Whoot! to WindWitch, cassyw, Bloodyshadows, DPhnix, and HeartlessDevil for reviewing!
(Psst, follow their examples…!)
Euphrosyne's Fic III – 05
.:Bastard Academy:.
As hundreds of students and parents danced the night away at Rene's annual Parents Night Bash, a rivaling number of workers stormed the Empire grounds, setting up tents, tables, and seats for the 50 piece band.
As the lower level stressed over decorations and floral arrangements with dozens of waiters scurrying past each other, lifting platters of appetizers and entrees over each other's heads, the atmosphere two floors up was quite the opposite; mutual distain weaved through the air, not a speck of combustion, and for the record, no one bothered to change the attitude.
In the smaller of the two rooms sat Rye- half a dozen artists painting her face and another few filing her nails. Every so often, the man coloring her hair would tug a little too hard, and out of reflex, Rye would grip the edge of her seat, receiving a sharp smack against the wrist from the filers who were less than thrilled to be tending an off-the-street type girl.
Between the strokes of eyeliner and layers of mascara, Rye saw the reflection of a primp middle-aged man conducting the workers from behind her seat. Nothing seemed to touch him as outfits and memos flew past his face. He would simply wave them off with a flick of the wrist and continue to touch/analyze materials with the other. Rolling up a sleeve to reveal an expensive diamond trimmed watch, the man ran his fingers through Rye's hair, tracing the strands to the nape of her neck, before confidently declaring his decision. "No, no," he spoke with a heavy Italian accent, "this won't do. Her face is too long, we're losing her cheekbones with the Egyptian cut, keep the layers, add some volume, I'm envisioning espresso highlights…" His directions slowed as he struggled to formulate English words, "Yes, yes, give her a glaze! Throughout the lower levels. Nothing touches the scalp."
A woman ran by with her assistants pushing a rack, she lifted a gown for the man to see.
"Love it, love it. Gor-geous detailing! Very Monroe, classic- how do you say it in English? Vin-tage. Let's save this one for when the girl decides to grow some cleavage."
Nodding, the woman placed the gown back on the rack before snapping for the next case to come.
"Yes…this might just work! Very good job, Hilda. Perfect balance of hick meets renaissance. Off the shoulder, emphasis on the waist. Definitely the open-toed slips. If the girl managed to inherit anything, it is her mother's feet. Kiss kiss!" The two touched cheeks.
Trading a few laughs in a foreign language before separating ways, Rye knew they were putting her down again. Having spent half her life at the Empire, the girl managed phrases here and there. It was the sole reason why Rob always said she had a knack for languages.
Clicking of heels sounded the hall as a woman in black advanced with a clipboard in hand. Her velvety suit absorbed the light pouring through the windows but she showed no sign of heat. The only thing that seemed to concern her were the notices underneath her pen
Walking up to the man, the two mindlessly exchanged kisses. "Ms. Lovett wants to see her now…" She cast a glance into the mirror to scan Rye's expression. Rye caught a sneer in which she returned "My, my. Is it just me, Ghita, or has the girl gained weight once again?"
"Tasie, you've always been a what do you call it?- um, stick-stick-like-glue for details. Nothing escapes your eye." Ghita's accent seemed to thicken with the personal assistance's presence. "It's the fat around the arms. I sent you a memo about the formulas to be sent back with her tonight?"
Making a few amendments to the lists of notes, the woman flipped a page before confirming the shipment. "Have it right here. The order was placed this morning. We'll just have to hide her from Anna during the rehearsal. Anna hates fat people."
She was not fat. Rye was 17, 5'5", and 103 pounds.
"Alright, we'll have to finish her up later. Her mother's waiting in the room next door and she is pissed! One of Cassin's men tried to pocket a bottle of Viognier. There will be no next time by Ms.'s standards. We don't expect to see them catering other gatherings either if you know what I mean. I will personally make sure the guests hear of their horrible service." The two exchanged nods of agreement, throwing in a few snotty snickers.
"The honor working for Ms. Melisande Lovett! What a disgrace!" He waved the woman off, picking Rye by the arm. "Take the girl, this will give me time to adjust the gown around the bust."
Robotically rising from her seat, Rye followed the woman out the door in nothing but a robe.
Frames of photos circled the perimeter of the guest hall. Neat pictures of her mother, father, and aunt sat in definitive rows above the grand piano, but Rye knew it was all for show. Mother could care less if they tossed the pictures out with the fifty grand instrument. The sentimental gear was used to emphasize her womanly essence, those nonexistent maternal instincts.
"Sit." and Rye did, across from the demon herself. Her mother continued sampling varieties of champagne and exquisite wines before gargling some water to test the next. How she managed to spit without looking like a man, Rye did not know. It was probably the same magic that kept her clothes from staining and her forehead from moving.
"You've grown since the last time I saw you."
"You think I'm fat. Say it to my face. It's not the first time I've received this treatment."
It was surprising how little Rye resembled her mother. The features were there, but never close enough. Melisande Senior had pitch black hair, almond blue eyes and powdery skin- the tools that catapulted her modeling/ acting career back in the day. Now that she had her own directing company, the top of their industry, her daughter served of little use in her productions. Rye had lazy dark hair, intense yet boring grey eyes, and similar pale skin- her's however, seemed to flush with a sickly hue in the wrong lights.
Or so the people often compared.
"If only she had your eyes, Mel. God would've gotten something right. I blame the studying, the dulling of the retinas."
If only Brooklyn were here to hear that medical analogy.
"She's probably going to spend the rest of her life in a lab like your sister.'
"I'm not even in Sciences!"
"Honey, don't scrunch your face like that. It pinches your features."
"-Dr. Browning can give me new ones. Maybe a nose like yours."
Ms. Lovett leaned back at the comment but Rye was satisfied. This was her mother's version of a flinch.
Rye was in no way connected to this house and she spared no opportunity in sharing it. Rene and the Estates were her homes now, she had grandpa, Kai, and Brooklyn, and that was all she needed.
"You're almost a woman now, Leigh. It's about time you start dating."
"The name is Lee, mother. Quit trying to make Leigh work. You can't take a person's identity by changing the records through Valkov at school. I was born a Lee and I will remain a Lee. Riley Lovett, cute alias. Could have gone for something a little more original than your own maiden name, mother. Lovett, that some French porn star or something?"
She would have died quoting Tala, but she couldn't think of anything better.
The woman's expression remained indifferent.
"And for the record, give up trying to sound young with the whole Ms. Lovett thing. You've got a daughter, you're getting old, and you're gonna keep aging until you die-"
"How is Tala? He's grown to become such a handsome young man. Redheads are just asking for attention. His grandfather's in education. They come from a long line of educators and famous ones at that. Good predecessors, a fluent life-"
And again, with this conversation.
"Tala is not cool and never will be. He's an asshole and we will never become an 'item.' We're doing a project together and I would have held you responsible for the pairing if the process weren't random. Tala shows no respect for women through his disposal of our gender and I would have credited you that much seeing you are a female icon."
The rant was not meant to sound like a compliment but the elder must have misinterpreted something as elevating her status, for she continued playing matchmaker.
"Can't say I like Kai. He's in the field of business."
"You're in the field of business!"
"Madam is in the entertainment industry! Please learn to hold your tongue when speaking to your elders!"
"Your friend Brooklyn barely makes the list. He is a dependable confidante but I would never permit my daughter to marry the son of a convict. Why settle for him when you have his cousin. The Valkovs' have made quite the effort in covering up their little family secrets. We should reward them for that."
Rye was furious. Jumping to her feet, she tore drafts of menus lying on the table before throwing the bits all over the floor. Flailing down the stairs, she could care less if she started a scene. She wanted out of site.
"Her temper hasn't changed. Shall I set a meeting with the headmaster again? We do not pay millions for demos such as this."
"No, no, no. Let her be. She's still a child nonetheless. Marriage is too far off the agenda. Let's not overwhelm her."
Tasie shook her head. "Mame, what would we do without parents like you. You should stop spoiling her. She'll never survive in the real world."
Ms. Lovett waved the waiters over and returned to her beverages. Churning the liquid in the glass, she tilted the wine slowly towards her lips before savoring the flavor within her mind.
"Okay, kids! Run, I say, run! I'm gonna count to a hundred or something, but after that, I'm gonna come find you, so make it hard!" Tala turned his back on the dozen kids before wrapping his arms around his face. "Here I go. One alligator, two alligator…"
"Excuse me, Mr. Tala, sir. Alligators are scary, can you count something else?"
Squinting at the girl who was twiddling her thumbs, the said boy held back a glare before shifting his gaze on a tree. A little irritated, he decided to ignore the tugging on his sleeves. "Fine. Let's start again. One Mississippi, two Mississippi…"
The girl would have questioned his knowledge on bodies of water if Tala hadn't shoved her off.
Raising his voice as he slowly stepped away from the open green land, he decided to tread his way into the woody areas. The kids would never find him there, it was off bounds without an adult and surprisingly, the kids were really good abiding to rules.
The more proper, the more annoying, they were like mini versions of-
"You know, the point of the game is so you find the kids and not the other way around."
Turning, he saw the devil herself, arms crossed, hair up, in a black turtleneck and skirt. She adjusted her glasses at him, taking in his chaotic look.
"What have you been rolling in?"
"The hopes and dreams of overly pretentious kids."
"Ah." She was slightly amused. He looked so lost and broken in his ripped jeans and muddy shoes. She couldn't turn away. "Babysitting again, so it seems. One on twelve? That's a little cruel even for you."
"Gramps got angry yesterday after the bash. Something about lack of responsibility." He tried to scratch the grass stains off his elbow by tilting his arm towards his face. He gave up. "It was suppose to be a one time thing, but," he sighed, "I don't know anymore." There was a pause. "What are you doing here, woman?"
It was almost admirable the way he blurted answers without a feel of regret or shame.
"Internship."
"For what?" the boy eyed the place, "planning to become a greenhouse lady?" He began following her deeper into the grounds.
"No, jackass. I'm on break right now. I need some fresh air." She stopped as they came to a clearing. "If you haven't heard, the Lee Estates' famous for their naturistic stills." She made a gesture towards a bridge. "I think it's a rather nice place to hang."
'…If you're 60, single, and play chess…' Taking in the scene, Tala felt an odd tug in his brain. He could hear the stream tumbling along, smell the flowers blossoming away, and the bridge…red oak again the green…
…Where had he seen this before?
"…heading back this afternoon to spend the night with B." She gave a happy squeal.
The boy broke from his trance. "What's up with you and Brooklyn anyways? You sleeping with my cousin or something?"
Once again, like every other remote encounter they ever had, Rye was stunned at his choice of words. "What the hell is with you and sex!"
"Hey. If there's any hope for Brooklyn on getting laid, it would be you."
"I'm not even going to justify that comment with a response."
"Wonder if Mariah's that type of girl?"
"Excuse me?"
"Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice?"
The girl picked up her pace.
Laughing at her body language, the boy dove in front of her, refusing to let her pass until she answered the question.
God, how he loved putting her on the spot. The struggle made it extra hot…
He was a good head taller than she was and could've taken her right there if he wanted to.
"Fine then. What's your view on sex seeing you obviously have something against mine. How would you like to be had?"
"I believe,' her voice got louder with each word as she glared into those intense blue eyes, "that people should be free to engage in any sexual practice they choose..."
Tala raised a smirking brow.
"They should draw the lines at goats though." She shot him a glare, pushing past his arm.
The boy merely chuckled. "I love my women raw." She continued to ignore him, trudging up the grassy hill. "You weren't at the Parents Night Bash yesterday..."
If she turned around, he could jump her. She would cry, being smothered in his dirt stained arms.
"I-"
Umph!
"I found him! I found him! I told you that's how we play the game. Mr. Tala counts one hundred Mississippis, we run, he hides, we find! It's a rather stupid game but I can see why it's called hide-and-seek!" the girl tightened her hold around the boy's leg.
"Shh, shh, you don't want to tell the other kids cause you'll lose points!"
The girl was too excited to hear.
"He's here, Jackie! Over here. I found him!"
Knees buckling, forcing him towards the ground, Tala raised an arm towards Rye for help. The sound of tiny footsteps echoed the bushes as kids began charging towards him at full speed. Rye shook her head with a poor attempt of a sympathetic grin.
"NoOoo…!" some kid jumped on his back. "…ugh…ohgod, kids in the back seat cause accidents, accidents in the back seat cause kids..." He began pleading with Rye. "I'll give you a ride back…!"
"Not with that intro, you don't. Don't forget, we're working at your place this Friday. Eco."
"For the last time," he held back a satanic growl as something snapped, "Why is it we're working at my place again?"
"I can't hear you…" Rye cackled as she edged away. It was almost disgusting how happy he unconsciously made the kids.
She was looking forward to meeting these parents she heard so much about.
Face first, breathing in the soil, Tala lifted his head to see Rye disappear off the path. He wasn't going to deny the fact corporate babes turned him on- both the look and the rejection. Realizing his position, the boy fought back a snicker...
Few women had the capacity of walking away from him, and even fewer were capable of leaving him here to die.
Tala shook his head at the dismissal. The girl was definitely something...
...And the fic summary makes more sense...-insert wink- (Bwahaha!)
PLEASE REVIEW, lol!