Chapter Six:
Chasing
Two Days Later...
Population: 80 students...
Her phone buzzed in her pocket just as she passed the school fountain. Pausing in mid-stride, Carlotta pulled out her phone and discovered that her mother was calling.
Biting her bottom lip, she pressed the call button and placed the phone to her ear. "Yes, mother?"
"I'm calling to let you know I won't be home for dinner tonight as I have to stay at the office to organize the party for the launch of our newest partnership with Apple," Ellen informed her daughter. "A party which you will be required to attend. The party will be held in two days' time."
Carlotta's jaw clenched as she continued to hear the list of requirements her mother expected of her for the party. "I better go find a dress then," she responded in a dry tone. The brunette noticed Mia heading towards her and offered her a small wave of her hand.
"Charlotte, I expect nothing but perfect behavior tomorrow night. Am I understood?"
"Yes mother," Carlotta answered quietly as the conversation ended. The nerd stared at her phone, her fist clenching at her side as Payton stormed over towards her.
"Carlotta, I heard a crazy rumor that you let that evil cheerleader into our school," Payton said, hands on her hips as she sent a glare to the blonde cheerleader in question who stood next to Carlotta.
"Oh, Payton! I remember you," Mia spat, sending an equally heated glare towards the prep. "The girl who ruined my party."
"That was an accident, and way better than trying to ruin someone's social life on purpose! We don't need people like you here."
A hurt look flashed across Mia's face as her bottom lip trembled slightly. "But..."
Carlotta shifted her stance, crossing her arms over her chest as she gave the prep a tired look. "Look, Mia was the one who sent those text messages to Julian about what Hearst High was plotting. Can you at least give her a chance?"
Payton shook her head, eyes firmly on Mia. "You don't know her like I do. Trust me, no one is going to want her here. We all hate her," she sneered, walking off as a frown etched itself onto Mia's face.
"But...I'm popular. And attractive. And rich...why would people hate me?" Mia asked in a shaky, quiet voice.
Carlotta exhaled, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Mia, that might have worked back at Hearst High but here that's not how things run. People here don't like you because you're popular. You're popular because people like you."
"Is that, like, a Taylor Swift song?"
"No, it is not," Carlotta stated bluntly. "If you want people to like you, then you have to reach out to them and get to know them. Be nice to them. I saw on Nishan's facebook he's making a miniature sci-fi fan film today. If you show up and help, you might be able to get on his good side."
Mia thought about the idea as Carlotta received another text message. From her mother's secretary, Jona.
~I have sent you some photos of dresses your mother suggests you wear for the party. Please disclose me on your preferred choice and I shall have it delivered to you immediately.~
Without even glancing at the dresses, the nerd put her phone back into her pocket as Mia decided to help out Nishan.
"Are you okay, Carlotta?" Mia questioned as they headed towards the Nerd hangouts. "You've been quiet this whole time."
Carlotta forced a smile, waving off the concern. "I'm fine," she told the cheerleader as they arrived to where Nishan was shooting the fan film.
After Carlotta had explained the situation to him, Nishan looked at her with his mouth agape. "Mia, you really want to help me with my fan film? You were always so mean to me back at Hearst High..."
"Yeah, well, now I'm not okay? I'm totally into...whatever this thing is about," Mia snapped, gesturing to the set as a couple of filming talented kids were setting up the cameras.
"Oh, you'll be absolutely perfect! I was hoping we'd find a pretty girl to play the sassy companion," Nishan clapped his hands together, grinning widely.
"Thanks, I guess, but whose sassy companion am I, exactly?" Mia questioned,
"The Doctor's!"
"I am not playing doctor," Mia exclaimed, hands on her hips whilst Nishan ignored her look.
"That's so something a companion would say. Roll cameras!" he ordered the film crew as Carlotta left Mia and Nishan. As she headed downstairs, Payton was waiting for her again.
"Why are you helping her?!" Payton demanded as Carlotta arrived onto the last step. The dark skinned prep's hands were on her hips as she gave Carlotta an expectant look. "She's just a spiteful, nasty, social-life ruining cheerleader!"
Fed up, Carlotta clenched her fists and glared at the prep. "Because I give people second chances instead of getting hung up on the past. People change Payton, now grow up because I have more important matters than your past with Mia!"
The nerd didn't realise she had shouted until the main area of the hangout fell silent and Payton's eyes were widened, a hand covering her mouth.
Shaking her head, the brunette stomped out of the hangout, ignoring the questioning looks as she headed to the carpark. Without a second thought, she jumped into her car and pulled out of the carpark, leaving the school.
oOo
Two Days Later...
She had been away for the last two days, staying home with a sudden stomach bug that came out of nowhere. Carlotta felt a little bad at disappearing on a bad note, but she was still annoyed with Payton.
The whole purpose of building the school was to give others a chance to start anew, be who they are and be accepted for it, she sighed tiredly, rubbing the hot water onto her arms as she relaxed into the bath tub.
A soft knock at her door interrupted her peace and quiet and she looked over, finding Joanne on the other side of the glass screen. "Joanne? Is something wrong?"
"Miss Charlotte's friends have arrived and are waiting for you in your bedroom," the British house keeper informed her before closing the door. Frowning slightly, Carlotta climbed out of the bath tub, wrapping her white robe around her body and entered her bedroom.
Inside, sitting on her bed were Autumn, Payton and Mia. Along with Nishan examining her many bookshelves and Julian standing by her desk.
"Why are you all here?" Carlotta asked, moving a strand of her wet hair behind her ear as Payton and Autumn stood up. "Did Hearst try and pull something again?"
"No, we were worried about you," Autumn explained as Payton ran over and pulled the nerd into a tight hug.
"I thought you weren't coming to school because of me! I was selfish and stupid," Payton sniffed as Carlotta smiled, hugging her back. "I honestly thought you hated me."
A small, gentle smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I was annoyed at you, yes, but I'm not petty enough to hate you for that. I had just caught a stomach bug," she explained as Joanne entered the room and held up the dress Carlotta was to wear for the party tonight.
Immediately, gasps came from Mia and Payton as they simultaneously exclaimed, "That's the latest Krikor Jabotian Couture dress line!"
Autumn looked confused as Carlotta received the dress and placed it on her bed as Giovanni, the family's personal hair and make-up artist gestured for Carlotta to follow him.
"If you guys will excuse me, I have to get ready," she apologized, heading for the doorway with the dress in hand before turning back to them. "You can chill in here if you want. I'll be back."
Giovanni smirked at her, a know-it-all look in his eyes as they headed to her mother's make-up parlor. Carlotta had seen his look and decided to ignore it, sitting herself down on the golden, vintage cushioned seat, facing the mirror.
"You have quite the friends, mio bella," Giovanni commented as he began styling her hair into a messy, bun at the back with the front sides of her hair pinned back into French braids. "I will make you irresistible. All the men will have their eyes on you."
Carlotta sighed as he moved onto her make-up, simple white eye shadow with Egyptian-styled eyeliner and mascara. Giovanni dabbed a light amount of clear lip gloss onto her lips before Joanne assisted her into the dress.
As the sleeves touched her shoulders, Giovanni studied her for a few moments, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Might I suggest the pearl earrings?" Joanne spoke up, seeing his internal debate as the Italian stylist snapped his fingers, grabbing the small pearl earrings from the jewelry box and approached Carlotta.
"Fantastico," Giovanni declared, having fixed the earrings onto the nerd's ears and Carlotta admired herself in the mirror, finding herself unrecognizable. "I am glad you had discarded the glasses. Your eyes are better to be shown, not hidden."
"You can thank Payton for that," Carlotta smiled and thanked him before heading back to her room, finding Payton and Mia exploring her closet, Nishan reading one of her books and Autumn and Julian chatting on her bed. "Sorry for making you wait."
Autumn glanced over at the sound of Carlotta's voice, only for her eyes to widen. Julian's jaw dropped open as he stared, Nishan nodding at her whilst the cheerleader and prep squealed at the sight of her.
"Oh my gosh! You're like a princess going to a ball," Payton sighed dreamily as she blushed in embarrassment. Carlotta couldn't help but look over at Julian who's face had gone bright red.
Mia giggled at the jock. "Look who's blushing," she teased him and he glared at her.
"I'm not blushing!" he denied furiously before glancing back at her. "Why you all dressed up like that for anyway?"
"A party for the company. We recently gained a partnership with Apple and it's to celebrate it," she answered, not looking forward to it at all.
"You don't look too happy about it," Autumn noticed as Carlotta bit her bottom lip while Payton frowned in confusion.
"But it's a party, why wouldn't you be happy about going to a party?"
Nishan cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Perhaps I can shed some light on this."
Julian crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah? What is it then?"
"Older men try to gain your favor in hopes of being rewarded later on down the track," Nishan answered confidently, but Carlotta shook her head. "I thought I was on to something…"
"I just don't like going," Carlotta answered truthfully.
oOo
She stood on the balcony, breathing in the cold, night air. Behind her was the hall filled with business men, their wives, other important associates and higher ranking members of both companies.
Only one more hour to go, Carlotta reminded herself, keeping her eyes firmly on the time every now and then, trying to endure this pointless party.
Okay, granted it wasn't pointless as it showed the success of Free Wings to be able to form a partnership with none other than Apple. It meant more jobs, more employees and more money and power for the IT company.
What she did find pointless was her attendance here. She had ignored the shallow, empty compliments of her awards and her accomplishment of building her own school. It was worse when a few guests began thinking of sending their own children to Twin Wings. That was when Carlotta politely informed them that it was not a school you could gain high grades with bribery before excusing herself to the balcony.
The glass door to the balcony opened and Carlotta turned around, finding her mother giving her a less than impressed look as she closed it behind her.
"Charlotte, correct me if I am wrong, but I had specifically asked you for your best behavior," Ellen said, walking over to her.
"You had," Carlotta replied calmly, placing a hand on her hip. "And I have followed your instruction."
Ellen's eyebrow raised as she gave her daughter a doubtful and disappointed look. "Is that what you call informing our guests that bribery does not win you grades at our school?" she questioned in a blunt tone that made her flinch slightly. "That is no way to enroll more students! I thought you were smarter than that."
Carlotta clenched her fists at her sides, narrowing her eyes at her mother. "Excuse me? Since when had it become 'our' school? As far as I am concerned, it's Uncle Richard's and mine, you have no part in it."
"It's land is under the ownership of Free Wings—"
"Because grandmother stated it had to! You barely involved yourself into my life, let alone my school!"
Ellen rolled her eyes, putting both of her hands on her hips. "Is that what this is about? This is the reason you've been acting up because of that school. First thing in the morning, I'm enrolling you back at Athena."
Her heart froze as a cold chill ran down her spine, eyes widened as she stared at her mother. Finally, she found her voice as she glared.
"No."
Ellen blinked, obviously not expecting that answer. "Excuse me?"
Carlotta took a step forward. "You heard me. I said no. I refuse to let you control my life anymore! You say I'm acting up but my grades remain perfect, my attendance is perfect and I have done nothing but carried out what you have asked of me!" she declared in a cold tone, staring at her mother who seemed more like a stranger to her.
Ellen opened her mother to scold her but Carlotta cut her off.
"You say I'm acting up but I'm just being a teenager, something I was missing out on because you were trying to make me into you. News flash, Ellen," she flinched at her name. "I'm not and I never will be."
Carlotta walked past her and grabbed the door handle, staring at it as her anger kept going. "I needed a parent and you were never there. Uncle Richard is more my father than you as my mother. Consider me moving out," she said but her voice shook as she held back the tears.
Carlotta opened the door and never turned back.
Song: Chasing from Fairy Tail
Not gonna lie, I teared up a bit a the end. Some of you wanted to see more of Ellen and Carlotta's relationship and here it is. I've posted up a picture on Carlotta's blog if you would like to see on tumblr
