Disclaimer: I do not own the 39 clues.
"No, you're doing it all wrong! NOOO!" Natalie Kabra howled.
"I'm sorry, Miss Kabra, but the tinsel just won't stick on," the maid, Joanna, explained.
"Whatever. Get superglue then! Use your brain!" the amber-eyed girl scowled.
Preparing for a party is so hard, Natalie thought. I wish I could manage them effortlessly, like Mum – no, no, don't think about that…don't think about that…get a grip on yourself, Natalie…
"How are the decorations going?" a female voice with a Russian accent interrupted her train of thought.
"Good, good…" Natalie replied.
"Ah, yes, as expected," Nataliya nodded in approval.
Nataliya had adopted Ian and Natalie after they had been disowned by Vikram. Today, Natalie was preparing for a party that some very important guests would attend. It would be hosted right here at Nataliya's mansion in Yekaterinburg, where Ian and Natalie now lived.
Natalie looked around. This is…home.
"Natalie?"
The dark-haired girl jerked her head up.
"Yes?"
"Take note that there will be 12 guests in all. They will be eating dinner outdoors in the Dining Hall. Make sure that each of their places are set with the appropriate silverware and dining utensils, with a name card placed on the plate. Got it?"
"Yes," Natalie said. After Isabel had been sent to prison, Natalie had changed. A lot. Before, she had never said yes to anyone – except for Isabel. But Nataliya had taken them in. She didn't exactly deserve to be answered with a no. As for a maybe, Natalie didn't want to seem dumb – not that anyone thought she was.
"Good. Remember that the guests will arrive at 6 o' clock."
Natalie nodded numbly. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear Nataliya when she added in a quiet voice, "And, Natalie...the guests…they'll be the Cahills."
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An amber-eyed girl leaned back in the plush chair she was sitting in. It was, of course, pink.
"Miss Kabra, how about this one?" the maid, Joanna, held up a purple ruffled dress.
As soon as Natalie caught a glimpse of the dress, she scowled, and said, "What did I say, Joanna? Pink! Nothing except for that!"
She leaned back once again as Joanna scurried to choose another dress for Natalie to wear to the dinner meeting with the guests. Who were the Cahills. But, of course, Natalie didn't know that…yet. She would find out soon enough at 6 o' clock.
After Natalie was finished doing her makeup and hair (not by herself, of course, by professional makeup artists and hair stylists from France), she was ushered to her personal dressing room to try on the glittery pink dress that Joanna had picked out for her.
Natalie twirled, admiring how the glitter sparkled in the bright light.
Soon after, Joanna once again came up to her. She said, "Miss Kabra, the guests are here. Miss Radova told me to relay to you that you should greet the guests in the main hall, and then lead them to the dining area."
Natalie nodded coolly. "Tell Nataliya that I will do so."
After taking one last glance in the mirror, Natalie made her way toward the dining hall. What – or rather, who – she saw at the entrance caused her to let out an earsplitting scream.
Second chapter! Woohoo! I have a general idea on what the first episode of the variety show (Showdown 24) will be like, but I am not quite sure yet. Feel free to give suggestions on what the Cahills should do in the first and second episodes!
- Natalie