Off With Their Heads | FOUR | 6 Underground

CHAPTER 2: Bullet Holes

Blue skies were witness to the pure rage exuding from the young girl. She stood strong with a gun grasped in her hands. The target fifty feet away was ready to collapse from the bullets that repeatedly pierced through it. It nearly looked ironic to see the tiny girl do something like that, she expertly handled the weapon and shot through the bullseye with ease.

To an outsider's eyes the sight would be ironic. A doll like girl shooting a target so perfectly, like a hitman on the job for decades before hand. The couple watched as their daughter replaced the magazine once more and shoot again and again. They never approved of the hobby, but found comfort that she would be safe, so long as a gun is in arm's length. Other than that they had raised her as a lady. Trained to be the perfect house-wife, embodiment of perfection in the very least. 

She was completely oblivious to her parents' gaze, she continued shooting until there were no more loaded magazines left. She was mad and this was the only outlet her world could provide her. After a while she could feel the presence of the older couple behind her. The mere thought of them made her sick, as they reminded her of the things that had transpired the night before. Their deeds made her skin crawl, but she could never physically show it to them. 

She turned to them, still very sweaty from the heat and activity. They were clad in much casual clothes and two young women dressed identically held parasols to shield them from the heat of the sun. They both had gentle smiles on their faces, greeting her. Her father even offering her a towel to rid her of the sweat that wetted her forehead.  She gingerly accepted and wiped her face. 

" Lilah. We have come to fetch you and tell you that you must prepare for the day darling." 

The young girl gave them a slightly confused look, but eventually gave in to their whims. She walked to the woman who was handing her a robe and looped her arms in it. The golf cart ride back to the mansion was quiet, it wasn't anything different for them anyways. As they were on the front steps of the mansion the older woman gently pulled her daughter aside. 

" Do doll yourself up Lilah, Oliver will be coming with his parents." 

Lilah only gave a nod as she walked up the stairs to her room. She closed the door carefully and leaned on the door. She let out a sigh, a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. She shed the robe that she was given and sat on the vanity. She sat there just looking at her reflection, well aware of what her mother meant by dolling herself up. 

The Vanderbilts were a family friend, "Business partners" as well. She's known them all her life, an arrangement was never said out loud, but it was pretty obvious by the efforts of their parents' to get them alone together, that marriage was definitely in the horizons. The brush grazed her face, applying some powders to fix some blemishes that were hardly even there. Rosy colors were applied to her cheeks and lips as a knock sounded. Her mother peeked her head in and went inside. Lilah didn't even bother to keep the gaze as her mother situated herself behind her, taking of the towel that was drying her hair. Her mother removed the towel and played with the hair that tumbled on her shoulders. 

The brush threaded through her hair, removing the tangles and knots, straightening her dark hair. Her mother had a gentle touch as she braided half of the locks into a crown on her head, her hands carefully patted the baby hairs down and smiled at her daughter through the mirror. 

" You look absolutely gorgeous darling, Oliver will fall to his knees. I'll leave you to change, okay? Dinner will be served momentarily." 

She could only give her mother a shy smile, and watched her retreating back leave the room. She once again let out a sigh and got up to the closet to stuff herself in that godforsaken dress. She ended up looking at the mirror again. The black dress falling just under her knees, it was modest, the neckline going up to her neck, a necklace with a pendant of her initial hang in the middle of her chest perfectly. "Time to feed myself to the wolves." 

~~~

Young Oliver Vanderbilt was not at all not attractive. He had aristocratic features that could make any girl swoon, and yet only one girl could make his heart flutter wildly. It definitely helped that she was already promised to him. He stood at the end of the grand stairs waiting for Lilah, he kept fidgeting and fixing his coat and tie. He patted down his sides feeling for the box, making sure that it was there and ready to go, if only he would puck up the courage and ask the actual question. 

From upstairs a door sounded, heels then tapped on the marble floors lightly, and if it wasn't so quiet in the house, you wouldn't even hear them. He felt so nervous that he didn't even realize that she was already in front of him. He looked down to see the short girl already looking at him, her green eyes confused at his dazed expression. When he snapped out of it, he noticed the smile on her face, one that knocked the wind out of him once again. Oliver returned the smile and offered her his arm, that she took gingerly. 

The pair then walked towards the dining room, a small table by the window was set up to the tens, both pair of parents were already situated in their seats, Patriarchs on each end and the wives on their right hand sides. Oliver, guided Lilah to the chair that faced her own mother and he situated himself in front of his. The simple action made the parents beam with joy. Oliver felt sick with nerves, tonight was the night. While the young girl was there looking as gorgeous as ever and completely oblivious that her life was about to change.