I took one more breath of fresh air before entering the ring that all the stalls sat. My nose scrunched at the smell, but Aleydis wasn't fazed. Instead her eyes grew even more interested as she watched men hauling large slabs of meat, people cutting fish heads and woman's pails filled to the brim with stomachs.

Arriving at our designated stall, I primped before entering, which gave my sister time to go in first. At the counter was Balt, our butcher. He was covered in blood, as expected of a butcher, but not Balt. He usually changed his apron and washed his hands when they got dirty. His hair was blonde, broad straight and hanging in his face, but it also had blood in it.

Walking up to the counter to join Aleydis, I grinned at him. His own was nothing more than polite, until his eyes found my sister. When it found the flighty girl next to me his eyes lit up. This was the reason I did not want to bring Aleydis with me, because no matter how hard my heart beat for this man, his face still beamed whenever he set his eyes upon my beautiful, curious sister, who couldn't be more oblivious to his gaze.

"Cornelia," He greeted me quickly before turning back to the one he really wants to look at the one he really wanted to see. "Aleydis." He nodded his head towards her. She barely acknowledged him with a nod of her own. Ungrateful girl.

"And what would you like today?" He asked her, even though I was the one that always placed the order. Aleydis just looked at me.

I rattled off the order of fish and he smiled and said he'd be right back. That gave me just enough time. "Aleydis." Her grey eyes settled on me, confused by my tone. "You have to stop leading him on." I ordered her to do it. I needed her to.

"I do not know what you're talking about, Cornelia." Her head tilted and her brow scrunching even further, baffled by what I said.

"You must stop leading him on if you do not feel the same that he does."

"You're just being silly, Cornelia." Not she was mocking me. "And he's an agreeable man, so why should I stop 'leading him on." She still was doubtful about my accusation.

"Stop it, Aleydis." I practically growled. He came back that second, my smile returning to my face. I said not more on the topic, not with him there. Instead took the fish in my pail and left with Aleydis, who kept looking back, as if expecting the answer to be behind her.

Aleydis no longer came to the market with me and the disappointment was obvious in bolt.

On my way back home after picking up some meat a different week, I saw Griet, and the hate that I felt for her was as strong as ever. It was fueled by the sight of her walking with her sons and her butch husband. Another reason I hate Griet, she got her butcher.

When we passed each other she looked down on me, as if I was still the child that stole her comb and broke her tile. But I wasn't, not anymore.

I have grown. I've become smarter. Smart enough to know not extract revenge on her in the middle of a crowd. I'm now smart enough to wait until dark.

The End! :)