Khrysopos ✔

TEN

"I might as well be," Cain mumbled, concentrated on finishing his cake.

Everyone paused as they took a bite and looked at Juliet like she was a godsend. "You beautiful, beautiful human being," Adam said.

And then Alex spoke. "This is really good."

Juliet glanced at him and smiled. "Thank you. My friend Lila taught me how to make this."

Cain came towards Juliet carefully, and then hugged her. "If you keep baking stuff like this for me, I will reward you with my hugs."

Juliet chuckled. "Well, that's great news. I have finally figured out how to fulfill my life's purpose."

Juliet took her plate from Nyssa and ate it. She immediately said, "god, I love myself."

Everybody laughed. Alex smiled.

Somebody knocked on Nyssa's door, and Marie got up happily to open it.

"Hello there. I'm looking for Juliet Ashton?"

Juliet turned to see who it was, and then she scowled.

"Hello, mother."

Eleanor Ashton took off her cap, her golden hair spilling out. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. I thought your room was 10D? Why are you in 11D?"

"I just came to give them some cake."

"Why?" She asked, as if she couldn't understand why she would do anything for anyone without trying to gain something in return.

"Oh, you know - just for kicks," Juliet said sarcastically. Her posture was stiff and guarded.

Eleanor looked around. She stared at Nyssa. Glanced at Adam. "Aren't you Mason and Victoria Camden's children?" She ignored Cain completely.

"Yes, Mrs Ashton," Nyssa said curtly.

"You," Eleanor said, scrutinizing Alex. He immediately tensed. "You don't look British. You look Chinese, or Japanese, or Korean, or Vietnamese or something. You must be the eldest Camden." Bastard, Eleanor's eyes said as she scrutinised Alex.

Alex simply glared at her, hostility oozing from his gaze. His dark brown eyes glinted dangerously. He did not react to Eleanor.

"I thought you couldn't get any more offensive and annoying," Juliet drawled, drawing the attention off of him. "I've been mistaken."

Eleanor looked uncomfortable. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted.

"Mum? What's going on?"

They all turned to look at Nathan. He looked back. "What?"

Eleanor beamed at her favorite child. "Nathan! Where were you?"

"I went to the bookstore," he said, hesitating a bit.

Juliet grinned lazily. "Is that right? What did you buy?"

"The Odyssey by Homer," he replied immediately.

"And where is your copy?"

He paused, and everyone looked at his empty hands. "I-I," he stuttered, looking at Juliet hatefully, "I dropped my copy off at home and came to see my friends."

"Of course," Eleanor crooned, holding his arm and saving him from humiliation. "So, I have news for you and Juliet."

"What is it?" Juliet asked flatly.

"There's going to be a ball in a week. It's going to be in honour of your great grandfather first thinking of starting the company. He drew up the papers this day years ago."

Juliet raised an eyebrow. "After a week? So on September 27th?"

"Yes."

Juliet stood up. "Why?"

"Why what?" Eleanor asked her daughter irritatedly.

"Why is the ball going to be on 27th September of all days?"

"Because that's the day your great grandfather first thought of starting our company," she replied impatiently. "Honestly, Juliet. I thought you'd have been a bit quicker to grasp this."

"I'm not coming," Juliet stated.

A moment of silence.

"Why not?"

"Because I have respect for the dead, mum."

Eleanor snapped, "For god's sake, Juliet! Stop being so sentimental. That happened eight years ago. Get over it."

"Get over it?" Juliet snarled.

Everyone quietly stared somewhere else, awkwardly. This was clearly a family fight that had nothing to do with them.

"I don't see why you're being so dramatic over this, Jules," Eleanor said.

"You're not allowed to call me that," Juliet said. "And for the love of everything that's holy - why are you so calm about this?"

"It's just a death anniversary, Juliet," Eleanor said with forced calm.

"And you are just another typical snobby mother who is a horrible mum to her kids because she values reputation over all," Juliet sneered. "Have you no respect for dead family? Celebrating when we should be grieving? You want to throw a party for the silliest reason possible on the day your very own daughter, Marina, and your unnamed granddaughter died?"

Eleanor was frozen with anger. "Do not say her name in front of me."

"MARINA MARINA MARINA - "

"That's enough!" Eleanor screamed.

"Your opinion means nothing to me," Juliet said heatedly, her voice low and deadly. "Get out!"

"It's not even your room!" Eleanor retorted.

Nyssa's said pleasantly, "Get out."

Juliet pointed at Nyssa, her finger shaking with rage. "I'm making you a cake for this."

Juliet heard Cain let out a cheer.

Eleanor said, "You're coming to the ball regardless, or else we are cutting you out of our will."

"You wouldn't do that."

"We would."

She wanted to curse her mother. If she was cut out of the will then she would have no money after school, no inheritance - nothing. No college. No university. She would struggle.

So when she looked into her mother's eyes, she glared at her with the power of a thousand suns. She took in a breath. "Fine."

"Bring a date," Eleanor added. "Why doesn't Mason and Victoria's son accompany you? What's-his-name?"

"Adam?" Nyssa asked, confused.

"No. The other one."

"Alex?"

"Yes. That one," Eleanor said, satisfied.

Alex raised his eyebrows.

Juliet immediately said, "I'm not going with Alex to this ball. I doubt he'd be interested. I'll find someone else, mother."

"Okay," Alex said, surprising all of them.

Juliet blinked.

Eleanor beamed. "Good." She put her cap back on. "I guess I'll see you two at the ball, then."

She left the room, passing by Nathan and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek as she left.

Juliet stared where her mother just stood, and then glanced at Alex.

She was suddenly very amused.

"I hope you can dance."

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