Do you ever feel like time just stops, like everybody's immune to it except you, frozen while everyone continues on with their lives? Well, that's exactly how I'm feeling right now.
Glaring out the limo window, palm trees, luxurious cars, sprawling mansions, and the biggest fashion houses glide by in blurs. Today was the day we packed up our bags and left behind Riverside, entering this new world of glitz and glamour. As soon as I stepped into the black limousine, there was no going back.
Mark had sent us a driver early this afternoon with the destination being his own estate. The leather seats, and stocked champagne were a far cry from our beat up Suburban and 99 cent waters.
Looking over at mom, she seems to bathe in the attention, expecting the royal treatment. She lies halfway passed out with her head snuggled on the cushioned interior.
----
After what feels like a day in the car, it suddenly screeches to a stop.
"We've arrived Mrs. Silverette." The driver calls from the front seat to alert my mom who is still dosing off.
Stepping out, the pale moonlight illuminates our path. I glance up at the mansion, complete with indented pillars, colonial-style blue windows, and a roundabout driveway. Three stories stacked together, completely shielding the stars from view. The width of the house stretches so much I can barely tell where it ends. Everything about it screams wealth from the glints of gold in the driveway to the array of vehicles displayed in the open garage.
Welcome to the worlds top 1%. While other people are trying to make ends meat, here they are with their thousand dollar caviar and servants to wait on them hand and foot. I don't belong here. Maybe the orphanage wouldn't have been so bad.
Everything will be okay, it'll all be ok, you just need a place to live and some college tuition and Mark is offering it, one more year, I repeat as if I'm trying to convince myself it's true.
A cherry red convertible catches my eye as we're still trying to make our way to the front entrance.
Mom squeals,"Goodie! Home sweet home. Trust me baby, you'll never want to go back to that dump once you see the inside."
Huh, I didn't know that she's already been here.
When I don't respond, her eyes follow mine and land on the car.
"Oh that's just his grand daughter's car, forgot to tell you. She moved in with Mark when her parents died. Katey's totally gorgeous but I don't think she likes me very much, so she'll probably hate you." She adds.
Great, of course the first person I meet is probably some mean girl step sister. Just like something out of the movies.
----
The interior of the house is as grand as the outside view, marble floors, pristine white walls that seem to belong in a bank, mirrored staircases, and a ceiling I'm tempted to shout into just to see how far it echoes.
Right on cue, Mark strides through the hallway with what looks like a Victoria's Secret Model standing alongside him. She's a bombshell with such naturally blonde hair, it's practically white. Her heavy eye makeup accentuates her sharp features, and pink gloss lines her thin lips, her strong, narrow nose stands out in the center complimenting her more oval facial structure.
"Ah, my girl's finally here." Mark beams while extending a hang out for mom to join him on the other side of the young girl who looks as if she's rather be anywhere but here.
"Will you hurry the introductions up, Jax, Nik, and the girls are coming over soon." The blonde girl says with her arms crossed.
Feeling rather uncomfortable, I start picking at the skin on my fingers to soothe myself as mom leaves me standing alone.
"You must be Arabella. You look just like your mother."
"Um thanks, nice to meet you too. Although I'm surprised I haven't met you earlier considering you guys are getting married and all."
Mom gives me a disapproving look which clearly means "Be nice or else."
"Yes. Yes. It was rather a last minute thing."
Trying to switch up the conversation, he gestures to his right, "This is my grand daughter Katey Foster, she also attends Goldstein Prep, and I'm sure she'd be happy to show you the ropes."
Based on the way Katey's facial expression contorts, I assume she would rather not acknowledge my existence. Much less introduce me to people at her snooty school.
"Grandpa, come on. Why did you even enroll her? We all know you and her gold-digging slut of a mom aren't even gonna be together for half of the school year. "
Redirecting her attention on me she bites out, "Listen here bitch. This is the 90210, not some trailer park dump. Stay away from my friends. Stay away from anyone with more than a dollar in their bank account. So I guess I'm saying, stay away from basically all men, women, and children. Don't draw attention to yourself. And don't dress like a cheap hooker. If you have an itch that needs scratching, I suggest you go down to some sleazy nightclub, take some tips from your dear mom, and bag someone twice your age. Follow those rules, and I'm sure you'll be fine at GoldStein." She flashes me a smile.
"Katey, that is enough. I thought I raised you to be respectful. Now apologize to Stephanie and her daughter."
With her fakest sincere voice, she looks me in the eyes, "I'm sorry you had to come here. From now on, it's my job to make your life a personal h*ll."
Mark puts his foot down and scolds, "That's it young lady. Tell Jax and Nikolas they are no longer welcome here tonight. Also notify those bimbos you call friends that tonight's little get together is off."
She storms out of the foyer, heading upstairs.
Seconds later, a loud boom signals that she's gotten to her room safely.
Mark turns to face my mom who's looking flustered from tears, "I'm sorry darling, she's just not used to new people. Even at school she has a tight knit group of friends. Don't worry girls, she'll get used to you soon enough."
"Arabella, I'd like to speak privately with Mark, why don't you head up to your room, it's the one with the sea-shell on the door, right next to Katey's. Go up the stairs, turn left, it's the second door."
If everyone is like this at that dumb school, then my life could not possibly get any worse.
YOU ARE READING
Silver and Gold
Teen Fiction"This girl had the potential to become dynamite. And if I ever let that happen, we would both burn." "After him, after everything that happened, my world became colorless, faded black and white just like those old movies, but nowadays it's almost a...
