Awake, My Sleeping Beauty

Chapter 24

"What are you doing here?" Esther asked with annoyance in her eyes. Heaven almost didn't answer; instead, she wanted to turn away from her cousin and just go to the music quarters of the playhouse without filling her in. But Heaven couldn't stay quiet; she had to speak to Esther, to throw it in her face that she wasn't going to crumble as easily as she would like. She had to stand her ground and let Esther know that she wasn't going to run away and instead would stay, and if she had to, she would fight, too.

Heaven smirked and crossed her arms, "I work here now." Her pride swelled with pleasure the moment she saw the shock cross Esther's face.

"You're lying," Esther shook her head, "You're just here because you want to start trouble with me."

"Oh Esther, get over yourself, really," Heaven rolled her eyes, fed up with her cousin's self-centeredness.

"Yeah, then why else would you be here? Tell me!"

"Why are you getting yourself so overworked?" Heaven asked her teasingly, "I told you, I work here now. I was hired to play for the music division."

"You knew I worked here," Esther balled her hands into fists, "You just took the job to spite me."

"Think whatever you want," Heaven sighed, "I couldn't care less. I need to support myself and I need to make something of myself and on my own account, not on anyone else's ... unlike you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Esther shot icily. Heaven looked her in the eyes and shook her head as though she were reprimanding a child.

"To get yourself involved with Sebastian's father," Heaven said softly as someone walked through the lobby, "And here I thought you couldn't sink any lower."

"Sebastian already went to you with the gossip, didn't he?" Esther snapped, "Of course, he did. He'll use anything to try and get you to go back to him."

"Are you denying it, then?" Heaven asked with a smile.

"No," Esther spat, "I am having an affair with Stewart, so what? I'm going to do everything I can to get back at all of you."

"Get back at us for what?" Heaven widened her eyes with amusement, "What exactly did any of us do to you? Esther, my family and I were nothing but supportive for you and your mother. I saw you like a sister, I trusted you and I loved you ... you've messed everything up and for what, hmm? For nothing."

"It doesn't surprise me you're working here now," Esther laughed dryly, "You've always wanted to do everything I did."

"You're delusional," Heaven said sadly, "You just keep showing more of your true colors. It upsets me how I've finally started to see what you're really like, Esther."

"Of course," Esther nodded to herself, "That's it. I've always been more talented in my career field then you have with yours. I have Stewart and Sebastian pining over me; why else do you think Sebastian is hurt that I'm with his father now?"

"Oh come on! Have some dignity, will you?" Heaven snapped, "Sebastian couldn't care less about who you're with. If you see him shed a tear, if you see him on the edge of falling apart, it's because of what you did to his family. You're the cause of his parents splitting up."

Esther opened her mouth to speak but Miss Vera appeared with a smile to greet Heaven.

"Heaven, how wonderful to see you here so early," Miss Vera said, "Are you ready for your first day?"