"I can't believe Daddy has banned me from taking the limousine to work, while he has it resprayed." Chloe muttered under her breath, as she took the short walk to school around the block. "I didn't really want it painted pink. I only said that as a joke, I didn't actually think he'd go through with it! The quicker he develops a sense of humour, the better…"
The blonde was in a particularly bad mood this morning, as the Mayor had not only forbidden her from using his transport but had also (for the first time in years) given her a proper dressing-down. First there was the apparent sexual impropriety, the possible illegal narcotics she'd taken, her alleged addiction to booze… the false allegations came thick and fast, until she could barely keep up with any of them.
"I see my paranoid Mom has been tattling on me, after falling for Zoe's lies hook, line and sinker." Chloe crossed the road, forgetting to look both sides in the distracted state she was in. "Now Dad's on the warpath, too. I'm grounded after school every day and at the weekend until he 'gets to the bottom' of what's happening with me, and all my credit cards have been taken away lest I use them for unlawful means. As if my life couldn't get any worse… hey!"
It very almost did, as a nearby car was forced to stop a few inches from propelling her across the sidewalk. If the heiress was grateful to him for preserving her life though she had a funny way of showing it, as she gave off an obscene gesture with her dainty hand before hurrying along before he had a chance to react.
"Almost running over the Mayor's daughter in cold blood, someone should make that illegal. We're talking serious prison time… well, not if the 'daughter' is Zoe. That person would deserve a solid gold medal: In fact, I'd present them with it myself on stage." Chloe gave her first smile of the day at the thought of this prestigious imagined event. "We'd have fireworks, a circus, rides… everything you can possibly think of. And as a grande finale, I'd burn those hideous shoes I always see her wearing..."
"Planning something, are we?" Chloe's arm was unexpectedly grabbed by slim fingers as she turned the corner. "Let me help! I'm a real pro at parties and catering! In fact, you ought to hear how grateful Jagged Stone was when I assisted him in his 50th birthday celebrations! He really is that old you know, but you'd never guess it. Him and I are very close friends… did I tell you that he once wrote a song for me?"
"What? Oh, it's only you. Lila, was it?" Chloe raised an eyebrow, both at the unwanted physical contact and the surprise at seeing the olive-skinned Italian after so long. "Listen, while I'd love to stay and hear more tall tales about what you supposedly did with people you've never met in places you haven't been to, I have major problems right now. You know, as opposed to fictional ones?"
"Oh, don't be like that, Chloe." Lila made another attempt to interlock her arm with that of the blonde's, but again to no success. "We could make a great duo, you and I. Me with the intelligence, craftiness and good looks and you, with all your… various resources, we could rule the school together! What do you think?"
"I 'think' too many hairspray chemicals have scrambled what few brains you possess. Now, would you please leave me be!" Chloe finally succeeded in wrestling her wrist from that of an overfamiliar Lila, and the blonde continued on her way without so much as a single glance back. "You have no idea what's going on here, and it would take far too long to explain…"
"Oh, you mean about Zoe being a complete fakezilla? All the 'woe is me, I am such a poor victim, everyone feel sorry for me' type fake shit? Wow, guess I was wrong all along. Clearly, you don't need my help after all. Oh well, it was nice talking to you. Suppose I'll see you in class, or whatever. Bye."
Lila started to amble away at this point, while a suddenly interested Chloe stopped in her tracks. Wait. What did she just…
"H-How… how could you possibly know all that?" Despite her general contempt for the fibbing foreigner, Chloe's curiosity got the better of her and she began hovering around Lila like an eager puppy.
"How, you ask? You really think someone who's been doing the same kind of schik all her life can't recognize a fellow phony when they're right under her nose? Pur-lease, that's rich." Lila giggled in earnest, seemingly unbothered by the barrage of questions she was about to get.
"I see. Of course." Chloe rolled her eyes. There was certainly no argument there. "So anyway, what could you possibly do to help me, if that's what you're suggesting? Because it's one thing knowing what she's like, and it's another catching her in the act. She's smart you see, even though it pains me to say it."
All of Chloe's animosity towards Lila had noticeably vanished, in her utter desperation to 'settle the score' with her sister. The Italian spotted this but chose not to bring it up, and instead smiled the kind of widened grin a shark might make before gobbling up an entire school of plankton.
"You know what they say: the smarter they are, the harder they fall. I'll show her there's only room for one natural born liar at College Dupont! If you want to know why I'm helping you, that's the reason. Don't think I'm going soft, or anything."
"...Okay. I don't really care about any of that. The point that I want to get to is where Zoe's cover is blown, everyone adores me again and things return to normal with my parents." An impatient Chloe didn't give a hoot about Lila's reasons, she just wanted results. "Just tell me your idea, and I'll inform you straight away if it's any good or not. Otherwise… why am I wasting my time talking to you?"
Amazing. She's really not questioning any of this. Zoe was right, she really is as dumb as a box of rocks. Lila was surprised at how easy this had all been, having given what she considered a subpar performance so far.
"You've made a very good choice. You won't regret putting your trust in me, I guarantee it. Now, let's wait until we can go into the girl's bathroom, where we can discuss my scheme for exposing that sister of yours in greater detail…" Lila guided a rapt Chloe past the window of a nearby ice cream parlor, not noticing the Italian giving a thumbs-up to someone located on the other side of the glass.
…..
Meanwhile, finishing off the last remaining traces of a Rock Road special with extra-tangy strawberry sauce, a girl with a pink streak in her hair wearing dark glasses and a beret tipped the owner before leaving.
"Showtime. Wish me luck, Monsieur." She gave him a coy kiss on both cheeks as she headed outside.
The guy was grateful for the extra euros, but stared in confusion at the girl's odd behavior after she'd gone.
"What the heck was all that about?" He remarked to his shrugging wife.
…
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I love writing this story, and I hope you love reading it. If not, it doesn't matter. It's a free country… ;)
