The Materialists | Book 1 + 2 ✔

09 | She's Too Perfect

. Sacrifice the sweet attention .
 . You have to give before you get .
. Another lie, another lie .

♣︎

I SHOWED UP TO THE PARTY LATE after losing track when studying. Ok, that's much a lie, I was playing Minecraft with one of my friends from Australia I met when traveling there last Spring. But that's not really relevant, right?

Assuming that everyone would be overdressed for no reason again, I decided to just go with red tight long-sleeved sweater-material shirt and an equally as tight black checkered short dress ontop. Of course matching it with my red headband, pearl necklace, and pointed heels with white ankle socks.

I started wearing socks and heels to prevent the blisters and whatnot from hurting my feet, but I've been so used to the combination it was simply just for fashion purposes. I brought a fake Louis Vuitton handbag because I didn't want to lose or get my real ones dirty. My old friend from the US bought me it and I didn't have the courage at the time to reveal to her that I knew it was fake. It was 9:45 by the time I showed up, stepping into Tao's million-dollar mansion that smelled like flowers and alcohol at the same time. So much for not being a lot of it, simply just the entrance was filled with red cups, empty and full, on display for everyone to see.

Zia had been spamming me, asking if I was coming because Tao was being salty about how people brought their own wine. But that was 30 minutes ago. Pulling out my phone to text her, someone bumped into me.

"Oh my fuck! I'm so sorry I promise I didn't mean it! Please don't tell Tao, shit!" The girl exclaimed, fumbling with her words.

"Why would I tell Tao?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and picking up my fallen phone.

The girl didn't answer, just widened her eyes and hurried away. Strange. I texted Zia who almost immediately replied with, By the pool in the back.

Wow, it's almost as if she forgot this is only my second time in Tao's house and I still don't even know where the kitchen is. Thank God for the fact that her house had a mostly open floorplan, so it was kind of easy to locate the living room and kitchen. After asking a few people, drunk of course, and barely knew how to reply, I found the way to the backyard where it looked like it was taken straight from some fancy movie. The pool was huge and had a tiny waterfall and stones in the corner to create a very nature-y feel.

Sitting by the pool were Tao, Brandy, Zia, Sonny, Cajes, and the two others whose names I forgot.

"Laura!" Zia called out, clearly at least a little intoxicated. "Finally you're here! Come sit."

I smiled and gave a little wave, walking down the porch steps to the pool area. Brandy was sitting inbetween Cajes's legs, glancing at them I smiled. Tao's plan worked very well apparently. I sat next to Zia who had her feet in the water.

"You're a little late," Tao commented, sipping on a wine glass.

"I was studying," I replied, keeping my face straight. I was always good at lying.

Tao studied my face before shrugging and going back to their old conversation. I dipped a finger in the water, making little swirls while they talked.

"You're friends awfully quiet," The Asian one said thinking I couldn't hear, I'm pretty his name was Ace.

"She's...different-," Brandy said.

"She's suspicious," Tao interrupted.

"Barely, she's been here for a week," Sonny, I think said.

"That doesn't mean anything. She's too perfect," Tao said. "There isn't anything wrong with her. She's smart, knows when to shut up, careful, pretty, she has everything. Even decent parents."

"Isn't that normal," Cajes piped in.

"Not here it isn't. Everyone here is fucked up one way or another, except her."

"You're just overthinking this," Brandy murmured. "She's nice, and literally just got here. Nothing's going on."

"I don't care. Rachel was new, look what she almost did to us," Tao spit back, anger rising. "Can't believe she didn't transfer yet, to be honest."

I decided this was a good time to intervene, getting up and dusting off my bottom. "I'm going to get a drink, anyone wants one?"

"You really think drinkings a good idea, after what happen last time..." Tao said, a little smirk on her face. I felt the little jab towards my behavior earlier that week but decided to ignore it.

"It's a Friday, Tao," I replied with a smile on my face. "Stop being so uptight."

Her smirk dropped, but only a little. I needed to find Rachel. Who was she and what happened with her? I swerved' in and out of the crowds, asking almost everyone if Rachel was here. I assumed there would be multiple Rachel's but they all froze up at the sound of her name. Until one group of people. They were probably drunker than anyone should be allowed to be. And one of them was sniffing white lines on a table. Tao would have a fit at the sight of that, I thought, walking up to them.

They all immediately perked up, and I noticed the guy doing drugs looked me up and down.

"Laura Strathen," The redhead girl that was making out with the other girl. "How can we help you, your highness."

"Rachel, who's Rachel?" I asked, cutting straight to the shit.

"Wow, look at this, Max. Their new pet is smarter than the others," Blondey said.

"Who's Rachel?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"How much do you know?" Max asked.

"Nothing, which is why I'm asking who Rachel is. Do you know anything or not?" I rubbed my temples. I'd been gone for 15 minutes, any longer and they would get more suspicious than they already were.

"She's here, why don't you ask her?" Redhead said, tilted back her head.

"I don't know where she is," I shrugged, leaning against the wall.

"You're lookin' at her," Redhead said, a smirk reaching her lips. "What do you wanna know?"

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