After drying off the water, she wrapped herself in the towel and went out to look at the dress on the bed that Mary had given to her. It was a different design from the dress that she had worn earlier, but she could see it was another dress from Georgia’s wardrobe. She picked up the dress and held it against her body in front of the mirror. She turned her body several times to see how she would look wearing the dress. She thought she looked wonderful.

Just as she was imagining herself in the dress with a wide smile on her face, there was a knock on the door. Malee paused and wondered who it was before the familiar voice from the other side spoke.

“There?”

It was George. Malee wasn’t sure whether to ask him to wait till she had worn the dress or quickly change into the dress, but he could open the door and come in while she was wearing it half-way.  Looking around the room in panic, she quickly jumped into the bed and covered herself with the blanket.

“Yes. The door is not locked.” said Malee. George pushed opened the door slowly and came into the room with his head first. He looked around the room, only to see Malee covered in a blanket on the bed.

“I came here to say sorry for what happened just now.” said George in his most apologetic tone. Malee said nothing, but just nodded to the words from George. She wondered if George realized from the dress lying on the bed that they were repeating the scenario he came to apologize. Still, she said nothing, and George resumed his speech.

“I also come to ask you for help.” said George. Malee was caught dumbfounded at that statement. She wasn’t aware that there were anything she could do to help George, who had everything he could ever want. Again, she said nothing and just nodded.

“How do you make a conversation with someone you never meet before?” asked George. Malee quickly bit her lips, trying not to laugh out from the question. She suddenly felt pity for George like she never felt before. There was a boy who had everything since birth, but was having trouble striking a conversation with someone from the similar stature. Malee moved her body forward for the blanket to slip from her top, forgetting that she was still wearing a tiny towel underneath, and revealing herself. George’s face suddenly turned red and Malee quickly pulled up the blanket back to cover herself again.

“Eh ah… I will come back later.” muttered George as he turned around towards the door.

“Wait.” shouted Malee. “You want to know how to talk to her?”

“Yes.” replied George, with his back to Malee.

“Ask her questions. Everyone likes to talk about themselves.” said Malee. She could only see George’s head moving before he ran out of the room and slamming the door behind. Malee sighed as she got off from the bed and quickly changed into the new dress. She wondered what did George think about her body as she looked at herself in the mirror. The only dreams and thoughts she had were nothing more than what she would eat the next day and whether her father would beat her again. For once in her life, she wondered how would someone of the opposite sex would see in her.

For a short while, she thought saw a princess in the mirror and not a girl from the slum. Her vision ended when the door opened with Mary popping her head in the room. She smiled when she saw Malee looking at herself in the mirror.

“Lets go up.” said Mary before she disappeared. Malee got the hint and quickly rushed out of the room and up the stairs to the dining room. The house seemed smaller than usual with the various servants and maids and the food caterers walking around the hall. Malee found Mary standing behind the dining table with Hoshi and the elderly lady that Georgia called as Sophie. She bowed as they noticed her coming into the room and stood beside Mary.

“Have you eaten since lunch?” asked Mary. Malee shook her head.

“Follow us. We need to prepare for the dinner later.” said Mary as she walked out of the room, followed by Hoshi, Sophie and Malee.