A GOLDEN EMPIRE

CHAPTER ELEVEN

SEPTEMBER 5TH
FIRST DAY OF JUNIOR YEAR

CURRENT LOCATION: Hollingsworth Estate - Aurora's bedroom

THE SUNLIGHT SEEPS THROUGH the slightly open windows of the bedroom. Soft purrs are the only sound that echoes off the walls this early.

Just as always, Aurora is up by 6AM. Her bed is comfortable, overly so, but nothing could hold the girl back on her first day back at Los Angeles Preparatory Academy. An hour. She has an hour to get ready before she's expected downstairs. So with that in mind, Aurora wastes no time turning on the shower and allowing the room to fill with steam.

What's the perfect way to start off the first day of school? A warm, no, hot shower with matching chamomile and vanilla body wash and shampoo.

Thirty minutes later, thirty-three to be exact, Aurora exits her bathroom accompanied by chamomile and vanilla-scented cloud of steam, damp hair dripping down on her shoulders, and the bathrobe gracing them.

She removes the school uniform from the mannequin. The black school skirt had been altered so that it was now high-waisted and tight enough to show off her curves without being trashy. A beautiful white blouse with lace decorations would be worn with the school blazer layered over the top, which too had been altered. Made of cashmere, she'd had it edged with the same gold and black material as the tie.

She's in the middle of trying to decide what heels to wear when Philip, with his ever energetic self, enters Aurora's room with his hair styling tools. "Good morning, beautiful. I have arrived to ensure you look stunning on your first day back. I mean it won't be hard. Just look at you."

"Philip, you're such a charmer. No wonder Michael adores you."

Philip smiles and drifts off in thought of his strikingly handsome husband Michael, who he's been with for years. "I adore him too. He makes my days brighter. Anyway, you stunner, how are we styling this silky mane of yours this morning? Straight and flowy or big sexy curls?"

Aurora grabs her phone and makes her way over to her large vanity table. "Let's go straight. I just want to shock everyone with my presence today. Last time they saw me, I had ombre hair. This year, we're changing shit up. The queen is back bitches."

Philip cackles and sections her hair off so he can straighten it. "According to the gossip blogs, you made quite the entrance at brunch yesterday. All eyes were on you and your eyes were on a hazel-eyed hotshot."

Aurora sighs happily at the thought of Justin. "I'm going to marry him. I'm telling you right now."

Charles knocks on the door and covers his eyes as he enters the room. "Aurora, honey, are you decent?"

"Yes, daddy. I am." Aurora giggles. "You can uncover your eyes now."

He does and smiles at the fact that his daughter is fully dressed for school save for shoes. "We have a couple of surprises for you when you join us in the kitchen for breakfast."

"Surprises. Hmm, I have a feeling I'm going to like this."

"Correction, you're going to love this. Jules said that before I came up here. Hurry, Walter made cinnamon rolls and if you don't come down soon, Odette might eat them all and I know how much you love them."

Aurora looks at Philip, silently asking how much longer.

"I will be done in two minutes."

"Okay, see you soon."

Exactly two minutes later. Her long hair is silky, smooth, and flowing down her back.

"You're ethereal. No one can hold a damn candle to you or your mother with these model-like features."