wonderland

Prologue:

Everything's suffocating me.
When they died it's like this mist absorbed everything keeping me going.. Now I feel stuck.. Like I can't breathe.
It's hard.. Living without them..
Yet he does it so perfectly.
It's almost as if he's okay with them being gone.
And he wants to drag me with him.. But I don't want that. I don't want what he wants. I want-

"Ana?" I pick my head up from my notebook and glance at my brother Elijah. "Were you even listening to me?"

"Not really if I'm being honest." He sighs leaning back in his chair in annoyance. "The party, Ana. You need to be in attendance." I sigh, clicking my pen and shutting my notebook. "I'm not kidding this time. You can't be sheltered up in your room this time."

"I don't need to go to this stupid party."

"You will. How else do you expect to find a suitor? You locking yourself away won't give you a husband."

"Well that's my goal if you didn't notice." I mumble only for him to slam his hands down on the table in anger. I remain quiet as he goes to scold me but right when he's about to one of the servants enter the dining room.

"My Lord I have your schedule for the day after tomorrow."

As I mentioned before, this is my brother Elijah. Dark hair, Brown eyes, fair skin, muscular. The list could go on. And me? Brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin, thin.. The exact image of my mother and he of my father. Elijah is Three years older than me.. I'm 17 and he's 20.
Last year the two of us woke in the middle of the night to a raging fire within our estate.. I was alone. Making my way through the smoke toward my parents room, calling out to them.. To anyone for any sign of help. I heard their screams as Elijah reached me and took me out of there before the flames could swallow us both whole..
our parents didn't make it..
we survived.

"You'll both be needed at separate events on Friday. Ana yours will be a runway event by the pier and yours Elijah is on the opposite end of town at the stadium."

"What's the theme for mine?"

"Red." I nod glancing at Elijah who doesn't seem too interested in work right now. We're both models. That's where our family gets its status from, being the highest paid, and most famous models in England. However with everything that's happened I've declined to second.. Taking time off resulted in a girl named Victoria Blanchette to take my place.

"Will Blanchette be attending this event?" Elijah asks Lola my manager.

"There's a rumor that she will be yes."

"Rumor or not, I'll believe it when I see it." Elijah stands and makes his way to the door.

"I have the rest of a party to plan, don't be late sister." I look away as he exits and pick up my phone as it begins to ring.

"Yes Simon?" I ask opening my notebook again.

-"Why is it whenever there's a party at your place I never hear it from you."-

"Probably because I don't plan on attending them." I say with a smile.

-"Well you're attending this one cause I'm definitely going." I sigh. "What's wrong? Elijah being pushy again?"-

"You know it." I mumble. "All I hear from him lately is marriage this and marriage that."

-"Well you can't blame him for wanting you to find someone special."-

"I could care less about that right now. I'm only 17 and there's no rush right now." I look at the time. "Anyways I've gotta go I'll see you later."