Headstart

Cruella could swear her heart stopped beating completely for a moment, she had already turned around with her eyes shut. What could he possibly want from her that he couldn't wait till she got out of the bathroom? Even though she's been having naughty thoughts, she had no intention of actually doing it and definitely not in here.

"Cruella it's me," Nila said noticing how tensed up Cruella is. She didn't mean to barge in like that but the moment Jason told her Cruella had brought home a stranger and had him in her room, she rushed up hoping nothing had transpired between them. She knew that one day Cruella would finally do it, after all she's already a young adult, but Nila wanted her to at least do it with someone she loved and not some random stranger. She panicked when she opened the door only to find him standing close to the bathroom door. Did it already happen? Is she late?

"Where is my daughter?!" Nila snapped rushing to the door and without warning, she pushed it open but Ethan had already excused himself out of the room to give her a little privacy.

Cruella let out a sigh of relief the moment she heard her mother's voice. She slowly turned around, relaxing her tensed up body.

Nila chuckled at Cruella's little movement as if she wasn't fully convinced of her presence. She also noticed how her cheeks were as flushed and red as a tomato.

Cruella soaked herself back into the tub to calm her nerves. It's going to be a long night from what she observed.

"I didn't mean to scare you like that baby, I was just worried." Nila said smiling slightly. Cruella only nodded, closing her eyes. She still had what Ethan said earlier on her mind. She wished she could just fast-forward time till after tomorrow so she won't have to fight anyone. She also wondered what other activities would be set up before the actual contest.

"So who is he?" Nila asked after observing Cruella for a while. It's obvious she had her own thoughts going through her mind and as her mother, it's her duty to try and ease those evident worries displaying on her face so she don't end being smothered by them.

"Ethan, he's my guardian and not that old man you have here." Cruella blurted out. Her eyes were still shut so she didn't notice the pained expression on Nila's face right now.

"Cruella, I know you want to be with your father more than anything else but I'd really appreciate it if you don't say ill things about a man you barely know. I know Jason can never replace your father but please Cruella, for my sake." Nila said scrutinizing Cruella's every reaction to her every word.

Cruella stilled the moment she heard Nila. Her eyes widened in outmost surprise. She actually thought Jason is like her guardian here, she never knew he is actually her mom's...

She shook her head a little before lifting herself from the tub to look at her mother.

"Wait, you're saying that-that Jason isn't...that Jason is your.." she trailed off the moment she noticed the expression on Nila's face. It seems there's a lot she didn't know about this reality Palena sent her to. She really misunderstood everything all these while. She actually felt relief now that she knows the real deal with that man called Jason, although she wished he had another name rather than Jason because it reminded her of her own Jason back at Greenville.

She isn't against her mother having a lover as long as he doesn't butt in her personal life.

"Its okay mom, I'm sorry I said that. I'm happy with whomever you're happy with." she said smiling broadly at Nila before burying herself into the tub again.

"So are you ready for tomorrow? Is that what's bothering you so? You know you don't have to be scared right? " Nila asked trying to know what's on her mind that's making her so moody.

"Do you know I have a twin sister?" Cruella suddenly blurted out. She didn't even know how that got into her mind and escaped her mouth. She's been thinking of how to find Estella in this world but she wasn't planning on telling Nila yet till she actually gets a headstart. She turned to look at Nila and she had a perplexed expression, probably wondering how Cruella even knows about the dead twin.

"How did you...who told you about that?" Nila asked almost in a whisper. She's hidden this secret for eighteen years now infact the only living person who knows about this aside herself is Palena, so she was taken aback by Cruella's question.

"Were you not going to tell this Cruella as well? So she didn't know as well?" Cruella asked feeling slightly angry that the Cruella of this reality didn't have a clue about her twin. Why hide it? Why not just tell her no matter how painful it may be? The funniest part is that Nila herself doesn't even know that Estella is alive.

She isn't going to let what happened in Greenville repeat itself here, in her home. After all that's why she is here right? To set things right and avoid the past mistakes from happening again.

An idea hit Cruella and she subconsciously smiled to herself, forgetting her mom's presence in the bathroom.

'Since she can teleport and if Estella is also in this reality, then they must have a connection to each other. All she needs do is channel her energy to that of Estella's and teleport to wherever Palena is keeping her.'

Before Nila could even utter a response, Cruella got out of the tub with a towel and exited the bathroom, leaving Nila to stare at the tub, still contemplating on what just happened.

She quickly put on a pink PJ pants with it's matching shirt and left the room to find Ethan. If anyone can help her, it's Ethan. She just wished there's a way she could swap her mother here with that of her formal reality so she won't have to keep explaining herself over and over without actually getting a positive response. She knew anything she says now would just make them think she's crazy so she refrained from futher talking about her formal reality and just focus on this one and on what's important...which is finding Estella.

She met Ethan in the living room, laying on the couch. He looked like he is already fast asleep, struggling to fit his big body on the small couch. She remembered the first day he came over to her house at Greenville and she made him sleep on the couch. Well, then she disliked him more than anything especially with his damned composure and poker face and the fact that he is Jason's replacement but looking at him now, she didn't feel any of those hatred, especially because he look so peaceful and beautiful in his sleep. He actually look like he hadn't had a goodnight rest in days.

She found herself squatting beside the couch to have a better look at him, her gaze scrutinizing his sleeping face. He had full dark brows and long lashes and she found herself touching hers to compare the length. A smile settled on her face when she confirmed hers longer.

She subconsciously ran her finger on his thick curly hair, feeling the softness while her other hand touched hers to compare again. She chuckled at her ridiculous act.. comparing her features with that of a man.

Her gaze finally fell on his lips and immediately those naughty thoughts and feelings surge within her again.

Her heartbeat quickened and her hands began trembling. She found it hard to believe that she could feel this way just by looking, how much more when he actually touch her?

She found herself leaning closer and she knew why. It felt as though she had no control over her own actions now, she couldn't stop herself from what she's about to do.

She is going to..to kiss him!