Free Pentimento: a dystopian Beauty and the Beast by Cameron Jace Page B

The big problem for Iris was that the Brides' names were erased from existence, even their family pretended they had never been born--at least they were forced to. This left no traces for Iris to find enough connections between the girls. She could only track the ones who'd been taken since she was fifteen, the first time she'd asked her father to place a rose in front of the girls' houses and let their parents know they'd be remembered. She'd found the roses in the Ruins and thought they would leave a precious impression if given to the parents.
    Suddenly, her room's door sprang open and Zoe dashed in.
    "Zoe!" Iris said. "You look fantastic."
    "Really?" Zoe said. She was dressed very girly in a blue dress with an extra embroidered shawl. She even had a blue ribbon in her hair. "It's going to be a big birthday, you know. I thought I'd do my best to look as good as them."
    "Come here, sweetie," Iris pulled her closer, and fluffed Zoe's hair a bit. "You look like you're going to meet Prince Charming today."
    "Yeah," Zoe rolled her eyes. "As if there is one for me."
    "Don't say that," Iris said, Colton's image flashing in her head. "He is waiting for you. It's just that you're too busy with all the boys chasing you, so he's gotta wait." They both snickered.
    "So no homework, I guess," Iris said.
    "Don't let my appearance fool you," Zoe flashed two notebooks from under her dress. "I finished mine and yours, so you could rest your case."
    "Oh, Zoe. You're amazing." Iris hugged her. "But you didn't really have to do mine."
    "I had free time, and know you hardly pay attention in class. I want you to have good grades to go to college."
    Iris hugged her again. It wasn't for the homework. She didn't really like someone doing hers. It was because of Zoe's unconditional love for her.
    "Easy with the dress," Zoe pretended to be snotty. "You're going to mess it up."
    "Ah," Iris placed a hand on her mouth. "I'm really sorry, my princess."
    "I have about half an hour with you, before Cody picks me up." Zoe said.
    "What? Cody?" Iris's eyes shimmered. How didn't she think of matching them up before? She thought they'd make a good couple.
    "He called me and told me he got my phone number by hacking yours," Zoe explained. "I think he didn't realize that was a creepy thing to do. He thought it'd make me like him, so he could ask me to go with him to Vera's birthday."
    "That's something that Cody would do," Iris pouted. "Sorry for that. I guess he liked you and didn't know how to tell you." Iris wasn't going to tell her that Cody liked her too. She thought Zoe should have a chance with him, and then decide if she liked him or not.
    "Actually, I thought I'd go with someone you know, instead of feeling so alienated at Vera's birthday."
    "You're the one who wants to go," Iris pursed her lips.
    "It's just a birthday. And I'd like to see how girls celebrate when they're eighteen."
    "If you say so."
    "So tell me, how many rules have you broken since you left school this morning?"
    "A lot," Iris said.
    "Oh, so skipping school while sticking your tongue out to a robot wasn't enough?" Zoe sat on the bed, imitating how princesses lifted their dresses before sitting.
    "Thanks for switching the glue by the way," Iris laughed.
    "I am still waiting for a thank you from Mrs. Wormwood, but I guess that will never happen, since she would have to know what was going to happen to her first, in order to thank me," Zoe said. "I'm a saint. Ain't I?"
    "You are. Aren't you going to ask me again what other rules I broke today?"
    "I can guess," Zoe tilted her head. "You went to the Ruins, practiced that weird hobby of yours. Found out nothing about the Beasts, and came back home. You're very predictable." she joked.
    "And who did I go to the Ruins with?" Iris grinned.
    "Cody?" Zoe guessed.
    Iris shook her head “no,” and bit her lip.
    "I'm not sure why you're biting your lip. You know you can’t keep a secret from me anyway."
    "Colton."
    "Colton who?" Zoe