Little Miss "Perfect"

Thoughts

Valentina could hear the sound of her brother Johann being scolded by their father from different corners of their house. She felt guilty for telling on him, but she knew that it was the right thing to do.

 However, as it turned out, Valentina didn't even need to inform her father about Johann's wrongdoing because a librarian caught Curlton with a strange earpiece in his ear. When questioned about it, he quickly explained that Johann gave it to him. Unfortunately for Johann, both Valentina and Diana testified against him which led to his punishment- one of Father's dreaded 'discussions'. 

The poor boy must have been terrified at the thought of facing his father's wrath alone. It was not easy seeing someone you love getting punished but Valentina knew that this would teach Johann an important lesson - honesty is always the best policy and lying can only lead to trouble.

Sure, she thought she did the right thing. If Johann was caught helping a student cheat, that could not only jeopardize his chances of going to a good college, but jeopardize the family's pristine reputation as well. She couldn't risk that! She just wanted what was best for her brothers, and that sometimes meant them getting in trouble for doing something wrong.

'He'll thank me one day for this, I know it.' The blonde girl thought to herself as she continued brushing her hair.

Valentina had retreated to her vanity once again, seeking solace in the familiar routine of combing her hair. As she worked through the tangles and knots, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settle over her. To counteract this feeling, she decided to apply a face mask that promised to soothe and nourish her skin. After all, being perfect meant looking perfect as well, and that alone meant a lot of work.

As the mask began to work its magic, Valentina tried to focus on humming a tune under her breath. She hoped that this would help distract herself from the sounds of yelling coming from outside her bedroom door. Unfortunately, it seemed like nothing could truly block out the noise. Despite this setback, Valentina persevered with both tasks - combing and masking - as best as she could. She knew that taking care of herself was important during times like these when tensions were high and tempers flared easily. So even though it felt like everything around her was falling apart, at least in this small way Valentina was able to maintain some semblance of control over herself and her surroundings.

Valentina shifted her gaze from the book she was reading to the clock on the wall. The time read 9:12 pm, which meant it was about time for dinner. She felt a rumble in her stomach and couldn't help but think about what they were going to have for dinner tonight. However, Valentina knew that dinner would most likely be pushed back due to Father's ongoing discussion with Johann. She could hear their voices echoing down the hallway, talking animatedly about Johann's dire transgression. Father didn't sound like he was planning on wrapping up anytime soon.

Despite her best efforts to try and rationalize her decision, she still felt a twang of guilt for the trouble she got her brother into.

Suddenly, a knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts. Whoever was at the door couldn't see her like this! So, she quickly ripped the face mask off, tossing it in her garbage and quickly dried her face off with her sleeves. Then, she carefully positioned her hair and turned to face the door.

"Come in!" She said, trying to use her angel persona voice.

The door creaked open, with one of the maids peeking her head in.

"Pardon my intrusion, young miss," The maid said,"But your father has instructed me to let you children know that dinner will be pushed back half an hour for him to conclude his discussion with Johann."
"Alright! Thank you very much. Is there any other news?"
"Yes, miss. Johann will not be joining the family for dinner tonight."

Hearing those words added to the pang of guilt that stabbed Valentina in the heart.

"Is..is that all?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Very well, thank you."

Valentina watched as the door closed behind the maid, leaving her alone once again in the room. She let out a deep sigh and set her hairbrush to the side before putting her head in her arms. Normally, she wouldn't feel this bad about anything that was happening around her but this time it felt different. Her thoughts were consumed with Johann and what he might be going through right now. She couldn't fathom why someone like him would risk so much while trying to help those less fortunate than himself. Perhaps it was just an unfortunate circumstance that had led to his predicament.

She pulled herself back up, quickly patting her face a few times. She had to prepare herself since she would need to behave better than ever to ensure she didn't run the risk of possibly getting in trouble with her father. Considering the fact that he might still be angry after the discussion with her brother, she knew that any small mistake could lead to her being punished.

She then looked up at the clock again.

9:30.