Diamonds Dancing

Twenty Six

Ink marked unblemished porcelain skin, crawling up her forearms and scattering her neck in messy scribbles.

Slater tried to keep his entertainment to a minimum as he heard the nanny let out a visible gasp. "Oh my gosh," she exclaimed loudly, leaving her seat to rush over to the exhausted children walking through the dining-room door.

Both of the little girls were dressed in their ballet outfits, hair up in perfect buns. However, where Janessa looked pristine and well-groomed, Lilia looked the exact opposite.

She had pen drawings everywhere, a guilty expression forming onto her pouty lips. "Hi, Lovey." Twirling on her heels, she tucked her hands behind her back as if to hide her current ensemble.

"No, no, no..." Rika knelt down once she was in front of her, gripping onto her forearms to inspect her fully. "What is this! Lilla, you should never draw on yourself, what were you thinking?"

Hazel eyes connected with the matching pair at the very end of the room, ignoring the scolding her sister was about to receive, she dropped her bag on the ground and came to sit down in her allocated seat.

Swinging her little feet back and forth, she pulled her plate towards her and began to unwrap her cutlery. Perfect table manners. Taking note of the green beans on her plate, she stabbed her fork into the vegetable before putting it into her mouth.

"Michelle said it was washable, it's permememt marker!"

That earned another earful, "Permanent." She corrected, then hiss could be heard. "Lilia, this is not funny. Do you hear me? Whoever this Michelle girl is, she lied to you and that's not nice. Don't for one second think that I won't be speaking to her mother about this because I sure will! You should know better by now, drawing on yourself whilst you're in your ballet lessons is not being on your best behaviour like you promised me you'd be!"

"Um, well actually, how do you I wasn't good!" Sassiness bulleted through the icy air, "I was too... Ask Nessie if you don't believe me."

Crossing her tiny arms over her chest, she puffed out a breath whilst her nanny tried to rub off the black ink.

"Nuh-uh, don't you dare try and get yourself out of this! I will not ask your sister when I can hear her from over here."

Rika was right. The youngster was unable to chew and swallow her food as muffled giggles stopped from doing so.

Her father gave her an interested look, blocking out the argument that was brewing in the background. He leaned back in his chair to assess the only person who had joined him for dinner.

"Care to explain why your sister has come in looking like she belongs in a rock band?" He asked her, not mad but rather intrigued.

Lilia's naughty streak reminded him much of himself as a young child, she was mischievous. Always combating any scolding with a smart ass answer.

An innocent shrug was his response.

So now she decides to not tattle on her sister? He thought, bemused.

If there was one thing he knew about her, she almost always told him when she didn't think something was right.

He didn't know whether to finally be happy that she was growing out of that wretched phase, he had certainly raised no snitch.

Slater clicked his tongue, nodding his head in false understanding. "Ah, snitches get stitches, is it? What did she bribe you with, I bet I can double it."

She continued to shove another mouthful into her mouth, scanning his ruffled hair and dishevelled self.

"All of her LittleDiva dolls."