Always Look At The Stars

Chapter 7

It was the longuest three weeks that Vanessa ever lived. The time seems to have stopped since they left Scotland. Or maybe it was just the anticipation of their trip to Florida. Every that passed ressembled the one before. Contrary to the rest of the kids in her country, even her brother, she wasn't in holidays. She still had lessons every day has every other day of the year. Some were fascinating like litteature and history, others made you want to kill yourself like economic and politics. She even had piano lesson and dancing lesson but not the cool modern kind of dance, not even ballet. It was traditional dance or reception dance that nobody knew anymore. After years of begging, her teacher fanally accepted to teach a more modern dance, rock and roll. Not the new hip thing but still better than nothing. She even catched herself dancing in her bedroom from time to time and decided to teach Chace during her free time. He hated it but it was the only time execpt supper when they could spend time together.

The evening, instead of revising her lessons, she read books, mostly classicals, nodody knew this but her dream was to go to Paris to studie Litterature. In her eyes, Europeens had the biggest litterature tresors of all time and Paris was the most beautiful city of all time. With it museums, parks, statues, monuments. What would she give to drink a coffe at the cafe de Flore, or taking a nap on the butte Montmartre. But it was just a dream, and her duties couldn't await for her stupid little wish.

Anyway, as the date of the depatured grew closer, she realised how plaine all of her clothes was. It was etheir gala and ceremonies dresses or simple jeans with t shirts. She never used to bother about it before, mainly because she was always lock up in her castle but now it hit her. She keep thinking of Aslhey and her enormous suitcase, Sophia's dress and Emma class. She was like neither of them. She spended hours looking back and forth from her closet to her empty suitcaise empty on the floor. She ended up packing without even looking at what she was taking. It didn't matter anyway, after Florida, everything will be back to normal, back to her princess training and that summer would be just a bitter memorie in the back of her head.

Finally, the day of the depature arrived. She found herself smiling the entire trip that even her father notice and asked.

- I'm just happy to see my grand mother she reponded

Under his bear, Chace whispered something like « Yeah, that must be it », before yelling, holding his shoulder where his sister had punched her, still smiling though. It been forever since they acted like a normal familly.

Granny was waiting for them under her porch, hiding from the beautiful sunlight. She was smiling, and hugged each one of them, even her son in law that hated that. Vanessa suspected that was the main raison she keeped doing that each time. Chuckling under her breath, she walked into that house she loved so much. Her grand pas was waiting for them in his usual sofa in the living room pretending to read the news paper. Vanessa loved her grand parents, they were so kind, and after 50 years of mariage, grand pa still brought home flower every friday, carefully picking differrent one each time. Those flowers ended up in a vase in the hall next to a picture of their mariage and an another one of all of them, each year a new one taken the year before.

After putting their clothes into the closed and a good shower to wake them up after the travel, they all went for dinner on the terrase. Granny, as always had bake for an entire village, always claiming they were too skinny and that it was unhealthy. Vanessa could see the eagerness in her father eyes, his mother had always kep him on a strict diet. Here, everybody just lay back and forgot about the tyran. They eat, talking about everything as the sun set, they had the most amazing view, just in front of the ocean. The sun mixed with the water creating colors never seen elsewhere between pink and orange, with a touch of red and gold refleting on the water that spread far far above,like nothing existed after that. It make you feel so empty and so joyfull at the same time, I guess this is the power of nature.

The next morning, Vanessa laid in bed for hour, having been woken up by the natural beam of sunlight that enter through her windows. Until Chace rushed into her room.

- We're having lunch with Isabelle, Ashley and Chuck, get ready.

As soon as she heard that, Vanessa thought about her dumd clothes. She decided to do what she never dared before, she went to see her mother in her room and ask to borrow something nice. Her mother always had class, she didn't try to look younger than she was but without looking like a old lady at the same time. Her mother show her a bright smile.

- Thank God, I was starting to think you were never going to ask because i was dress like a senor.

They laughed together.

One hour later, Vanessa and Chace were in grand pa's decapotable, wearing a beautiful top with a short that put her leg in vues without being too vulgar. With shade on their eyes, they drove into the city toward the restaurant where they would meet the others. The lackey took their car aways when they spotted their friends on the terrase. Even if they barely knew each other, Vanessa felt like she knew them her whole life, thoses kind of friends that are here years after years even if you see them only during the summer. Everybody told what they did since they last saw each other. Isabelle went to her mother house in the south of France with her family, Vanessa remember that she was half french on their mother side, Chace had mentioned that at some point, then she spended some time in Spain with friends. That explained her perfect tan. Ashley went back to see her parents in Italia. Chuck, on the contrary, did everything to avoid his so he went to France with Alex, then both of them went to visit Ashley, and when Alex left for Cuba, Chuck came here.

-To hit on girls, clarified Ashley.

- What can I say ? They just can't resist me. He said cheerfully

- Whatever makes you happy. She answered back.

- Speaking of happy, What happened with Alex ?

Isabelle sounded worried. Both of his best friends looked at each other with worried looks, like trying to communicate soundlessly. After some time, Isabelle patience grew out and she slamed the table.

- I'm his twin sister, i deserved to know.

- What happened ? asked Vanessa and Chace at the same time

- Let's just say, started Chuck

- He might come early finished Ashley.

The other looked stunned, has something happenned between Alex and Emma, the perfect couple, celebrating their 5th years anniversary.

- Don't worry, he is fine. Tried to reassure Chuck

Isabelle grew more and more frustated by the second.

- He is coming back early and everything is fine ? Are you freaking kidding me ?

Vanessa thought that her reaction was a bit over the top, yeah something must have happen between the two but it wasn't that a big deal, otherwhise he would have told him regarding how close their were.

- It is not what you think said softly Ashley, calm yourself.

What do you mean « not what you think » ? how many thing could it be about. Either way, that last sentence seems to have calm Isabelle down. She mumured

-Oh thank God. I really though, well, you know..

- Yeah we know, Chuck took reassuring her hand. He would tell you if it was.

- I'm not so sure about that, said sadly the lady.

« What the hell is going on ? » Vanessa looked at her brother that seems as lost as she was but neither of them dare to ask, it didn't seems right.

The lunch carried on with a brigher tone, then everybody went back to the hugde house their friends had rented on a privated beach. A party was planned tonight, as Ashley explained, they needed to show everyone that they had arrive. Small gathering at a friend house and she was welcome to come even the girls proposed her to borrow some of their clothes, since it she didn't have time to go home. Her first real party, how thrilling. They spend the rest of the days preparing the house, putting decorations and removing anything that might ended up broken.