Secrets

Chapter one

The room drops deadly silent as she steps into the room. Manhattans elite stare as the missing party girl steps into the room. Her black thigh high boots clacking against the marble floor. Her mother's black court heels next to hers. One Darlington disappears and another reappears. Clara Darlington disappeared halfway through sophomore year. Everyone later found out that she was attending an exceptional boarding school in London. Only the highest of the highest grades get in.

Many of manhattans elite envied the 'wild party girl' getting in and so the speculation started. What was the reason for Clara disappearing. So suddenly not a single good bye was uttered, her best friend was left not a word of contact. Did her wild party night finally lead to her falling pregnant out of wedlock?. Did she have a drug and alcohol problem which was often suspected before her sudden leave?.

Clara seemed to be enjoying her life here so why would she suddenly leave without kicking and screaming. Fighting her mother tooth and nail like many believed she would've if it wasn't to cover some sort of scandal.

Her perfectly manicured fingers fall to her sides. Her white coffin shaped claws flat against her thighs ready to claw her way to the top where she always sat, where she always will sit.

The girls look her up and down clinging to their boyfriends a little more protectively. At the site of this Clara stands a little straighter. Head held high her long champagne coloured curls cascading down to her impossibly snatched waist. She definitely made the right choice choosing her knitted light grey dress. The thick ribbed material is a long sleeved, turtle necked and reaches just above mid thigh leaving some of her well tanned skin on show. Protecting her from the icy atmosphere.

Her eyelids are painted with a light grey smokey eye and thick lash extensions framing her emerald eyes as they scan the room. Taking in everybody's reactions. She can read everybody. Easily. They're expressions, bodylangauage and way the speak tell her the secrets they try to hide. This gives her power. What gives her more power is the fact she chooses to hide her ability and goes along with everything. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. The probably with Manhattan though is that there's not a line between the two. They are no different.

Her glossy lips raise into a smirk. Her mom is clearly fighting off a heart attack. Although she's a confident stern woman nothing scared her more than a social hierarchy fall. She's not legacy like her daughter after all. Her eyes meet her daughters. They're a warning telling her to behave and not screw this up. God knows she can't handle many more of her daughters screw ups.

"Welcome home Clara," a large smile spreads across mrs Harrington's face as she steps towards them. Welcoming them into her home. Into her party. "Lovely to see you again. Welcome Riley, great to see you again so glad you could make it,".

Claras on high alert at the game mrs Harrington's playing. The large smile is far to large to be real, her body's tense and her eyes quickly avert to claras mother Riley. Nether the less she steps forward along with Mrs Harrington and allows the embrace before stepping back as she embraces Riley.

The room has slowly restarted. It actually seems more like a party now. Claras mother disappears with the other mothers. She lets out a small sigh readjusting the gold chain of her handbag she bought out in London. From every other teenager all Clara feels from them is hostility

The people her age are starting senior year on Monday morning, she can't help but wonder is it not time they grew up. Honestly they could all do with being sent to boarding school. Clara knows grew up. She doesn't claim to be the most mature but she's also not as much as a child from before. She couldn't be. Not there, she would've been eaten alive if she was. The difference between Manhattan and London has shocked her. Scared her even and Clara isn't one to be easily scared.

Of course the first person to approach manhattans princess is Noah. Noah Cernal. Claras breathe hitched slightly as he stops in front of her. Over grown blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and a large goofy grin. The only smile Clara will always be sure isn't forced. He 'loves' her too much.

"Clarissa Darlington to what do we owe this pleasure," he smiles pushing his phone into his suit pocket.

"Noah how have you been," Clara smiles politely.

That's what you do at these events. You smile pretty, stand straight and hold your ground. Drop the smile you're rude, slouch you're weak and of you don't hold your ground you can forget the next event.

"I've been great actually. Although I was highly shocked when our queen left," he mocks "London how was that. Didn't even come back for the holidays,".

"London was great. I was always busy loads of work. Harder to get that high gpa out there," she smiles not quite meeting his eyes.

Her mind was begging her to say the truth, say that although she wanted to come home she knew she couldn't. She was never ready. Honestly she's still not ready if it wasn't for her sister she would be in London. Where she felt safe. Here she was too exposed, especially after being gone so long.

"Right right well come say hi everyone missed you," Noah smiles but doesn't quite meet her eyes.

Correction Noah you missed me Clara thinks as he leads her over to her old friends.

Her best friend lily knight. No smile there but a look of disgust which caught Clara off guard slightly. Noah immediately left claras side to stand next to lily who wrapped a possessive arm around his waist. Clara connected the daughter and smiled in a that explains it way.

"Nice to see you again lily," Clara smiles. It's genuine but so is Lily's answer.

"I wish I could say the same," she greets back.

Her hips popped to the side, she has two girls either side of her but not next to her. Behind her.

Looks like She took Claras legacy but it also looks like she isn't about to give it back without a fight. Challenge accepted Clara thinks with a smirk.