Annabelle's POV

By the time we got out of the car, Nash was already yelling at Alisa. I slipped past him and decided to take my luck going around the back.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out, Anna," Thea called out to me trying to catch up.

I replied when she was beside me, "I did."

She flashes a wicked smile, "What are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing."

She stared at me blankly. Part of Thea's plan would be for me to react. She wanted me to try and stop her. Thea didn't want to do it. She never wanted to do anything this harmful but she thought she had to. For Emily. To stop the guilt of her death from eating her alive.

"Why nothing," She spat out.

I shrug, "Not in the mood to fix everyone's messes."

"It will break him you know," Thea started, "It will ruin any progress he has."

"Well, he can handle that himself."

I slowly wandered off in the direction of the house leaving Thea all alone.

—----------------------------------------------------

The rest of the afternoon went fast. Alsia stormed into my room giving me a rant about how I need to be respectful and help take control of the narrative that Avery was a good person and we were all best friends. Alisa felt as though everything was falling apart. To her tonight would be the only chance to make a perfect entrance to Texas society. She didn't know that it would probably be a massive mess that would be blamed on everyone but the person who was really at fault.

By the time she finished explaining a team of stylists barged into my bedroom ushering me to the bathroom so they could get started on my hair and makeup.

This was always the part I hated the most.

I never had a problem with getting dressed up and looking nice or even going to any of these events.

The problem was the pulling of my hair as they curled it and the constant touching on my face as they applied all the different products.

The result was beautiful but I just hated waiting for it.

After my hair and makeup were finally finished the head stylist tapped me on my shoulder, "Bring me to your jewellery box, we need to find something for this event."

I stood up and let her over to where my collection was.

She picked up a collection of silver jewellery insisting it would match with my dress the best. She picked up several simple plain rings, a bracelet with a diamond leaf pattern, a few other simple chain bracelets, and a pair of diamond and pearl dangling earrings that I loved.

She stopped when deciding on a necklace. She reached out to touch one. It was a simple silver chain with a diamond moon and star pendant.

A galaxy in her eyes a universe in her mind.

"This one," She spoke as she pointed to it. I grabbed out to the one beside it. It was

"Matching pearls will look better."

She glared at me anger rising before swiftly turning away.

There was no way in a million years I could wear that again. One necklace I wore every day till Emily moved. The one possession that somehow meant the world to me.

I reached into my pocket grabbing my phone.

"Hey Eth what are you doing tonight?"

Ethan's POV

It's extremely hard to trust your siblings when they call you on a Saturday night telling you they need you to go to an event with them. Though it is hard to trust Anna anyway.

As much as I do not want to go to a charity event that will be swarmed by Hawthornes. I would much rather go to that than be babysat by my Aunt May. All she ever does is complain about how awful life is.

It is crazy to me how she can sit there and complain when my mother is in rehab for the millionth time.

I check myself out in the mirror pushing back my hair a bit without showing off my forehead. Thanks to my dad's genes I was blessed with a massive head.

This has to be record timing for getting ready. It only took me about fifteen minutes.

I step back from the mirror and slump down onto my bed. A million things rush through my mind.

I can't stop worrying about everyone. My sister, my dad, my mother, and everyone else. Mostly my sister and my dad. Both of them have the instinct to protect everyone they care about so closely. It has been like that since I was a kid.

I remember when I was seven and I was told I was getting an older sister. Though it would be someone I could mess around with and run away from my parents with. Sometimes the both of us would mess around but sometimes Anna would be even more protective than my father.

I hear my aunt yelling my name from downstairs. In a second I bolt towards the door tumbling down the stairs as I go.

I look up to see my older sister extremely unimpressed.

Tonight she is wearing a dark blue dress and her hair makes it look like she has a crown on her head. She always wanted to be queen.

She grabs my hand and pulls me up, "Let's go before we are late and Alisa kills me."

"Wait," I pause, "Are you driving us there?"

She rolls her eyes, "Are you going to be like this the whole night?"

"Yep," I smile.

Anna is not really the worst driver but she has always been so perfect at everything. It's rare to find something she is only mediocre at.

"Oh just get in the car and be grateful," she pushes me out the door, "Have a nice night Aunt May."

"Be good and no drinking. You know the troubles you can get into, " She warns us.

"Will do," I call back to her.

The car Anna brought is beautiful. It is probably more expensive than the average American house. Still beautiful.

She opens the doors and lifts her dress to hop in.

"Are you wearing sneakers?" I question.

She groans, "Just shut up I'll change them when we get there."

I raise my hands, "Just asking."

"No," she deadpans, "You're judging me. You are judging me as a boy who has never had to wear heels in his life."

"Fine, I'll shut up."

"Good," she smiles.

—-----------------------------------------------

By the time we got there and out of the car, reporters were swarming us. The reporters fired questions about everything as we tried to walk in. I watched as my sister held her tongue and ensured I got into the museum without getting hassled.

"Thanks," I say keeping my head down as we enter.

"I hate reporters," She mumbles back.

We were finally able to walk down the stairs to the main room. That's when he saw her. Grayson saw my sister and he looked as if someone had given him the keys to the universe. It seems the only people who don't know those two are meant for each other are the two of them and possibly Jameson. But I saw it from every interaction, every time one of them was brought up, or even just simple glances across the room. Anna wasn't blind or stupid she just never truly believed that someone could love her with every inch of them. He did though. The day she finally lets him in will be the day that I get my sister back.

Grayson exits his conversation to meet us at the bottom of the stairs.

"Brought a tag-a-long I see," I watch as every small emotion shown is indented in my sister's head.

She smiled, "Well since I was forced to go I thought I would bring someone who could make this interesting."

I patted Grayson on the shoulder, "Tonight will be thrilling, I can feel it."

"Well, I'm sure it will be much more eventful now that you're here," He scowled before getting us to follow him away from the staircase and further into the exhibit hall.

"So Mr. Perfect have we figured out why you have been unable to get billions," I ask waggling my finger in his face.

"Ethan," Annabelle warned pulling my arm away from him. She had a stern look on her face. As little as she wanted to admit it she was extremely protective of her Hawthorne friends.

"Just a question to start a conversation." I shrug.

Am I trying to cause drama tonight? YES! Is the drama that might be causing my sister and her icy friend to get closer? ALSO YES!

I am the true mastermind.

For the rest of their conversation, I stay silent giving them both snappy remarks when I have an opinion on whatever stupid opinions they have to say.

Tonight I desperately feel like drinking. But since my mother is an incredible addict I have a ban on drinking and anything addictive. My dad always says that each member of our family is addicted to something. For my mother is alcohol and drugs, for my dad it's his work, my aunt May is addicted to telling shitty stories and my sister just simply has a very addictive personality. If she starts something she won't stop till she is done.

I'm waiting for my addiction to appear. I'm interested in things but nothing sticks. Not like it does for others.

I hear a glass being dropped beside me, falling right out of Grayson's hand. His face looks pale and ghostly, and he is staring right up at the staircase. I turn around to see Avery Grambs, the new Hathrone herieness. She is in a green dress with a large necklace. Her hair is wrapped up in a sort of braid coil thing that is almost hypnotising. But Grayson isn't in awe of her like he is of my sister. He is sick and looks like he has seen a ghost.

My sister has her head tilted down as she fiddles with the bracelet on her left wrist.

I nudged my sister, "What is happening?"

She kept her voice low and made sure Grayson couldn't hear, "Avery got dressed up to play a dead girl."

I was in utter shock. Emily. I had never really talked to her or known her other than the fact she was everywhere. She was close to the Hawthornes and dated both boys. I remember Anna complained about her once. All I was told was how manipulative she was.

"What are you doing?" Grayson asked staring right at Avery. His voice was harsh and full of hurt.

Avery looked the most confused in the room, "I don't understand."

"Your hair," Grayson choked out. I watched as he fisted his hands, "That necklace. That dress..."

I looked at my sister. Something was ticking in her brain, and she was thinking through something. She didn't interrupt or even make a sound. She just watched.

"What?" Avery said.

Then finally Anna spoke, "Emily."

Avery rushed to the bathroom right after the word left my sister's mouth.

I watched Anna turn to Grayson. It was instinctive.

"Don't break. Not tonight. I'll fix it. I promise." I watched as he barely gave her a nod before she then turned to me, "Watch him. I'll be back soon."

She turned and left me alone with her future boyfriend who seemed to be on the verge of a mental breakdown. When did I become a babysitter?

A/n

Thank you for reading.