Troubled

71

chapter seventy-one
percy

"This is it."

My eyes widened as I peered up at the Dare family mansion, Rachel at my side. It was huge, to say the least, with floor to ceiling windows, beautiful oak floors, and more furniture than I'd ever seen in my life.

"Oh, stop drooling," Rachel snapped as she led me further inside her mansion as I ogled around at everything. "I said stop it!"

I shrugged. "What can I say? I knew you were rich but family portrait hanging over a huge fire place rich?"

Rachel groaned and rubbed her temple as we stopped in her living room, which was huge. In the middle of the room was a ginormous brick fireplace and a huge family portrait of Rachel, who didn't look like herself, a particularly snooty looking woman with her light red hair pinned back and a man with graying red hair and a mustache.

"I told them to take that down!" she snapped.

I laughed at her, which made her cross her arms in anger. "You look weird in that picture."

"Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean."

Rachel shrugged. "I know. I remember that day. I wouldn't stop sticking my tongue out and making weird facial expressions so my father and mother paid the painter to make me smile."

I burst out laughing and Rachel rolled her eyes. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me down the luxurious hall lined with a plush rug and many expensive looking paintings.

She led me into her room, which was huge as expected. The floor to ceiling windows had clean white curtains pulled over them and the floor was covered in a white plush rug.

Besides that, the room was all Rachel. Her quilt was covered in dried paint and easels full of paintings lined the room. The walls were scribbled and painted on and even had a few dents in them.

"Cool, now this is a good room," I said as we entered, Rachel closing the door behind us. "I'm sure your parents love your style choices, huh?"

Rachel nodded as she crashed down on her bed and laughed. "Oh, sure, they do. After all, John and Nancy Dare are known for their wild taste."

"Of course, I would expect nothing less," I agreed with a small nod. "So, where are John and Nancy?"

"Vacationing, as expected," Rachel said with a smile. "They left me hear since they'll be vacationing on some warm, private island until the new year."

I frowned. "They're leaving you here all alone?"

She shook her head. "Not exactly. School starts up again in two days, but I've told them it's already started. They'd die if they knew I was all alone here."

I laughed. "Well, I'm disappointed. I wanted to meet Mr.Dare, the famous real estate mogul."

"That's not even funny. He would ground me if he knew I were here, and with you," she explained. "Now, enough about me and my problems. Let's talk about yours."

"Like what?"

"The supermodel who broke your heart."