"Ugh! Margaret is really nasty!"
Rachel said to Greta angrily.
"Would it kill her not to complain about something we do?!"
She added, her face was in a scowl as she scrubbed a pot with anger.
"I make really great coffee, no one complains about my coffee."
Rachel continued, unbothered by Greta's silence.
"Nobody but Margaret."
Greta uttered surprisingly and Rachel nodded enthusiastically.
They heard footsteps and the two of them became very quiet, taking it as a cue to change subjects.
They continue again once it seemed the footsteps sounded far way from the kitchen.
"This year's masquerade ball really seems to be taking its toll on Mrs Carolyn."
Greta grunts back in agreement.
"This year she's going a little extra. She is a lot crankier too."
Rachel stopped when she heard the approaching footsteps again and was relieved to find out it was just Caelia and her mom.
Finally, people to make conversation with, Greta had let her rant for minutes before adding a contribution.
She complained about Margaret to Lourdes again, this time, adding even more details.
"Be patient with Margaret. She must be overwhelmed with all the planning for the Masquerade Ball."
"A ball?"
Caelia asked in excitement and Rachel nodded.
"Yes."
Caelia looked excited.
"Tell me about the ball!"
She asked no one in particular but Rachel stayed silent, still mulling over what Lourdes said about Ms Margaret being overwhelmed. That wasn't true, before the ball preparations, Margaret has always been like Margaret. Cranky and annoying.
But she wasn't sure she wanted to start an argument with soft hearted Lourdes.
"The ball is the highlight of this town. It's the only event every one here truly looks forward to."
Greta drawled and Caelia's eyes widened. Even her own mother did not tell her about the ball.
Greta paused to allow her small audience gasp.
"Everyone wears a mask to conceal their identity and looks their best."
Greta said.
Rachel added bitterly,
"Last year, Greta was sent to retrieve Olivia purse. She couldn't stop gushing about it."
"Greta! Of all people!"
Rachel added in surprise and Greta lowered her eyes shyly.
"I want to go!"
Caelia declared and Rachel sighed.
"Caelia, look at Greta. Look at me."
Caelia takes a look at them and she could already tell what Rachel's next words would be.
"We all want to go but..." she knew there would be a but too.
"Staff is not allowed. In fact, it's a very exclusive ball, more than half of the people in Staunton are not allowed to attend."
Rachel said while imitating Ms Margaret.
Lourdes only ended the conversation at that point.
"Caelia, it is important to always know your place in life."
Those words, words that hurt and annoyed Caelia. Words that marred her childhood. Words that seemed to imply this was her place, a maid.
And nothing but a maid.
"Yes, ma'am!"
Caelia retorted channelling her inner maid to her mother.
Both parties were left wounded.
........
Sophia and Olivia Wright were fraternal twins. But as far as everyone was concerned, they might as well have been joined together at the hip. Ever since they were little, even after they passed the matching outfits stage, they were still coordinating their outfits to match each other. They could finish each other's sentences and it was almost as it they could both read minds. That was how close they were to each other. But it didn't mean that they didn't have their differences either.
Olivia was the 'dominant' sister. She made all the decisions while her sister Olivia tagged along in all her plans. They rarely ever disagreed on anything because Sophia would never disagree with Olivia on anything. That was how close they were.
Olivia was in her room putting on her makeup. They had to leave Staunton as soon as possible if they wanted to make it down to the Music fest down at the Virginia Beach. She was angrily putting on her mascara wondering why it was taking Sophia so long to come back up stairs to her room with their new friend Laurene.
They had met Laurene a few days ago at a bar in town. They had immediately clicked when they found out that Laurene's mother was the Vice Mayor of the city and the fact that Laurene was one of them. Since their father had once been a mayor of the town, the privilege had always given the twins exclusive access to anywhere they wanted in the town. Not that Staunton was that much of a big deal to talk about.
Laurene had recently arrived back home from UCLA where she was studying and she couldn't help but miss Los Angeles. Being away with Sophia and Olivia took her mind off it.
Olivia and Laurene entered the room a few seconds later and Sophia's face lit up in a smile as she sees Laurene. Laurene Robertson was the perfect example of a Californian girl even though she was born and bred in Staunton Virginia. She was tall and slim with very slender curves. She had long dark brown hair and she also had a very angular face with pouty lips. She looked exactly like what Olivia wanted to be. Tall, stunning and absolutely model like. Laurene could easily pass for a Vogue or a Victoria secret girl.
"I cannot wait to leave this stupid town and meet some new people!"
Olivia shouted in her room, she had to shout because the music was so loud, thanks to Sophia.
Sophia smiled, nodding her head.
"I agree."
Rocking to the music blasting from the speaker.
"It's fun to unwind and leave here once a while."
Laurene said in her normal tone.
"What?!"
Olivia and Sophia scream right back. They can't hear her.
She imitated dialing a knob down to them. Olivia walked over to the blaring speakers and turn them down.
"The Music Fest is always the bomb. So many people."
Laurene finally able to talk without straining her voice.
"Yea! I can't wait to go! Olivia and I will be meeting up with a few friends over there. Besides, there's lots and lots of fresh meat."
Laurene nodded, she was deep in thoughts, barely listening. Still remembering her encounter with Damon from a while ago.
"I saw your brother on the stairs. He ignored me."
Her face showed she was deeply embarrassed by this.
"Don't mind Damon, he can be a bit of a grump."
Sophia consoled Laurene.
"Is he single? He's so hot."
Laurene was digging for information on Damon. It was clear that she liked him and Olivia saw this as a way to make this work in her favour.
Sophia wasn't surprised, they had a lot of their female friends who liked their brother, some of them even made the mistake of seeking him out.
A brutal mistake on their part.
"Do you want my brother?"
Olivia asked slyly and Laurene shrugged.
"Who wouldn't."
"Laurene, I can help you get Damon."
Sophia rolled her eyes. She knew where her sister was going with the conversation.
"Olivia our brother is not commodity."
She said in a low voice and Olivia turned and glared at her. Sophia gave up easily.
"Really?"
Laurene smiled, her eyes lighting up.
"Yep. I definitely can."
Olivia confirmed
"If" she held for Laurene's lovestruck face to show desperation.
"If you introduce me to your modelling agent."
She completed. Laurene worked for an exclusive agency, the best of the best, one of the best in California. Olivia had tried to apply, but she had little to no experience in the modelling field.
Being friends with Laurene had helped her figure out a lot of things, that she needed to be connected with the right people. And Laurene had a wonderful agent, the best of the best. Olivia had tried to get Laurene's help before but she was tight lipped about anything that had to do with her modelling career.
It was no news that Laurene was a nepotism baby. Her mother was a supermodel, the only way she was in the industry was because of her mother. Olivia wanted in.
"To sweeten the deal.."
She quickly added.
"We can get you a date with Damon and put in a good word about you."
Laurene nodded her head with great enthusiasm.
Sophia groaned. She wasn't too excited by the prospects of playing matchmaking for her brother, especially when Olivia was quite sure how complicated things could be, but she did want to however help her sister achieve her dreams.
"Have you heard of our annual Masquerade ball?"
She said as she glanced at her twin sister briefly.
"Of course I have!"
Laurene said, her eyes twinkling.
"Good. Damon will be there."
Olivia mentioned.
"We will help you wow him. Don't you worry. By the end of the night, he'll be all yours!"
She murmured as she turned to her twin sister again, a sinister smile at the corner of her lips.
"We have to start leaving for the festival."
Sophia said conscious of the time and eager to get out of the conversation.