The Billion Dollar Dress

Prologue: Character Introduction

Prologue: Character Introduction

Lea's POV

I sit at our wide wooden table, waiting patiently for the cooks to serve the food. On the "menu" today is gourmet salads, complete with croutons, tomatoes, olives, cheese, and dressing imported from Paris.

"So, Lea," my mother starts, her ever present smile spread across her face. "How was the auction at the art studio?"

I sigh dreamily, letting my memory take me back to the beautiful art the Clinton Art Gallery was auctioning off earlier this morning. The pieces they had were exquisite, especially the newest painting brought in the week before. Of course I'd know exactly when they got a new shipment; art is my life. Specifically the art of photography.

"Oh, it was absolutely stunning," I breathe, a grin overtakes my features.

Art is one of the only things that can often bring me back to reality and remind me of who I actually am. Sometimes my brain becomes clouded by littlesomethingsicantevenrememberwhatiwasthinking-

My mother beams at me. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. How much did you spend this time?"

I tally up the amount of cash I spent on all the pieces at the auction. "Only about sixty thousand."

My mother tuts,"I told you to spend as much as you want, Lea. I know that's only worth three paintings."

I smile shyly. What was I remembering a minute ago? I'm so used to this extravagant treatment that it's a normal topic at family meals. My mother always insists that I buy any sculpture that catches my attention, but I argue that I wouldn't want to horde all the beauties for myself. It must've been something to do with the sculptures.

"Father," I drawl, glancing at my father at the head of the table,"tell mother that I don't always have to spend a fortune at the auctions."

My mother rolls her eyes, and all of us, including my five year old sister Kaylee, giggle in a most unrefined way. But, that's my family for you. Most people outside of us, like the people who my father's company sponsers or anyone who flips through any random magazine and sees us, would think we were prim and perfect, but our family has major problems just like any other.

Like me.

A couple years ago, during what is know as The Dark Period, when they still hadn't gotten me strapped down tight on my medication, I was "The Problem".

They never said that to my face, but I could hear it whispered behind closed doors in harsh whispers. 'The Problem'. 'The Defect'. 'The Imperfection'. 'The Crazy-Lea Girl'.

When I got out of control it was his fault, her fault, my fault, everyoneandthingsfault. I was the only scar in my parents perfect clear-white skin.

After a while, I took pills to help me regularly. Then, after a longer while, the strange looks and glances, like I was a bomb ticking down, stopped.

You are still the problem.

Where had that thought come from? I wasn't a problem, I was perfectly normal. Nothingandnobody was a 'problem' in this family. There never was a problem, never would be.

Not anymore, at least.

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Jace's POV

"This is the last straw," Mr. Westington, our headmaster, states, a vein bulging out on his forehead. "Jace Crawley, you are hereby expelled."

I expected this. It happens at every single school I go to, no matter how public the place is, or how priviate they voice it to be. Not that I care.

This isn't the first time I had been kicked out of a school. Nor will it be the last.

I have been expelled since before I was potty trained, doing something crazy just for the heck of it. One time it was having weed in my locker. Another it was getting a teacher locked in the staff bathroom. Don't get me wrong, I don't do drugs or anything, I just don't like staying in one school, or even one house for too long.

To tell you the truth, this was probably the longest time I have stayed in a city. That too was only because I actually liked my "parents" this time. But life was life. You can never get attached.

I made my way out of his office, my face holding a constrained smile the whole way; half way between smirk and halfway between amused.

I quickly go to the wall at the back of the school and mark a small JC with my handy dandy spray paint can, leaving my signature on, yet again, another one of my schools.

The only thought in my mind was about what kind of stuck up town I would be moving to this time.

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Keri and Jessica~ thank you for reading this glimpse of their life, and we hope you enjoyed it. Vote, comment, and fan! Love you all.