Fake It

29. First Impressions

"How come you have never spoken to my sister?" Hailey asked me dragging me to the studio of Pnina Tornai. "I mean, I know you don't get along with David but I though-"

"David is an asshole and he doesn't want us to even attend his wedding, let alone know his girlfriend..."

"Well, Cleo will love you. And you have to admit this is an awesome experience for you too. You can talk with Pnina about fashion and I'm pretty sure she'll help you with the collection..." Hailey rambled on. I wanted to listen to her, but I couldn't focus on anything. I had a knot in the pit of my stomach whenever I remembered what happened last night and I couldn't shake the feeling of his lips off me.

"Amanda? Are you okay?"

"Yes, sorry. I had a long night, that's all."

"Well, before we enter you should know something... But please don't freak out..." She whispered in case anyone could hear us. We were in front of the building and there was only an old lady walking her dog almost at the end of the block.

"Okay, what is it?"

"I don't know if I can tell you but I trust you enough...Cleo... She... Well, my sister is pregnant."

What. The. Actual. Fuck.

"Oh, come on! Say something!"

"Wha- how... I mean, why?"

"Well, when two people love each other-"

"I know what happens!" I cut her off. "I mean, does anyone else know? How about my aunt? Oh god, that's why-"

"Shhh, she doesn't. And we want to keep it that way... What makes you think that the Laura would let her son get married if she knew the truth?" Hailey replied cautiously.

"I dunno, I thought... I thought.... I don't know what I thought, but I'm sure it wasn't this!"

"Well, let's get inside and find you an awesome dress, I'm pretty sure my sis will love you."

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Even though all the voices in my head were screaming at me not to do this, I couldn't help it. Hailey and Cleo were waiting for me outside expecting that the perfect dress would magically fit me, but I had tore it apart and now I had to pay for it. Fuck, how could I face Pnina and tell her I had a slit on the wonderful dress she had chosen only for me to wear?

Way to make an incredible impression Amanda.

I could even picture out the face of Danielle or Reina if they were here. Luckily for me, this time they were on a fashion show in London far far away.

"Amanda, is everything okay?" Cleo asked me from the other side of the dressing room. "I can help you out if you want, let me inside."

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"I uh... I'm sorry. I'm really sorry Cleo." Was all I could muster. It was times like these I hated myself. And no, I wasn't going to cry in a stupid dressing room, but I wanted to. Why couldn't I have the body of Cassandra?

"Hey Am... Can I call you Am, right?"

"Sure."

"Am, can you let me in please?"

Busted.

"Okay." I replied reluctantly.

Cleo stepped inside and seated on the pearly armchair on my right. A smile spread over her doll face when she realized how nervous I was.

"Relax, okay? I don't bite."

"Yeah, right. Cleo, I'm sorry, look we both know I shouldn't be here. I know David doesn't even want us near the wedding so I should lea-"

"Wait, wait, wait." She interrupted me standing up and grabbing my hands tenderly. Her caramel eyes locked with mine and I was burning with shame, she clearly hadn't seen the slit on the dress yet.

"You are here, because I want to. Hailey has told me about the difficulties that exist around your family and I'm trying to make that change. David is not a bad person... I mean... He is when he is around Danielle, but that's not the point. The point is, I want you here, and I want my son to grow up with a family united and healthy."

"I'm gonna stop you right there, Cleo." I told her a bit harsher than I expected. "I've been dealing with them since I was born, and trust me, the hate they have for us is never gonna vanish."

"I'm not asking you to forget everything that's happened. All I want is to have a nice wedding without the family of the groom killing each other." Cleo explained sitting again. "Can we start by being... friends? Or strangers that have friendly conversations together at least? I mean, I know how much of a pain in the ass can be my sister so..."

"I can hear you, Cleo!" Hailey stated from the other side of the door.

"Yes, she can be a pain in the ass." I chuckled.

"So what do you say? Can we start by the basics?"

"For example?"

"I will tell Pnina to fix that dress for you. And we can go grab a coffee any day you want and talk. Hailey has told me wonders of you and your designs..." Cleo said with her eyes sparkling like a child. I could see why David was going to marry her. She was incredibly charming and beautiful. She wasn't something out of this world, she was normal but she had something in her that was... pure.

Cleo was the type of girl that everyone liked to be around. And I couldn't hate someone like her even though I thought she was making a terrible mistake by marrying my cousin.

She would stand out like a wrong puzzle piece inside of our family, but at least we could have someone nice to talk to. And I really hoped she could change David for the better, we all knew he needed someone like her in his life.

"About that... It would be great if you didn't mention it to David... God only knows what could happen if Laura or Reina find out."

"It's gonna be a secret, don't worry. Now, can I show you my dress?"

So I did what I thought Dimitri would like me to do... I behaved like a good girl.

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a/n

WELL, HELLO THERE! Yes, many of you may have thought I was dead, even my characters thought that too, but here I am.

I'll try to update more and more, but if you don't hear from me for another year, please forgive me. I haven't been writing in a loooooooooong time, so I have to get used to it again.

ANYWAY, what do you think of Cleo? Is she gooooood? Or is she EVIL? Tell me in the comments! Love you all, Lu.