Little Miss Perfect

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

They posed for a group photo. I was surprised to see Mark amongst them. Even he hated occasions like this, so I realized how big it must have been. This party was pretty big, and me not going with them was going to be a very big thing for them and the press. Mark was holding hands with a red-head, and I could see a silver band around their finger. I have no idea what the girl's name was and they're engaged.

Luke was there too, and his date was Tina, a family friend. Although he was quite good looking, which means girls take an interest in him, he did not spend his time with girls. He was too focused on the problems in our life. Stacey and Brandon were there too. And I nearly fainted at Stacey. She had grown up so much! She was wearing a strapless dress and her face was made up completely. Make up was the least of my problems when I was 13. And Brandon didn't look any different, apart from his hair, which he had gelled up into a quiff.

A reporter asked my dad a question, and other reporters murmured, meaning that the same question was on their minds as well. He quickly shook his head and said something. They all nodded.

As we walked into the hall, Jane asked Eric a question.

"I wonder why the Mathews didn't bring their daughter?" she asked.

"I don't know, maybe she couldn't make it," replied Eric with a shrug.

"But their eldest son lives in Alabama, and he came," insisted Jane.

Eric just shrugged. They all knew about me but they didn't know me or what I looked like.

Cory came and grabbed my hand. He looked at me with his eyes raised, questioning whether it was alright. I nodded with a smile. I needed his support for tonight.

Someone pulled my shoulder.

"Hey, come here a sec," whispered Georgia. Cory let my hand go, and murmured something in Georgia's ear. She rolled her eyes.

"Look," she said, pointing to a group of nicely dressed people. "They're the fashion journalists. This is the best time of the party to go and talk to them," I really didn't want to go, or let go of Cory's hand, but I owed it to her after everything she had done.

We walked up to them. Georgia introduced herself and me, as her friend. Then she spoke about some collections and even made an appointment with one for some event

"Your dress is the best by far," one whispered. "Where did you get it from?"

"George made it," I said. He suddenly lost interest in me and began talking to Georgia. I was glad, because talking fashion was the last thing I wanted to do tonight. I slipped out of the conversation slowly, and began inspecting the paintings for something to do.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me out of view.

"What the hell are you doing here, Sandy?" asked Luke. I could tell that he was annoyed.

"Why does it matter?" I snapped. After all we've been through, this was the best was he was going to treat me?

"Look, Dad told the journalists that you were ill, and if any of them see you, they're going to realize something is wrong," he hissed, squeezing my arm. I pulled out of his grasp.

"Is there something wrong with it looking bad for the business? " I asked him.

He hesitated to answer, then sighed. "We all know what's wrong. Ever since..." he trailed off.

"Why do you even care?" I asked him. "First you don't give a sh*t on what's going on in our parent's lifes, and now you act like their pet dog!"

"I'm their son!" he hissed.

"Yes, and do they treat you like one?" I asked. The question lingered on in the air, like a foul smell.

Then he dropped the bombshell.

"If I'm going to take over the company," he started. "Then yes they do,"

I stared at him. How could he? After everything they've done. After everything SHE'S done. After all the pain they put him through, running the company was the last thing on everyone's mind. I had secretly hoped that we would be bankrupt, then they would come back to us. But that never happened. And if Luke does carry on the company, it would never happen.

My eyes hardened.

"Welldone, Mummmy's boy," I hissed and walked off. I felt so angry, I could have torn someone's head off. I gritted my teeth, but a warm hand found my arm. It was Cory. Always there when I needed him.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked. "I saw you go off with someone and I thought..."

"Oh it was just a fashion journalist," I lied. All these lies I had told him. Innocent Cory who had been through nothing in his life. This made me curious. What happened to Nathan to make him cry like that at the night of the caravan? I shook these thoughts off from my head.

A familiar figure walked towards us. Josh. Everyone in the school must have rich parents.

"Hey, hey," he smirked. " Who've we got here? Little Miss Silence?"

"Back off, Cooper" growled Cory.

"Woah, chill mate!" said Josh and walked off to a waitress and started to make her blush. I rolled my eyes.

I saw Luke in a corned, saying something to mum. Then they both simultaneously looked at me. I quickly looked away. They can say whatever they like. As I turned around, I bumped into someone. I recognized his familiar features. Mark. The brother who I had not met for two years. His eyes were the same, but most of his face had changed, more into a man. No photos, no web chat, nothing. That was probably why he gave me a quick smile and apologized. Then he went. He didn't look back. He didn't recognize me. A sword on fire had stabbed me in the heart. Cory's arms found my waist.

"Hey, Santana," he asked, his eyes full of concern. "You alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Water," I whispered. He called a waiter and gave me a glass of water.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

I shook my head.

"I just saw some one...who looked a bit like someone I knew," I lied again. For the whole night, I had been feeding Cory with lies. Maybe it was because he was too curious. I looked at him, and he was shaking his head at someone. It was his father , who was calling him to speak to a man in a expensive looking suit.

"You go," I said. "I'll be fine,"

"You sure?" he asked and I nodded. He left me there and walked off. I decided to go outside for fresh air.

As I was cooling down in the back entrance, I heard some high heeled footsteps.

"Are you mad?" asked my mother. "Have you lost your mind?"

I smiled sweetly at her. "Why, what's wrong mother?" I asked.

"Look, what you're doing might destroy everything! Your father's got some plans and we need the money from Darwin's. You not coming was one thing, but you coming with a different family could...I can't even think of what it would do! I can't believe you were so selfish! Just because of a boy-" she shouted.

"Woah! Hold it there. I came here by mistake, this was the last place I wanted to be in. And I also came here as Santana Cole, not Santana Mathews, mainly because I don't want to be associated with a b***h like you," I hissed at my mother. She looked at me like I had slapped her face.

"If anyone recognizes you-" she started. After what I had called her, she still was thinking about the precious business.

"Look, no one is going to recognize me. My own brother didn't, okay!" I shouted. She stood there. "You can get lost now."

She walked off, with her heels clinking. Suddenly a figure merged.

"Soo, Little Miss Silence is the Mathews daughter?" asked the figure. "Would never have guessed that."

The figure stepped out of the shadow.

Josh Cooper.