I need to mention something to you that I forgot to say. I live with the Kabras. Heh. Funny story actually. Isabel Kabra decided, 'Oh! Why don't we adopt one of those poor pathetic Cahills, and use her as our house maid?' So yeah. That's the story of my life. Dan was lucky enough to have a different family for adoption, while I was stuck with the Kabras. Kill. Me. Now.

The silence in the car was alien to me. Wait. Being in Ian's car was alien to me. Usually he wouldn't even give a lift to Natalie, let alone me. But then again she had her own car, whereas I travelled back on public transport. I sat in the back of his Mercedes. The icepack was regularly sending chills down my spine, as it lay snug on my bruised neck. I tried to avoid Ian's gaze from the rear view mirror and yet I couldn't help but to sneak a peak. I replayed today's scenario in my head.

*Earlier in the day*

Ian finally came up and looked down on me. By the time he finally made his way, Jaqi managed to prop me up. Next words that Ian muttered I thought I'd imagined.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I really wasn't, but I didn't want to make a scene. So I tentatively nodded, smiling through pain.

"Did you throw that ball?" I asked shakily. Jaqi began to swear at him and rebuke him, but he astonishingly managed to ignore her completely, as if there was an invisible wall between her and him. Instead of replying he barked Francis' name. A guy shorter than Ian but equally bulky came through pushing apart the crowd and looked uneasy, but covered it with an unconcerned facade.

"He did," Ian said calmly, "apologize Francis". Was I hearing this correctly? His friends made little jokes and snide remarks to me since fifth grade. Now he was making one of them apologize? Behind Ian stood Destin, his closest friend who also happened to be the nicest one of the bunch.

Francis scoffed and shook his head at Ian's ludicrous demand.

"Come on Ian, you ain't serious, are you?" he said looking at him with discontent. Ian's furrowed his brows.

"Do I look like I'm cracking a shit joke? I said apologize," he said angrily. I began to get a bad feeling about this. Ian had a very bad temper if he was pushed to the edge, which didn't require much effort. Goose bumps ran across my skin as I've realized this could turn into something very nasty, and all because of me.

"What the hell is wrong with you man?" he snapped back, but after a quick thought he spat a venomous "Sorry" at me. He hated the fact that he was forced to apologize in public, confronted in front of an audience, more than the fact he was asked to apologize in the first place.

This hit a nerve and the next thing I know, Francis was viciously pinned against the lockers with a loud crash. He was lifted of the ground and his feet were banging against the lower lockers. Destin was trying to hold back Ian, urging him to calm down and telling him that none of this was worth it. I, to an extent agreed with Destin, it was an accident and the last thing I wanted was unwanted attention and trouble.

"Why the hell are you making such a big deal?" he yelled, withering underneath his monster grip.

"Because I asked you as a friend and a team player to do a simple thing. And she's part of my family and if you threw that ball just a bit harder and hit her head, there'd be a lot more than a bruised neck you fucking asshole," Ian seethed back. The coach ran up them, who in comparison were fairly small and insignificant in the scene.

"Okay you two, break it up now! Now! Ian, put him down" he yelled. For his size, the man had a pretty thunderous voice. "I'll see you both in my office, and until then, go and pent out your anger in the practice. Ten laps and eighty press-ups from both of you"

The crowd slowly began dispersing at the ring of the coaches' voice, digesting the current drama amongst them. Francis walked off heatedly swearing to himself and punched an open locker on his way. Few lads came up to Ian to ask if he was all right, even though it was Francis who got pinned onto the lockers. Destin gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder before leaving in the same direction as the rest of the team players. Guess they held their allegiance to their captain. I had a pretty good feeling that they won't be teasing me ever again. Few people came up to ask if I was all right and I gave a reassuring nod.

"I hope that answered your question," Ian said casually. His changes in mood were shocking. I wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question, but I nodded anyway, just in case.

"Thanks for -you know, you didn't have to-"

"Make sure you see the nurse," he said before heading towards the men's lockers. Gus and Jaqi stared at me with utter disbelief.

"That was totally hot," Jaqi said fanning herself frivolously with her hand. I meekly smiled. I was coming back from my daze. Maybe this wasn't so out of ordinary. He does have a heart after all, and it was true, if that the ball did critically injure me, his favourite sport would be frowned upon. I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to his defence than just saving a name and reputation, and the honour of his family.

"Who would've guessed? He does have a heart," Gus said, "are you okay? He told you to go and see the nurse"

I wasn't used to arriving back home so soon, since I took three buses to get back.

"Thank you for the ride," I said getting out the car. Natalie pushed the door impatiently and muttered an incensed "Finally," under her breath much to Ian's annoyance. I made my way upstairs to get changed. Jerome, the house butler greeted the three of us and I smiled back, knowing I'll be helping him with house chores later, along with Milla, the house-maid. Jerome and Milla happened to be closer to me than Isabel Kabra, Ian and Natalie put together, since they've been in this household at the time my mother and father were alive and I was still sucking on my thumb.

After a quick shower and change of clothes I was greeted by Isabel's sour expression.

"Isabel, how are you?" I asked in a formal voice, just the way she liked it. She raised her tattooed brow and with her bony finger moved my chin to the right.

"Did you receive a kiss from a boy?" she asked mockingly, looking at my neck. I shook my head.

"No ma'am, I was in a small accident in school," I replied hastily.

"Pity. Anyway, I need you to sort out Natalie's winter clothes after dinner, keep the ones you like, with her permission of course and throw away the rest, or give to charity, whatever. I'll also need you to tend the garden with Milla since the gardener is sick. As if, it's just a minor cold" she said offhandedly walking away.

Our gardener has been in bed with tonsillitis and flu for the past week…

"Yes ma'am" I said with fatigue. I wasn't tempted to groan, to moan, to curse or self-pity. Really. I learned to hold that back a long time ago and realized that nothing good would come of it. It didn't help or change anything. In fact, it added more chores on top of it. So I rushed to dinner to fill in my stomach as much as possible.

It wasn't like Isabel to be late for dinner, but when she did enter the dining room, there was foreign glee in her cold, piercing eyes.

"Natalie, look at this," she said barely holding back the enthusiasm in her voice. Natalie took a minute to read what seemed like an invitation, plated with gold with letters embedded. It also had the royal seal.

"His Highness is holding a ball in honour of the Crown Prince Alexis Charmant's return?" she squealed in her seat. God, must they say his name and the title and everything?

"That's right, by his order of his majesty, all the young bachelorettes must attend. Of course royalty or nouveau riche only," she explained taking a rather large sip of wine. I could've sworn Natalie literally lit up, her hair going shinier than ever and her eyes sparkling with a dollar sign on each eye. They began discussing what she must wear, and where to book an appointment for her nails and where to could she make herself look remotely less plastic by adding more plastic. Was that even possible? Ian was bored with the conversation and silently wolfed down his food.

"Ian you're coming too," Isabel said coolly. He nearly choked all the food back out and glared at his mother.

"No. I'm not," he rebuked. She frowned at him immediately.

"Yes you are. Don't forget, his sister, young crown princess Adele Charmant of France will also be attending the ball. And who could resist my young, handsome son. You are after all the Duke of Bordeaux," she said proudly, grabbing his chin

Ian knew that arguing with his mother would be futile and would anger her too, so with a miserable face he slouched back in his seat, no longer eating his dinner.

My mind was debating with itself. I gripped the spoon and carefully listened to the conversation, waiting for the moment to speak. But my mouth was faster than my mind.

"May I go to the ball?" I blurted out.

All three outraged faces turned to stare at me.