They don't play to win. They play to hurt.
Sterling Academy's irresistible reputation all came crashing down last year when a list of the 'top thirty girls too...' had been anonymously published.
Now recovering from the pits of hell the media dragge...
Rất tiếc! Hình ảnh này không tuân theo hướng dẫn nội dung. Để tiếp tục đăng tải, vui lòng xóa hoặc tải lên một hình ảnh khác.
IT'S EVERY FORTNIGHT that Maman goes to visit the Cathans's. She and Annabeth — the new stepmother — have tea. It's been a tradition since Maria Cathans was around. The only difference then was that I used to tag along.
The familiar voice of Nettie — our longest—working housekeeper — bidding my mother farewell is my cue to swiftly descend down the stairs.
In an attempt to act nonchalant, I don't go down completely. Instead, I linger at the ending of the last swirl.
"Mom, where are you going?" I ask, looking down at her.
Mom's eyes meet mine in the large mirror. She doesn't stop fixing her beige hijab as she answers. "The Cathans's, Annabeth and I are having tea. Would you like to come with me?" The last part is said teasingly. Mom gave up on asking me after Luca and I stopped talking.
"Sure," I shrug feigning serenity when in reality my hands are fidgeting with the cuffs of my knit cardigan. Valé would call it an odd choice for the summer but I'm always running cold.
"شوخی می کنی" Mom asks, her dark eyebrows knitting together. She turns away from the mirror to face me head-on.
"No, I'm being serious. You know I haven't even seen the twins." I add, knowing that'll tug on her heartstrings. The two new additions children to the Cathans's empire brought everyone by surprise when they were announced a few months ago.
"Since you're going, we should at least buy something for the occasion." It's a slight jab and I know it. I deserve it though, I can only imagine the number of awkward positions I've put mom through when trying to explain my absence.
That's how I find myself at the Cathans manor twenty minutes later, with a bag of designer baby wear from one of the boutiques that mom supplies the textiles for.
"Nadia, what a lovely surprise." Annabeth greets, opening the front door. The fair-haired woman surprisingly looks younger than the last time I saw her — which should say something due to not only her actual age but the fact that she's only a few years older than Luca's older brother Reid.
"The same, where would you like me to put this?"
Annabeth's eyes travel down to the bag, widening with forced gratitude. "Oh, the twin's nursery is on the second floor, you can just leave it out and one of the staff will get it." Her smile is sweet but there's just something about Annabeth that irritates me, it's not that she's younger than Mr Cathans by more than a decade or that that she's got these icy blue eyes that ring deep into you. Rather the fact that she's completely redecorated almost all parts of the Cathans's estate in order to erase Maria.
There used to be an array of florals when walking up to the door, but everything is cut and shaped to resemble neatness. Maria's favourite plants barely exist within the dull green bushes that Annabeth has planted. She's even removed the large trees that used to line the path up to the steps and instead rooted a flashy waterfall structure, where water pours out of a horse's mouth. It's all so distasteful.
