Show and Tell · Melanie Martinez ♥︎
⇄ ◁◁ I I ▷▷ ↻
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Why is it so hard to see? (Why?)

If I cut myself, I would bleed (kill me)

I'm just like you, you're like me

Imperfect and human are we

At the moment I stood up, I could feel all eyes on me, judging, whispering, criticizing. I ignored them and kept walking.

"It looks like Nash is back home," Alisa murmurs while gazing at a battered motorcycle among dozens of luxury cars.

"Nash?" I thought I heard Libby ask. "The eldest of the Hawthorne grandchildren, there are four," Alisa clarified.

Though if I'm honest, I didn't pay much attention. I mean, who would, with all these beautiful cars on display?

What can I say, I have a knack for cars.

Cars of all sizes and colors, from a cherry red Ferrari 250 California begging to be stolen to a beautiful gray Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, like the stormy sea on a turbulent day.

Grayson's gray eyes continued to burn in my mind like smoldering embers.

I felt like I'd seen them before.

Alisa looked at me as if she had read my thoughts.

"I'm telling you from experience, take my advice, don't you dare fall for a Hawthorne," Alisa said seriously. "Take it from someone who's been there."

Avery seemed immediately annoyed by Alisa's assumption, but I just laughed like an idiot. What were the chances I'd fall for a Hawthorne? So far, the only one I'd met was stupidly handsome, I admit, but colder than stone.

● ● ●

As we entered the foyer, I couldn't help but admire the art enveloping the room: large paintings and small gold details on the ceiling lined with rich wood. On either side of the foyer stood a row of stone arches.

"You're here," a familiar voice brought my attention back to the wretched world we live in. I was kidding. Or not "Right on time, I trust your flight went well."

"You have too much faith," I replied with a snort, although they didn't hear me, or if they did, they decided to ignore me. "I was joking, it was just a joke, I was kidding." I looked around and cleared my throat, feeling the blood rising to my face.

That day Grayson Hawthorne wore a different suit. This time it was black, just like the shirt and tie, as if our presence were a funeral.

Or maybe his grandfather died, I stupidly thought.

"You!" Alisa greeted him with a frosty look. "You're nineteen, would it kill you to act like it?" Alisa reproached.

"Maybe," he replied with a smile, flashing his teeth. "Ladies, would you care to give me your coats?"

I glanced at Avery, who had kept her coat.

But I decided to give him mine, one less thing to get in the way.

● ● ●

Before long, a secret passage opened in the closet, and out came a boy who looked about sixteen with beautiful caramel-colored skin. Alexander Hawthorne was a curious and funny boy.

I watched him curiously as Xander asked Libby about roller coasters when the richly dressed boy decided to interfere.

"You have a very expressive face, you remind me of someone," Grayson addressed me, looking pensive.

"Wow, Mr. Hawthorne, I didn't know it was a sin in the world of the rich," I teased and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I..." I interrupted, don't get me wrong, I might sound like the typical dumb teenage protagonist from books, but no, or at least I hope not.

Today I'd had enough. My suitcase got lost when we landed, and my phone ended up broken because of some idiot who wasn't watching where he was going. I simply didn't feel like dealing with his cold personality and sarcasm that said 'I'm a rich guy, don't bother me, commoner'.

"Let's see if you can read my face," I put on my best 'fuck you' face and turned to a middle-aged woman who was coming towards Grayson as if she intended to placate him.

"Gray, darling!" the woman pinched one of Grayson's cheeks, or at least tried to before he could move away. "Where's your brother?" she glanced around the room and I deduced she didn't find who she was looking for.

"Dear mother, you'll have to be more specific, which of my three brothers are you looking for?" Grayson replied.

The woman rolled her eyes and turned her attention fully to me.

Oh shit.

"You must be Ava," she smiled at me. "I'm Skye," she introduced herself with a smile, which I returned.

"A pleasure, Seren," I extended my hand and smiled sweetly, too sweetly.

The woman quickly composed herself, her eyes turning to steel but her smile remaining.

Scary.

"Amelia, mother," Grayson corrected her, clearly embarrassed by his mother. "Her name is Amelia."

It was my turn to smile again, "you can also call me Millie, whichever you prefer," I smiled tightly, she really didn't give me good vibes.

● ● ●

There are too many people around me that I don't know, and it stresses me out, a lot.

Grayson introduced us to Zara Hawthorne Calligaris and her husband, apparently Skye's sister.

To my right, Xander was talking to my sisters and their grandmother, suddenly Avery got up to leave, I guessed for the bathroom.

"You know Australia is bigger than the moon," I said to the elderly woman who now sat beside me, Xander's grandmother.

The old woman smiled tenderly at me, "You'd be good for my Gray, smart and pretty," she placed her hand on mine as if she could read the future.

Okay, that was sudden, I didn't see it coming.

"Oh, thank you, but I think you're mistaken," I looked at the floor, it was gray tiles, by the way, Portugal is the country where they're used the most.

"Are you implying I'm wrong?" she raised a penciled eyebrow with curiosity.

"Oh no, please don't misunderstand me, I meant that..."

Of course, I meant that. Grayson and I, it's more likely that someone present would shoot me than something would happen between him and me.

"Call me Rose," Rose introduced herself with a smile.

"Amelia, or Millie as you prefer, you can also call me Lia, although only my mother and a few others called me that," I babbled, surprised that someone in that family wasn't crazy or rude.

"You remind me of a little girl," her tired eyes filled with nostalgia, "a little one like you, she loved ribbons," she looked at the bow-shaped clip adorning my hair and smiled, "she meant everything to my little Gray, he adored her with all his heart, said she was a gift from heaven."

"And what happened to the girl?" I asked curiously, knowing little about Grayson except that he had no room in his heart for love or anything like it.

"She left, I like to think it was for a good reason, but I don't know, one day she stopped coming to play with my Gray and we never saw her again, neither her mother nor her."

"Wow, that's sad, now I wish I knew who the girl is," I made a grimace, tragic ending. I wish I hadn't asked, but now I had some information to blackmail Grayson with, an impossible childhood love.

Rose whispered something that I didn't quite understand, and as I was about to ask, one of the four lawyers cleared his throat.

"Now that we're all here, let's begin."

My heart raced, and instinctively, I grabbed my necklace anxiously. For the first time in the remaining day, I wondered what my sisters and I were doing here; none of us knew this Tobias person. Or did we?

❥ A/N:

Okay, my little kittens, I know I've taken quite a while to publish this chapter and I'm really sorry about it, my little kittens.

This week we're doing some weird projects at my school and they barely let us catch our breath.

Please, leave a comment and vote for this story, it really motivates me to write, and I love reading and responding to comments <3

I've really enjoyed writing this chapter, what did you think?

Remember, if you need a friend to talk to, I'm here.

P.S.: The lyrics of the songs at the beginning of each chapter may not directly relate to the chapter, but they reflect how Amelia felt at some point or refer to a moment in her life.

And without further ado, I'll see you in the next chapter <3

Stay safe for me (I love you)!