"What's the dillio Homeskillet?"
Ariadne was outside by the pool in a blue bikini and taking a sun nap when she heard a familiar voice. She sat up and turned around to see Mirra and Jenaya advance toward her. Because the girls changed in appearance while Ariadne was at school, she almost got them confused.
"Gam Gam told us you were home." Said Mirra. "How's Paris?" she was holding an aspirin in one hand, cell phone in the other.
"It's fantastic." Said Ariadne, who stood up and hugged Mirra.
"We are so jealous." Said Jenaya.
"I'm actually thinking about studying abroad there soon." Said Mirra.
"Really? Well Paris is a great fashion city. So what have you been working on?"
"To be honest, for weeks, I've been working on men's suits. They're so hard…" Mirra slumped on the chair next to Ariadnes. "I thought they were just pants, jackets and vests. That not the case."
"I've been cutting hair and waxing eyebrows all day. I had a client come in today with a British accent and he constantly tried to hit on me. He kept calling me 'Darling'." Said Jenaya. "So don't complain. You don't even know what work is…"
"I have a job, don't I?" Mirra asked. Ariadne giggled.
"So what are your derby names?" Ariadne asked. Mirra smirked and Jenaya giggled.
"Mines Lady the Tramp." Said Mirra.
"I'm Tinkerbitch." Jenaya replied. As children, Mirra would always call Tinkerbell Tinkerbitch because the fairy would try to mess up Peter's relationship with Wendy.
"So any interesting new relationships?" Mirra glared at Jenaya as if to warn her. Jenaya wasn't the best at keeping secrets sometimes when they were too juicy to handle.
"Like new friends?"
"She means boyfriend."
"What?" Ariadne chuckled and sat back down, putting her sunglasses over her eyes. "No. Why?"
"Just wondering…" said Mirra innocently. "Besides, being French Italian, Gam Gam and Baba will want you to get married before they die."
"Alright." Ariadne sat up again. "Why did you ask?"
"Because she saw this guy thinking about you." Jenaya spilled.
"Way to go Jenaya." Mirra snapped.
"Wait, wait, wait… what did this guy look like?"
"He was wearing a suit and had nice hair." Said Mirra. "You know him?"
Ariadne froze. She couldn't tell Mirra about the Inception job but she was afraid she would figure it out anyway.
"He's… he was an assistant of Miles. He often taught the class."
"So… he's a professor, and you kissed him?"
"Is that what you saw?" Ariadne asked.
"I saw you too walk into a hotel room alone. Were you two playing the boss and secretary game in there?" Mirra asked with a grin. Ariadne gulped quietly.
"No!" Ariadne stormed. "Just drop it already, and don't even think about getting into my head!"
"All you ever think about are buildings." Said Mirra. "It's pretty boring to be honest. So why would I try?" Ariadne rolled her eyes. "Besides, my head is hurting like a bitch."
"So…" Jenaya was ready to break the cold ice. "Did Gam Gam and Baba tell you?"
"That your on the state derby team?" said Ariadne grumpily. "Yeah, they told me."
"What's bothering you?" Mirra asked suddenly crabby.
"Nothing."
"Don't make me go in there."
"You shouldn't be reading peoples minds when you have a headache." Said Jenaya.
"You have no right to enter my mind anyway!" Ariadne snapped. "Do you seriously dig into random peoples minds to learn what makes them vulnerable? No wonder you got a lot of promotions, because you knew what your boss wanted!"
"Take it easy." Mirra sneered. "I don't spread gossip like this one." She pointed to Jenaya.
"I can't believe you sometimes! I bet you use it to win at derby, am I correct?"
"The only way you could cheat in derby is if you dumped water on the floor and screwed with the other teams skates."
"She doesn't use it at games." Said Jenaya.
"Does anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?" Mirra asked. "Don't make my headache worse."
"I need to leave." Ariadne walked off and went back inside to arrange a flight to Paris.
"What's wrong with her?" Jenaya asked. "Mirra? What was she thinking?"
"I didn't check." Mirra told her. "But I'd like to know what's shoved up her ass."
Jenaya sighed and went inside the house. Ariadne went into her old bedroom to see that everything she left behind was still there. Posters of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Leaning Tower were hanging as if they weren't touched.
She sighed and figured she'd have to sleep in one of her sisters rooms. But the idea of leaving home after fighting her sister made her feel bad. Maybe if she talked to Jules, she'd feel a little better.
Ariadne opened her laptop and logged on to Skype, praying that Jules was available for a chat. Fortunately, she was and a request box immediately popped up. On the screen, a girl with radiant red hair and an eye patch waved.
"Where the hell are you?" she asked.
"I had to fly home to tend to a family emergency." Ariadne lied. "But I'm coming home tomorrow. How's your eye?"
"It still hurts." Jules complained. "I'm never doing that again."
"I know now for sure, since my best friend looks like a pirate."
Jules laughed sarcastically. "That's funny. Actually, I'm only having the patch on until they make me a glass eye." The ginger was silent as she nudged her head to the side. "What is that?"
"What's what?"
"That dress over there… your sister made that?"
Ariadne turned around to see a strapless dress displayed in the room. It was navy blue and the entire skirt was covered with peacock feathers.
"I think she did."
"It's fucking awesome. I want one."
"I don't think Mirra's going to willingly give away her best work for free. I don't even know why it's here."
"Well could you ask her?" Jules pouted.
"Actually, I don't think she will. We just had a fight."
"Aww, what happened sweetie?"
"She thought I lost my virginity." Ariadne shook her head. Jules laughed. "Did you finally lose yours?"
"Not yet. But I plan on it."
"I have the brains in the family. My sisters are the divas. We all know that. And now their playing roller derby."
"Shut up." Jules muttered. "That should make their businesses fly through the roof."
"It will. And then everyone's going to ask me if I'm related to them and I don't want to be asked that question. So I'm thinking about getting a fake ID."
"That's really risky."
"I know it is." Said Ariadne. "But I don't want any part of the limelight."
"I see how it is. Well you just tell me what I have to call you from now on."
"Chicas!" Belle called. "Dinner's up. Hurry up now!"
"I'll talk to you as soon as I can." Ariadne promised. "I hope the pain goes away."
"Thanks."
When Ariadne went downstairs, Mirra was the first to apologize. It was as if Mirra heard the conversation.
"I had no right putting my nose in your life." She said.
"No, Mirra. I'm sorry. I was being cranky. I know you can't help it."
"But can I just ask you something?" Mirra asked.
"About…"
"Don't act like you don't know."
Ariadne shook her head. "I thought we made it clear that we would never discuss this again."
"Why are you afraid of it?" Mirra shook her head. "We both have gifts and I learned how to cherish mine. You can't hold it in forever."
"I can try." Ariadne growled. "And you abuse your gift."
"Why are you so afraid?" Mirra continued. "It's like having a sixth sense."
"There's nothing remarkable about seeing illusions of people who really aren't there! No one appeared in front of me for months anyway and I don't want them to! People don't know how it feels." Ariadne explained. "They don't know how scary it is. I wish I didn't have such a curse."
"You can hide it, but it will never go away. Every time you hit 'snooze' on an alarm clock, it beeps back moments later only louder. Do you get what I'm saying?"
"Your saying I should try to talk to my illusions?"
"Maybe they'll leave you alone after that. If I ignored my telepathy, I could possibly be dead. People think that it would be totally kick-ass to be a mind reader. But they don't know there's pain in the package."
"It's just frightening that's all… It's like seeing a ghost."
"So is there anything I can do to make up the bitching?" Mirra asked sincerely.
"Actually, there is one thing…"