My Covert Bodyguard

21: The Rhodes's Family Party

The party went much more smoothly than I could have ever imagined. I was actually having a great time, with Kyle distracting me from all the troubles around me, making me laugh.

After an hour or so of downing glass after glass of ginger ale, I excused myself to the bathroom. I slipped inside, but stopped in my tracks the moment I saw who was inside. Rebecca Amador was standing in front of the mirror, looking at her beautiful reflection, checking if her hair still fell perfectly, the way it always did. She looked up, and smiled when she saw me.

When I saw her, I thought of something I had completely forgotten about. I remembered a while back, when Kyle was still being a jerk to me, I had seen him and Rebecca together, talking. I wanted to know what they were up to back then, and I realized I still didn't know what had happened then. I made a mental note to ask Kyle when I got the chance. 

Then she surprised me by actually talking to me

"Hi, Cass." I didn't think she knew my name.

"Hello, Rebecca." I replied. I didn't feel comfortable using the bathroom when she was still here, so I went to one of the sinks to wash my hands.

"Are you enjoying the party?" She asked. I wondered why she was trying to make conversation with me. She barely talked to me before.

"Sure." I answered.

"That's good."

When I didn't reply for a few seconds, Rebecca turned to face me.

"You look different. Like you changed a little." She said, and I frowned. Was she mocking me? Was she keeping a watchful eye out for all the family dissappointments and their every single move? Whatever she meant by it, I didn't like the way she seemed to understand everything I was going through, and her sisterly look on me.

"Must be easy for you to say when you've looked and acted exactly the way everyone wants you to be your entire life."

Rebecca looked offended when I had said that. "Why do you hate me? Did I do something to upset you?"

I couldn't believe she was asking me this, as if she was the victim. "The real question is, why do you?"

Rebecca frowned. "You think I hate you?"

Just then, a woman wearing a huge fluffy coat entered, and Rebecca walked out of the bathroom, looking upset.

What was that all about? I uncomfortably stepped into one of the bathroom stalls, and when I was finished, I went over to one of the sinks yet again. I stared at my reflection. The golden brown dress I was wearing had a high-low skirt, and was sleeveless, and much more elegant and girly than the dresses I would have worn a little while ago. I had simple makeup around my eyes, but it looked more professional and grown up. And the main thing were my eyes. They had a new ferocity to them. They no longer looked innocent and wide, but more wise and serious. Maybe Rebecca had made an accurate observation and she hadn't meant to upset me.

Maybe I had changed.

I stepped out of the bathroom, and walked my way over to Kyle, who was standing alone, with a few girls my age glancing at him as they passed by. I frowned, jealousy starting to form in my chest. He didn't even like girls like them. He didn't like rich, snobby girls.

But wasn't I one as well?

That thought made my heart sink more than I had thought. Because he had acted like such a friend, I wasn't sure any more, but did he actually think I was different from the rest of this rich society?

When he saw me approaching him, he smiled, and that was enough to make my heart flutter and forget about my jealousy.

I thought I had a huge crush on Zayden, but it wasn't anywhere near what I was feeling for Kyle.