I Am Freaking Famous!

A few things that you should know about Grace are..

1. Her personality does not match her name. The only thing in which she displays true grace is hitting men with parasol.

2. If you haven't derived from the first one is: NEVER. EVER. GET ON HER BAD SIDE. I am speaking this completely from personal experience

I shudder as memories engulf me. Each one more brighter and more horrific than the last

Dang it!

I lick my lips nervously as Grace looks at my extravagant royal clothes.

By the way I am from the royal family. Yep, the Castellanos descendent in flesh and blood and bones covered with a frilly, lacy and extremely uncomfortable and pretty tight pink gown-ish dress.

Now go ahead and stare at me as if I am some exotic animal from the zoo you will never get to see again because apparently..

I Am Freaking Famous!

"What in the name of God are you wearing?" Grace stares at me burning holes in me with her eyes

What is with people burning holes in me today?

"Clothes?" I say cheekily and regret it when Grace looks ready to explode

She won't do anything to you but arguing with her and making her fume in anger will definitely make you think about your poor taste in life choices

Kind of like I am doing in mine

Let me explain how does it feel like:

Her coal black eyes burn into mine trying to break the walls I am holding while sending terrifying shivers of fear down my spine. Her face expression is like the one a good judge has: unmoving, unreadable and yet deadly and that look makes you want to confess all your sins since the time you started stealing cookies

Don't give that crap saying that you didn't used to do that

Grace quirks an eyebrow at me waiting for a reasonable answer. I can either say the truth that I am one of the members of the royal family or make up a lie.

I decide to the right thing and say:

"I found these in a dumpster"

Please believe it! Please believe it! Please-

"I don't believe you"

And.. she didn't believe it

She must be a mind reader or have some ability like that because there was no way that she wouldn't get fooled by my lie. I mean, I would have believed it..

But then again I am pretty sure that my brain is pea sized. Well, at least I have a brain unlike those lace covered monsters called 'ladies'.

"Tessa?" Grace me a look which says I-am-going-to-kick-your-butt-if-you-lie-again

I gulp. I am not actually afraid of Grace, I just tend to avoid arguing with her because in the end we are usually stabbing each other with our parasols and fans

Licking my lips and hoping to stop the great disaster, I speak "Uhh.. I stole them"

"From who?" She asks after thinking for a moment

"Err... There was this girl and.. uh.. she said men were more intelligent than woman and.. uh so I..uh.. got mad and stole her clothes?" I say in an weak and uncertain voice wondering if she will buy it

Grace gives me a disapproving look "Tessa, we have talked about this, haven't we? You do not steal or do something illegal. You just give them a good whack using your parasol and pray that the hit will cause their useless brains to work"

I am pretty sure that hitting someone with parasol is not exactly ideal...

But hey! She bought it

"I am sorry" I say hanging my head, hiding a small victorious smile and blessing my luck for getting me out of this situation

"You should be" Grace retorts with a superior look in her eyes and smugness in her voice

Maybe I should just remove her smugness by telling her the truth..

Nah. That would take a lot of explanation and time and also it may cause me some parasol inflicted injuries

"Don't we have a 'something' to go to?" I remind her politely

Grace exclaims in surprise "Girl! You almost made me forget something that I live for"

You all must be wondering what Grace is talking about..

Keep wondering then...

"Come on! We are late" Startled I look at Grace who is opening the moody back door of the ancient building and motioning me to follow her

"Alright-y" I quickly gather up my skirts and walk barefoot on the cold hard grey sidewalk to reach the door with my 'killer heels' still in my hand

Opening the door becomes a challenge when I realise that both of my hands are busy

Sighing, I use my shoulder to push the door open and right then and there the floor decided to meet its long lost friend (me) and using its mysterious force of gravity, it pulls me for a long and painful embrace

Thud.

"Ouch" I mutter still sprawled on the dusty floor which is probably the place where the rats crap

I know that I have to get up but I am feeling a bit lazy today. Maybe I will just take a small nap over here

'Dirty floor! Dirty floor! Dirty floor' Warning bells in my head finally convince me to try and get up

"May I help you miss?" A voice startles me making me fall down

Ah.. floor, we meet yet again..

"What?" I growl looking up and meet light blue eyes with my dark chocolate brown ones

I expect the man in front of me either to look at me with a look that inquires 'are-you-balmy?' or run away from my vicious snarl and attitude but to my utmost surprise, he does neither. Instead, he offers me his hand silently while his eyes twinkle in amusement

I contemplate about rejecting his help because I am all for the 'women equal to man' thingy but my lazy body screams at me to use support to get up

So, I put my hand in his and pull myself up. Sue me mi lord.

"Thank you" I say stiffly as soon as I am up and alive on my two feet

"You are welcome mademoiselle" The blue eyed, dark haired person standing in front of me tells me in an amused tone as if he trying to hide laughter

"What is it that you find so hilarious?" I hiss at him

He coughs, a cough that resembles a snicker and says in the most politest tone "I assure you madame that I do not find the situation hilarious"

He says this with such sincerity and gusto that I..

Do not believe him

"Alright" I say in a curt tone "Thank you for your help Mr...?" I trail off realising that I do not know his name

"Leonard, Miss..?" He looks at me questioningly

Darn! What did I tell Grace? Um.. it was Tessa.. Blue? Orange? Pink? No! Wait I got it! Grey

"Tessa Grey" I say in an expressionless tone seeming not at all bothered by the fact that it took me about a minute to tell him my name

Luckily, he doesn't point that out instead he gives me another amused look

Man, this guy is way too amused for my liking

Not that I like him..

"Tessa!" A sharp voice calls me "Why the hell are you philandering with my brother?"

"Ph-Ph-Philandering?!" I stutter looking at Grace. Does she even know me?

I would never philander with-

Hot diggety dog! Her Brother?!

This blue eyed guy in front of me is her brother?

"Leonard is your brother?" I ask Grace, suddenly feeing betrayed about the fact that she never told me about her brother

I thought we were best friends till women's independence. Heck, We pinky sweared on it as kids

"Yeah, an idiot twin who never has time for me since he is too busy serving the country" Her tone is mocking but I catch an almost negligible feeling in it

Hurt.

I look at her to find her glaring at her brother with a kind of longing

Now either I have read to many of Marie's books and watched to many soap operas so that I am seeing what isn't there or Miss-I-don't-have-any-feelings is actually capable of feeling emotions

I mean, I knew that she had a brother but she never really talked about him which made me think that she hated her brother

I never thought that she never talked about him because it hurt her.

Oh my little Grace!

I do remember Leonardo from some memories but those memories are a bit blurred. All I remember is him being taken away on a train to some prestigious school and Grace yelling something about taking her too and men were equal to women and how she hated Leonardo for leaving to go off to some school which rejected her letter because she was a girl and-

"-s! Tess! Tessie! Are you even listening to me?!" A rather loud and bossy voice makes me snap out of my reverie

"What?" I enquire as I look at her impatient and annoyed face

"We have a 'something' remember?" Grace reminds me, her voice barely above a whisper

Something? Wha- Oh.

"We sure do" I say heartily agreeing with her

"What something?" An irritating presence asks as it seek my attention "Are you going to bombard England?"

Of course not! That would be too much work and blood

"No Leo. For christs sake, we are not going to cause massive destruction and attempt to kill the captain so you can have his position" Grace speaks with frustration and anger and also adds "If you are going to repeat that question, I may just stab you with my parasol"

My, my, such love between a reunited brother and sister.

Leonard picks up on the threat in her tone and chooses the wisest move he could have chosen.

He runs away.

Smart kid.

"So.. we are going or what?" I say breaking the small silence which had enveloped us

Grace looks at me with a tired expression, blows out a puff of air, straightens herself and nods

"Let's go"

Then she turns to me and says

"By the way. Do you mind removing that piece of bubble gum from your face?"

Darn that donkey!

~*~