The Deal by Gabriella Counou, Jennifer Allen (libby ebook reader txt) 📕

“School?” She asked like it was a foreign concept.

“Yeah, public,” I said.

“You go to a school? We either have tutors or we go to private or boarding school. You have all this money and you go to a public school?” She asked shocked.

“Yeah, we try to live secretly so people don’t ask questions,” I said. “Well there’s no private’s schools unless you take a plane two cities over, boarding schools are so far away most think it’s a school with a lot of boards in it. Tutors over here suck.”

“That’s it I’m quitting school until I get back to home,” She said seriously.

“You can’t be serious!” I shouted laughing.

“I’m so serious,” She said.

“You’ve got to and you need to make friends and meet Nathan,” I said trying to persuade her.

I heard the back door creak closed.

“Someone’s sneaking in the house through the backdoor,” I told Lana. “Stay here.”

“Fine by me,” She said sounding a little nervous.

I walked slowly down the stairs to find nothing I turned around in the kitchen looking around. I grabbed my bat.

I stopped in the middle of the floor. Was I hearing things?

“Looking for me?” A familiar voice whispered in my ear which tickled as he whispered. He was behind me.

“Antony!” I couldn’t help but shout. I hugged him on reaction. “Everyone was so worried about you.”

“Well I’m glad I got home in time,” He said chuckling.

I pulled away from him.

“So tell me Antony where have you been?” I asked sharply. Anger radiated.

“I was at that girl Janna’s house I crashed at there house,” He said putting his hands up in surrender.

“First of all her names Jenna not Janna and second of all, you better not be lying to me, and third of all why?” I asked in a threatening tone.

“Because-“

Hana came into the kitchen.

“Oh Antony, where have you been?” She asked.

“He slept at Jenna’s,” I answered for him.

“I didn’t ask you-“

“You didn’t have to ask me I supplied the answer,” I snapped.

“Don’t start-“ She started again.

“Listen Hana, there is room for two alpha females in this house one is my mom and the second position taken by me,” I said harshly. “Do you have a problem with that?”

She was silent.

“I’m taking the silence as a yes,” I said to her. “Now I will go get dressed it was nice speaking to you Hana, I’m really glad we have this understanding.”

Hana was shocked her eyes bulged. Antony’s mouth was wide open. I walked upstairs then stopped.

“Oh and Antony its nice to have you back.”

I ran upstairs and closed my door to my room. Lana smiled.

“I heard that,” Lana said. “I’m so happy you didn’t cower.”

She hugged me.

I let out of the hug.

“I guess I have to go get ready for “school”,” Lana said putting air quotes on school.

“Yeah me too,” I said. “I can help you pick out an outfit, if you want me too.”

“That would be so great,” She said pulling me to her room.

Her room was down the hall and I could tell she redecorated a lot since she got here. She had a chandelier hanging over the bed and she had put a queen size mattress instead of a twin. She also added new furniture.

“Whoa.”

“Yeah I had this added when I came here,” She said. “Come here’s the closet.”

The closet door opened and I was stunned the clothes were way past gorgeous.

I gasped.

“So will you help me?” She asked.

“Yeah,” I said. I looked at the clothes. Her eyes were blue. What goes with those blue eyes? And her personality was innocent sweetheart. So something innocent and she could be red when she’s angry.

“Red and white clashed with silver,” I whispered to myself. The blue would make her eyes stand out, perfect.

“What?” She asked confused.

I got a red shirt the collar was white and a pair of white skinny jeans. I grabbed a black bracelet that had silver links in between the beads. And I pulled out huge silver hoop earrings. The earrings gave a little don’t-mess-with-me vibe. The red shirt said look-at-me-I’m-bold and the white made her innocent to some extent.

She showered while I went to go pick my outfit out. I spotted a white knee length dress in my closet. I tied my hair up in a perfect ponytail that expressed my I-mean-business attitude. I found some boots my closet. I got out a belt.

I heard the shower cut off. I took my outfit and waited for Lana to open the door. I saw a girl with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes her skin pale looked as if it had been dusted with sparkles. I looked at my work. Red was definitely Lana’s color.

“You look great!” I said to her.

“Oh thanks you should talk to my outfit designer,” She said although she was talking about me. I laughed.

“It was an honor,” I said curtseying in my Pjs.

“Would you do me the honor of curling this mess?” She asked twiddling her tangled wet hair.

“After I take a shower and fix myself,” I said. She nodded then headed to her room,

I went into the bathroom. I dropped my clothes on the counter and admired myself. I had grey eyes and practically black hair. I pulled out the temporary hair dye. It was a goldish dark brown. I highlighted my very dark hair with the brown. In the end it looked great and it only would last for a week. As I looked at the finish product my eyes looked less sharp and more gentle.

I took a shower and got dressed. The was white and had a thin brown belt wrapped around the middle. I had knee high brown boots and a brown purse that clasped with gold. I slipped my gold bangles on both arms. The buckles on my boots were gold too. I found a white scarf with Eiffel tower silhouettes in gold, I didn’t have on of these. I looked at myself in the mirror. Dark brown hair shimmered in the light. I approved my appearance.

I put my hair in a French braid down my back. I looked professional yet innocently oblivious to my beauty.

I put my boots on and walked through the hallway to Lana’s room.

I stopped walking when I heard a voice coming from downstairs.

“Hello?”

“Yes.”

I heard whispers of the voice on the other end but couldn’t make out the words.

“Yes reservations for two,” He said quickly.

Brief pause.

“Yes put it in her water,”

“No I’m not worried… just make it work Eli!” He shouted through his phone.

I walked downstairs to see Antony throw his phone to the ground.

“Antony, are you okay?” I asked.

He looked up to me and gave me a half smile.

“I’m sorry for yelling, and disturbing you.”

“You didn’t really disturb me.”

“Quinn, I’m so sorry, I haven’t been doing anything but saying stupid things. So please give me a chance to apologize with a glorious dinner, and a 3 day trip to Italy.”

My eyes bulged. A trip to Italy. I always wanted to go since I was little.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes,” He said.

Text: Gabriella Counou
Editing: Belamy Counou
Translation: Gabriella Counou
Publication Date: 11-27-2015

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
This is dedicated to my Mom, and Dad who have a wonderful marriage. The two people that told me to keep writing. The two people that motivated me to write, read, write some more. I love you guys, thank you for the encouragement, love, and care.