If only you knew // Kari . clue

[charade]

cleo.

"Ooh, look what you made me do
Look what you made me do
I don't trust nobody and nobody trusts me
I'll be the actress starring in your bad dreams"

By the time she’d gotten done with all of her extracurricular activities and retired to her dorm, Cleo was mentally and physically exhausted. Hot water had never felt so good. She shampooed her hair with a lavender scented shampoo she’d gotten from Grady. A scent that was popular in certain circles, she was told, so of course, she had to have it. Once out of the shower and her hair done up in a towel, she got dressed.

The bathrobe was cashmere. The slippers silk. A Ratmas gift from Grady. He was all about the finer things in life, wasn’t he? There was a brief tightness in her chest that she dismissed as quickly as it came. She was not about to feel guilty for her little escapade with Benji. It wasn’t as though she and Grady had feelings for each other. They were friends. Playing a role for the masses, though she was clearly putting more work into it.

She had no reason to feel bad. 

She had just started to curl her lashes when there was a knock at the door. Cleo grumbled and set the curler down, getting up to see who it was. If it was Grady she was going to slam the door in his face. She was still irritated at him. But then again, the boy’s dorms were on the other side of the school, curfew was fast approaching and there were rules about fraternization, not that that had ever stopped students in the history of the world. It was probably Clara.

It wasn’t.

It was her favorite minion.

She supposed they were friends. Ally reminded her of the girls that used to hang around Esme in middle school, desperate to be seen with the queen in order to raise their own social standing. Popularity by association, that sort of thing. The kind of person who wouldn’t pick on someone unless they were expected to. If having someone around that she could manipulate into doing what she wanted made her a friend,

Then yeah, she was a friend.

“Ally,” she said with a small smile. “So nice of you to drop by.” She ushered the other girl in and closed the door, heading back to her vanity mirror and going back to curling her eyelashes. Having friends at boarding school was very different from having friends in middle school and she wondered what it was that Ally St. Cloud wanted.

Besides the chance to bask in her presence of course.

“How was your summer, Ally?” she asked, eying the girl in the mirror. “Anything interesting happen?”

elegant

[gamemaker sloane ♕ kaяi ♕]

A L L Y

There really wasn't anyone at home.

Ally had no one. Not her mother, or her father, especially not her sister. Her minimal popularity was based solely at school, a major reason every summer dragged on as her heart ached to go back. At least there she was noticed.

Even if it was only sometimes.

It seemed like ages since she had last seen her friends, and since the moment she had stepped into her dorm she was itching to go see them, specifically Cleo. Cleo was the girl that could make or break her, the girl who ruled the school and could destroy someone's social status with a single word. She was her greatest ally, but also her biggest threat. One wrong word, a single slip, and she could destroy her. The idea terrified her, which is why she did everything she could to remain on her good side.

No matter how painful it might be.

It was late enough now that Ally knew Cleo would not have visitors except maybe a boy, but would she dare break curfew this early on in the year? She shuddered at the thought. Regardless, she took a final glance in the mirror checked her teeth for lipstick and then used her fingers to smooth out her fly aways. The bag in her hand rattled as she skipped down the hall and to Cleo's room.

A gently rap on the door, a split second and there she stood, the queen bee of Salvatore. A little squeal escaped her lips as she bounced up and down excitedly in the door way.

"Ally, so nice of you to drop by.""

She followed her inside and her eyes flashed around the room. The decor seemed new, but she couldn't be sure, all she knew was that it looked fabulous to no surprise. Cleo looked just as good, even fresh out of the shower. She did her best to keep her face from falling as she looked at the girl, if only her life was as easy as hers. Beautiful, rich, popular, she doesn't even need to try. The jealousy monster threatened to over come her, but she pushed it down as deep as she could.

“How was your summer, Ally? Anything interesting happen?”

"Oh same old, same old, you know." Same scars, same tears, but she dare not tell the girl that. "But I brought presents!" She said giddily as she shook the bag a little before handing it to her. Hopefully they would be to her liking, Father had gotten the most popular items in the Capitol sent directly to them. "How about you?" Ally doubted Cleo would tell her anything that would reveal too much.

But the least she could do is try.

[charade]

cleo.

"Ooh, look what you made me do
Look what you made me do
I don't trust nobody and nobody trusts me
I'll be the actress starring in your bad dreams"

If there was one thing Ally reminded her of it was a puppy or some other equally cute and confused little puffball. She was so—earnest. Eager to please. She wanted to be noticed. Perhaps that was why Cleo kept her around, because she could remember a time when she wanted to be noticed for the reasons she wanted. When she wanted the torment to stop. Before she was the one in control.

Ally had a lot to learn.

The gift bag was thoughtful though. She opened it and pulled out a pair of earrings set with opals. Capitol quality. Cleo smiled, a rare genuine one. She didn’t follow the gossip rags as fervently as some of her friends did, but she knew that the victor by that name had stepped back into the spotlight recently, and the trends reflected that. “They’re wonderful, Ally.” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. She hadn’t thought to buy anyone welcome back to school gifts.

Perhaps she’d ask Stella if that was in vogue.

The earrings were placed down carefully on her vanity as she still needed to take her contacts out. “Oh, my summer was about what you’d expect.” She smiled knowingly. “Grady’s parents know a thing or two about lavishness. The charity dinners we attended had fresh fish imported directly from district four. Not that crap in the markets, but Lobster. Cocktail shrimp.”

Cleo sighed wistfully as she pulled the towel off of her hair and shook it out. “Have you ever had sushi before?” It was possible; you didn’t attend Salvatore if your parents didn’t have money, clout or both. “Besides that, there was practicing my serves, going to pool parties. I wish we had a beach here in six. It sounds magical.”

In any case, the more jealous she could make Ally, the better. Without revealing anything she didn’t want people to know of course. She could be certain that anything she told Ally would make it down the grapevine and spread through the school. But which morsels to dangle in front of her? Her escapade with Benji in the library was out of the question. Messing with Maverick maybe. She didn’t feel like throwing her sister under the bus; lately, Clara had actually seemed stressed.

Oh well, she had time to figure it out. For the moment, she could pivot the conversation back to Ally.

“But Ally,” she said, her voice wavering between disappointment and pity. “Really? You did nothing this summer?” Shame. For someone who wanted to be popular she sure didn’t put a lot of effort in. “No dates? No stormy eyed boys stealing kisses?” She paused, narrowing her eyes questioningly. “Or…girls?” It was a valid question. She left Ally to mull that over as she started to blow dry her hair.

elegant