Never be afraid to make new acquaintances.

December 24, 2011
Christmas Eve


“Darling. Would you just hold still for a moment?” my mother scowled at me impatiently. It is practically impossible to stay still if your hair is being yanked on, and in my case it was.

“I’m sorry mom. I guess I’m just a little antsy to meet your friends,” I said dryly as she yanked on my hair again.

“Don’t be, child. There’s absolutely no need. They’ll love you,” she finished my braided bun and pulled a few strays of hair behind my ear, “You are my daughter you know.”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” I tried my best not to roll my eyes or scowl in front of her. She tightened my corset before slipping the rest of the dress over my small torso. Mom always made me wear classy and over-priced dresses when her friends came over.

“You look wonderful.” she smiled against my cheek and I tried my best to believe her, but when I looked in the mirror, all I saw was a porcelain doll, afraid that she might break. Her skin, too pale. Her eyes, so frightened they were a swollen blue, and her blonde hair matched it all. She seemed almost too perfect to be standing in front of me. “Anastasia, you are going to do great with this dinner. Trust me. They’re are just a few friends from Bently.” Bently. A place of spoiled rich kids and uptight parents. This ought to go just fine.

“Fauna! Darling, our guests have arrived!” my father yelled from the stairwell and my mother clapped with excitement. I sucked in a ragged breath and my mother’s excitement turned to worry.

“Oh come on. This is going to be fun,” she grabbed my hand, but I still stared directly at my unbelievable reflection in the mirror, “Come down when you’re ready darling.” she then left my room, leaving me even more worried. I took another ragged breath before pulling the train of my dress up so I could walk, and I made my way to the top of the stairwell. Once I saw my parents’ friends standing by the door, I scowled at myself for having a frown and plastered on my smile. When I took a step down, my heels made an echo and everyone looked at me, making me quickly ascend the stairs.

“Your lovely daughter definitely knows how to make an entrance.” A man about my father’s age was wearing a tuxedo, and his black hair had strings of grey showing as it was firmly pressed back. I gave him a small curtsy as my mother instructed and he bowed before me. Although we are not royal, my parents are rich enough to think so. So when we meet new people, it is appropriate to bow and curtsy. I never like to treat people like this, but it is what it is. My mother tried to hide her glare at me with a smile, as if I did something wrong.

So I forced a smile to her and a woman approached me. “It’s so beautiful to finally meet you, Miss Greene.” she had long brown hair cascading over her shoulder, matching beautifully with her navy blue gown and navy blue fingernails. She showed that she was far younger than the man, but age doesn’t seem to be the problem here.

“It’s amazing to meet you as well.” I smiled and we shook hands after we showed each other our curtseys.

“My name is Gina Styles. This is my husband, Nicholas Styles. And my son,” she turned to see if anyone was behind her, and she hastily grabbed the male’s arm that was wandering by her side, “And this is my son, Harry Styles.” I nodded at the man, Nicholas, that had bowed at me earlier, and I looked up at their son. Honestly, I really had to look up to him.

“I’m Anastasia Greene, and I am pleasantly glad to know that you have already come in acquaintance with my parents.” I placed my hand on my mother’s arm and she locked her hand in mine, meaning she was proud. Nice choice of words, Ana.

“I beg your pardon, and I hope you don’t mind me asking this, Fauna. But how old is Anastasia?” Nicholas asked and I instantly turned a bright scarlet red.

“She will be seventeen in January.” My mother smiled affectionately towards Nicholas, and I felt the tension between my father and him. Once I glanced back over to their son, he seemed more uptight and it seemed as if he didn’t want to make eye contact with me whatsoever.

“Well, we don’t want our food to get cold. Our lovely chef has prepared us a five course meal, and I am sure that I don’t want any of it to go to waste,” my father sounded intrigued with his own announcement and I almost rolled my eyes in astonishment. When we all took our seats in the grand dining room, I couldn’t help but drop my jaw at the breathtaking, delicious-smelling food that had been sitting in front of me. I glanced across the room at my talkative father who was just conversing away, and all of a sudden Gina and her son looked to be having a problem with each other. All the matter, I shaked it away from my thoughts and returned them back to my father. He looked almost uncertain about what he was talking about, and I frowned at him, but my mother gave me a glare from across the table and I looked down.

“So tell me Mr. Styles,” my father said to Nicholas, “How long have you been living in Bently?”

Nicholas responded with a laugh. When he was finished laughing, he said, “I have been living in Bently ever since I was born. I’ve always lived in Bently, and I always will. Because it seems to me that there is nothing wrong with it and I don’t think I’ll be moving out of my glorious house any time soon.” The word glorious caught my attention and I wriggled in my chair.

Then, I could not stop myself from asking, “Not to budge in or anything, Mr. Styles, but how big is your house?”

“My house is over one hundred and fifty yards long and sixty yards wide. It has eighty rooms, not including the kitchen, bathrooms, utility rooms and others. I have a wide variety of flowers and plants assorted fabulously in my backyard thanks to my gardener. And my house is surrounded by a large river, engulfed with many oak and pine trees. And my driveway is over a mile long,” he explained and I couldn’t help the slack in my jaw to fall farther and he chuckled at me.

“I apologize. I did not mean to intrude,” I muttered and I lowered my gaze from him to my empty plate.

“No need to apologize my dear. Believe it or not, I admire talking about my house. It, warms me and reminds me that I can own anything,” he grabbed a hold of his wife’s hand and kissed it tenderly, “I own a lot of wonderful things.” I couldn’t help but smile at the affection that was being shown, but it seemed to me that their son would rather be in the basement with our pigs instead of with his parents. Interesting…

“Well we own half of Dahm,” my father sounded a bit harsh when he spat the words, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Sooner or later, my house and it’s surroundings will belong to my esteemed son Harry when I die.” There was a glint of sadness in Nicholas’ eyes when he said that, and it almost made me feel a little sorry for him.

“Luckily that’s soon enough,” I heard his son mutter, but thankfully it was only me who had heard it. When I looked at him, he had glared at me intently like looking at him was such a crime. When we were finished with dinner, my mother and Gina decided to take a stroll in our garden, my father and Nicholas went to the sports room, and they left me and the Styles’ son alone in the dining room.

“Um. I am-”

“I know who you are. But I don’t want you talking to me. You are too young and I feel like I have the sudden urge to take you by a collar because I know you’d listen to anyone. Do not dare talk to me because I know that you will sink your teenage claws into me, making me take pity on you and how your parents are just awful. Well I hate to piss on your parade baby, but my parents are way worse than yours.” Then he slid his chair out from under him with the power of his legs and stormed out of the dining room, almost breaking the door. I sat there, shocked with every word that he said. He doesn’t even know me… or what I was going to say.

When I reached the front doors, I opened them, and I could see the beautiful arrangement of trees and the impeccable view of mountains behind them. I always loved to look at the beautiful sight that Dahm always gave me.

“I hope you didn’t come out here to talk, Miss Greene.” I quickly turned to my left to see the Styles’ son. He has a name… but I just can’t put my finger on it.

“You think I came out here to talk to you? After you rudely stormed away from me just a moment ago? Well I hate to break it to you, Harry,” there it is, “But I am not going to take pity on you either.”

“I don’t deserve pity. Especially from an uptight whore like you.” Who does he think he is?

I clenched my knuckles and turned towards him. “Don’t you dare talk to me like that, Mr. Styles. You do not know me, or what I am capable of suing you for.”

“You honestly think suing me is going to do you any good honey? Because it won’t. My parents are sixty times richer than yours will ever be.” I scowled at him and he seemed to take pleasure in my anger.

“I actually thought that you weren’t going to be insane and stuck up like the rest of the people who live in Bently. But you’re worse than I thought. You’re just a spoiled little rich kid-”

“And you think you’re any better?” He smiled from ear to ear and pulled a bottle of whiskey from his jacket pocket. So that’s why you’ve been so idiotic and rude. I took a deep breath, and he stepped close to me, allowing me to smell the ratchet odor of whiskey on his breath. “You smell heavenly, Miss Greene,” he rasped and I slowly collected myself, making sure not to make eye contact with him.

“You think you can turn on me? Just like that? You’re drunk, and you need to contain yourself. I’m going inside, and I sure hope you leave soon. Because meeting you again wouldn’t be the best fun, and I’d rather burn in hell than listen to you murmur stuff about me that isn’t even true.” I ran my hands down my dress and heard him chuckle beside me, making me snap my head towards him.

“And so it begins. Out comes the real Anastasia.” He sneered at me and I scowled at him once more before stomping inside my house. Then he came in after me and grabbed my wrist, making me gasp and glare at him with intensity.

“Let me go!” I screeched and he laughed at me, once again.

“Mr. Styles!” I heard my mother yell at him as she walked towards us.“I expect better from you,” she snapped and he immediately let go of me.

“I am sorry for my,” he trailed off and hiccupped, “I am sorry for my disrespect towards your daughter.” she gasped when she realized he was drunker than a sailor, “But I am going to leave now.” He strolled out of the house and I closed my eyes tight.

“Anastasia are you okay?” my mother gripped both of my shoulders and I opened my eyes to look at her. She raised my chin and inspected my skin, making sure I didn’t have any type of burn or marks, “Did he hurt you?”

“No mother, he didn't.” I sighed and she looked at me, displeased.

“What is wrong with you?” she asked, grabbing my hand.

“Nothing is wrong me with,” I gave her an assuring smile and I nodded my head, “Please tell our guests that I am extremely sorry for going to bed so soon, but I am feeling a bit drowsy.” I winced at the fake words that fell from my lips.

“Sleep well.” she kissed my forehead and I walked to the stairwell. I reached the top of the stairs once my father, Nicholas, and Gina met back in the center of the room and I shook my head.

Never have I ever been treated in such a way.

I quickly changed my clothes into my silk night gown and walked over to my window, looking out into the distance. I squinted my eyes when I saw Harry lurking around his parents’ car. When I realized he was staring up at my window for a brief moment, my hand caught itself on my mouth. I let out a ragged breath and he passed me a drunk smile before politely flipping me off, making me growl.

...and so it begins.

Notes

I hope everyone will like this.. I really enjoyed writing it. Things aren't going to be much different with it, just the grammar mistakes and a few minor changes.
I can't wait to get this going again!

I still love my Wonderlights...


Kal xx