Divisible by Three

One, two, three, four, five, inhale. Five, four, three, two, one, exhale.

Roselle stood there hardly being able to manage her breathing while the Princess of England sat debonair in the middle of the living room.

"Hello, Roselle," Skylar said.

Roselle jumped--literally jumped--back when the princess spoke. "What are you doing here?!"

"Your sister invited me in."

Michelle came into the living room, giddy. "Oh my God, Ro, look who's here! Do you know who she is? She's--"

"Yeah, the Princess of England," Roselle said. "Seriously, why are you here?"

Skylar tilted her head. "I just wanted to get to know you, that's all. My brother saved your life. That must make you a note-worthy person. I've brought you a gift." She reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of champagne. Wait, not just any bottle of champagne. It was a champagne brand by the name of 'Janiene'. That bottle was one thousand dollars minimum.

"Woah!" Michelle exclaimed. "I would LOVE to try that. You should stay for dinner! My boyfriend's making hamburgers. Oh wait, you're a princess! Do you want something fancier? Because I can--"

"No," Skylar said bluntly. "Give me whatever the rest of you will eat."

She smiled. "Right!"

Roselle walked up to her sister. "Uh, can we talk in the kitchen for a second?"

"About what?"

"About getting a cat," she said in a sarcastic tone.

"Yay! You finally want to get a cat?"

Roselle rolled her eyes. How could her sister be this thick?

* * *

The Reyes sisters went to the kitchen together to have a private discussion.

"So I was thinking that we could name the cat 'Marshmallow'," Michelle said.

"WE'RE NOT GETTING A CAT!" Roselle screamed.

She crossed her arms. "You change your mind left and right, you know."

"That was just an excuse to get you in here. Why did you let that girl into our house, and why didn't you tell me?"

"Why is it a problem?"

"SHE'S CRAZY!"

Michelle raised a brow. "Why? What'd she do?"

"She grabbed my hair out of nowhere and was like, 'it's soft, now you grab my hair.' WHO DOES THAT?! And did you even hear her when she said I was a 'note-worthy' person for being the one who James saved? Something about her isn't right."

"Well, I do agree she's a little weird, but maybe she's creepy because she's socially inept. I mean, she was kept hidden away from the public for all these years. I doubt she's had any friends her age. Maybe she's friendly."

"She's out to get me!"

"Not everyone is out to get you, Ro."

"WELL SOME PEOPLE ARE AND I DON'T KNOW WHO TO TRUST!"

Michelle placed her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Ro, what could you possibly have done to make her hate you?"

"Her brother--"

"Just give her a chance before you assume things, would ya? Did she threaten you at all?"

"No."

"Did she try to hurt you?"

"No, but--"

"Then don't assume she's evil. I'm really worried about you. You assume everyone's got a grand plan to get you these days. Let's have dinner, okay? Quit worrying so much."

* * *

Dan prepared the meal, and once it was finished, he set the table. "Dinner time," he said, grinning devilishly while rubbing his hands. "Mmm, there's nothing I love more than a good hamburger." The Reyes sisters sat down at the table, and Skylar followed them. She didn't sit down, however. She just stood there, analyzing them.

"Is something wrong?" Michelle asked.

The princess let out a sigh. "I'll be right back." She shortly returned with two of her royal guards and told them to sit at the table to which they complied. Only when they sat down did she do the same.

"Oh, I didn't know we'd be having other people at the table," Dan said, rubbing the back of his head. "Do you want me to whip something up for you two? I can--"

"That won't be necessary," Skylar interjected.

Michelle glanced over at the TV. "Dan, we should turn it off."

"Wait," Dan said. "The news is on."

She rolled her eyes. "You can look online later. Turn it off. We have company."

"Just a minute. This story--"

"NOW!"

"I don't mind it being on," Skylar said. "I'd like to watch the news too."

Michelle nodded. "Alright."

Roselle nudged her sister as if to say, 'wtf was that all about?'

Michelle slapped the air away as if to say, 'don't worry about it, it's nothing.'

The six ate in silence for a while while they watched the TV. It was the usual stuff. Some crime, some weather, and some sports.

Something that was brought to Roselle's attention was Skylar's odd behavior with the french fries. It appeared as though she was stacking them in a new pile one by one. There were two that she left out, and she gave one each to one of the royal guards.

"What are you doing?" Dan asked her.

"The amount of fries must be divisible by three to be edible for me," Skylar said. "That's also why I brought my guards to sit with us. The members of the table needed to be divisible by three as well."

Dan nodded. "Oh, okay," he said.

"Why are you being so rude?" Michelle asked. "Don't interrogate her."

He opened his mouth to speak, but he placed a fry inside instead.

Another red flag. Roselle texted under the table.

Roselle: What's up with you and Dan?

Michelle: What?

Roselle: Why are you being so mean to him? You're acting like I usually act.

Roselle: Don't act like me. You're supposed to be the yin to my yang. If you act like me, am I supposed to act like you? That's too much pressure.

Michelle: Relax. There's nothing wrong with me and Dan.

Roselle: I don't believe you.

Michelle: Really. I guess we're just not in the honeymoon phase anymore like we used to be.

Roselle: If you say so.

Skylar took out the bottle of champagne and set it on the table. "I forgot to give you this. Let's drink it."

"I'll get the corkscrew," Dan said.

She lifted her hand into the air. "Not necessary. I've got one right here." She plugged it in the bottle and popped it open, filling everyone's glass with the liquid.

Roselle's mind had a devious thought as she took a sip: what if the bottle was poisoned? Or what if it was drugged with sleeping pills? That wasn't a chance she was willing to take, so she spit it out.

"Ro, what are you doing?" Michelle asked.

"I . . ." She panicked. "It's kinda strong for me," she said.

Skylar tilted her head and looked at her with that ever-blank expression. "You don't like it?"

"It's not that . . ."

"No need to be polite. I understand." She collected up everyone's glass, along with the bottle, and headed to the sink where she poured it all down the drain.

Everyone, including the royal guards, looked at the princess in horror.

"Isn't that like a really expensive bottle?" Michelle asked in a panicked-tone.

Skylar nodded. "It is, but if Roselle doesn't like it, then it's probably a bad bottle."

More mind games. Roselle's heart plummeted into her stomach. Another power move. This girl was full of them, wasn't she? What was she trying to say with this move? She tried to look for deep meaning into the girl's actions. Maybe this was Skylar's way of saying, 'you're such a fancy-pants that I have to waste fine champagne for you.' What was she trying to convey?! Her intentions were too unclear.

News regarding Armani popped on the TV causing Roselle to practically fall out of her seat to turn to the screen.

"Here's an update on the status of the Secret Service following the incident of President Parker's inauguration ceremony scandal," the newscaster said.

They flipped to General Hernandez. "Right now, the army is guarding President Parker while we clean out any spies in the Secret Service."

"Has there been any news about the capture of the mastermind behind the assassination of the president?" a reporter asked.

"The FBI would be the one you'd have to ask questions to for that information, but as far as I know, they're doing everything they can to track Meredith Scott down, and she WILL be caught."

"Do you think she'll try another attempt at the president's life?"

"Not if she's smart she won't."

Roselle looked away from the screen. It was hopeless after all. Of course they've made no progress arresting Grandma Scott.

"Wasn't it you that really saved President Parker's life?" Skylar asked.

She took a gulp. "Well . . . yes."

"Why? Are you in love with him?"

"I . . . I thought I was, but I'm confused right now."

"What about my brother? You've had physical relations with him, right?"

Roselle jumped up in the air, red-faced, and pointed at the princess. "HOW COULD YOU HAVE POSSIBLY KNOWN THAT? DID JAMES TELL YOU? I'LL KILL THAT GUY!"

Michelle dropped her jaw. "You did WHAT, Ro?" Her dropped jaw transformed into a smile. "Slay, girl. Slay."

Dan quietly sipped on his soda, yanked his hearing aids out, and looked away.

Skylar remained painfully neutral. "I hadn't known until you just told me, but now I know."

Roselle slammed her hand on the table. "What do you even want from me, anyway?! You want something, don't you?! That's why you're here. Just tell me what it is and stop beating around the bush!"

"I wanted to spend time with you. That is all." She stood up and signaled the guards to follow her. "Well, I suppose I'll be going now."

Roselle sank back in her seat as the princess gracefully walked out the door.

Skylar came back inside for a moment and looked her in the eyes. "I'll see you again soon." She took the empty plate of fries and her unfinished burger and left with it.