"Genuine Beauty Is Always-
Quite Alarming."
———
Her wings were broken, her halo was bent and her horns were showing.
Yeah... it was one of those days. Angelique finished staining her voluptuous lips a rich shade of red and smirked at the reflecting bitch in the mirror. The pair of bewitching amber eyes, gazed right back at her as she screwed down her Chanel lipstick and dropped it into her Gucci bag while mumbling the syllables of the melody, echoing around her penthouse.
A layer of Clinique mascara coated her long lashes, curling them skywards and light makeup made a thin veil on her velvet skin with soft Lancôme eyeshadow completing her look.
Perfection.
She smiled. It was a mosaic of broken promises and stolen kisses, white lies and shattered hearts. A midsummer reverie; it was a part of her beauty, the quality of not quite being there.
Dreamlike.
A bold perfectionist. That's what she was.
She sauntered out of her long wardrobe, her gaze unintentionally latching on the diamond bracelet laced around her wrist. Ignoring it, she slung her Gucci bag over her shoulder, the flowing hem of her Celine red dress brushing around her caramel thighs shyly as she headed to the kitchen, downstairs.
"Good morning, Ms. Angelique." The maid greeted over the reverberant melody.
"Morning, Teresa, what do we have for breakfast?" Angelique's lips curved into a warm smile as she questioned, resting herself on a chair by breakfast bar and crossing her long toned legs adorned with black Stuart Weitzman mary janes.
"As per your diet, today is the day for egg white omelette with spinach and turkey."
"Right." She perched her chin on the palm of her hand, fingers pressed against her cheek as she awaited her plate to be placed in front of her.
After all, nourishing her figure had only largesse her with those dangerous curves that could not just seduce but also destroy every breathing mortal in sight.
Elegance is more important than suffering, Artemisia had always said.
She could almost imagine her mother being right there. Beside her, proud of herself.
Angelique rolled her eyes at being forcibly brought out of her crumpled dwam when Blevery and Blevine strolled into the kitchen-diner, quarrelling rather loudly right in the morning.
Her younger twin sisters who tried their best to make her existence, hell, which hats off to them, they were doing a pretty amazing job at. Teresa grinned heartily at them as she arranged their plates on the table.
"Be good at school, huh?" Angelique said putting another peice of egg white on her tongue as she locked her eyes on them.
"I'll try." Blevery said thoughtfully.
"Don't even expect anything from me." Blevine shrugged and Angelique barely resisted the urge to bash her head on the bar counter, though assessing them with mild amusement glistening in her eyes.
Well, they were Arcanes afterall.
Angelique concluded her breakfast and dropped her fork on the plate with a soft clink "I love you guys, okay? But please behave in school."
"I love you too, okay? But no promises." Blevine simpered innocently causing Angelique to roll her beautiful eyes as she got up.
"Hilarious. Please behave."
"Yeah and, Angel," Blevery said "Go rock that.... that..."
"College?" Angelique promted, a dainty smirk tugging at her carmine tinted lips.
"Yeah." Blevery giggled.
———
Angelique lowered the volume of the radio as she reached the towering bronze gates which were already parted with guards standing on both sides in an alert stance. She drove into the parking lot and pulled up amongst the other luxurious cars before getting out, stimulating students to pause and study the new girl.
All bedizened in exorbitantly rated dark blazers and inky shoes over branded garments for the sake of uniformity.
Never seen a walking goddess before? Angelique mused, somewhat amused as she removed her Dior sunglasses and narrowing her eyes at the dim golden ribbons of sunlight before swiftly tossing the tendrils of her long hair off her left shoulder. She rolled her eyes, lightly shivering when a chilled breeze blew by her.
She was a California girl. Manhattan couldn't be her home.
She sighed, a puff of icy breath gushing out of her lips as she plugged in her earphones while her fiery eyes soaked in the grandiose college campus. Three colossal premises stood right in front of her in a line and following them was the rest of the campus. She fluttered her eyelashes at exquisite logo of the college, placed in the mesial of the top.
Angelique stepped into the college, her expensive heels clicking against the white marble as she strutted through the corridor, approaching the president's office. The gossips in hushed tones, fell over the the long corridor as she walked with a slight sway in her hips, feigning cluelessness towards the whispers about herself.
Admiration and jealousy directed towards her were typical. Angelique Arcane wasn't just pretty, she was otherworldly and vaguely threatening.
She plucked a earphone out, reaching the president's office only to find the door locked. She sighed, then pursed her sultry lips, taking a few steps back to support herself against the wall whilst scrolling through her Insta feed, when she perceived it- a manip of herself with Harry Styles.
"What the fuck?" Angelique grumbled under her breath in pure irritation, her eyes scarcely narrowed as a small pout formed on her cranberry lips.
"Now, that's a question I ask myself at least 20 times a day."
Amused and humoured, she elevated
her chin to pin the speaker with mirth swirling behind scorching irises. He was an attractive guy blessed with angelic features, smiling affably at her. Platinum blond hair wreathing a halo around his forehead, icy blue eyes that twinkled with playful roguery and a pale complexion. He was clad in a light blue Armani t-shirt that brought out his tinted eyes and dark jeans paired with Nikes, completely disobeying the dress code. Recognisation dawned on Angelique and she sent him a smile.
His bright smile reached his eyes as he opened his mouth once more only to be cut off by someone else.
"Hey Ed!" Their heads snapped in the direction of the deep voice to descry a gorgeous guy with dirty blond hair and olive tinted irises. His lips pulled into a wide grin for snowy white teeth to be unveiled.
"Ask me why I'm here." Edward smirked. Angelique's eyes flickered back to him, mild confusion painting her gorgeous features as a light breeze flew by, causing goosebumps to rise on her silken skin.
"Hey, I'm Jace." Jace reached them by the time, bestowing Angelique with a boyish smile which made her feel warmer.
"Angelique." She reciprocated by sending him a small smile, crossing her arms, fingers of a hand tapping against the other upper arm, lazily.
"Lauren told me you were called by the president... Yet. Again?" He twisted his head, looking unwaveringly at Edward as he spoke, humour shimmering in his eyes.
"Oh you know," Edward exhaled dramatically "She always had a thing for me."
"Yeah, yeah. Which girl doesn't?" Jace waved him off dismissively. Angelique reclined back on the wall once again, hearing their exchange with her lips moderately tipped upside and her glossy painted fingertips still drumming. Jace diverted his attention to her "What are you here for?"
"I don't really know." She shook her head, shrugging in carelessness.
"If you're both here... obviously Ed is to become your guide for the day."
"How did you know?" Edward regarded his bestfriend, confusion evident on his appealing face.
"Common sense, Ed?" He shrugged before focusing his attention on the stunner in front of them who had unfolded her slender arms by then "Don't worry. I can be your guide."
"Oh please," Edward scoffed "Angelique and I, we both know you just want to be her guide because you want to impress your girlfriend's sister."
"Hey! It's not bad that I want to have a good first impression on my girlfriend's sister and besides, I'm doing her a favour seeing I'm smarter than you."
"Huh? You smarter than me? I beg to differ. Angelique, fuck that. I'm the smarter one." Edward said and a chuckle scarpered Angelique's red lips.
"You are the smarter one? He gets lost in his own house."
"What does that have to do with smartness?!"
"You get lost in your own house, and this is the fucking college campus for god's grace."
"Okay boys! I get it. You both are smart." Angelique let out a exasperated sigh, attempting to settle things between them in the exact fashion she did with Blevine and Blevery.
"I think, I can live with that," Jace lifted a Hugo Boss suit jacket clad shoulder and slumped it back down in a small shrug "Anyway, just in case if you are not called here to be the guide, do remember to tell me what you were being called for. I'm always a slut for spice."
Jace adjusted the collar of his crisp green Ralph Lauren shirt before throwing a bye over his shoulder and just like that, they abandon their little dispute.
The office door abruptly opened with two girls shuffling out at whom Edward winked, shooting a cheeky smile. Their cheeks rouged as they giggled, walking away, not before sending him a few flirtatious smiles right back.
He was exactly how Evelyn made him out to be.
Angelique rolled her eyes, How utterly cute.
She and Edward swept into the office, without knocking which received them a tiny scowl from the president herself.
"You students need something and what do you think are you wearing Mr. Ambrose?" She beseeched with underlying anger, concealed by a tone of professionalism.
Absolutely not. We waited outside just to say hi.
"Can you, pretty please, let it go for the first day Mrs. Clinton and we were called." Edward said preventing Angelique from letting her sarcasm tumble down her lips.
"For today because I don't need to ruin my mood on the first day. And yeah, please take a seat." Her eyebrows quipped up in remembrance of the peice of information before she smiled gently at Angelique while the the latter's lips only slightly tugged up at both the corners presenting a slight smile. Edward handed her an easy full smile, a careless aura enveloping him.
Angelique contemplated asking the woman to start talking, already. Wondering why everyone could not simply be to the point like herself. Yeah, that would make her life a million times more lucid.
Pleasantries had never been Angelique Arcane's forte.
"So this won't be a very long conversation," The president commenced and Edward sighed in relief causing Angelique to suppress a smirk "But it would be an important one." She sent him a pointed look, her sharp gaze perforating through the cold air "Mr. Ambrose, you are Ms. Arcane's guide as she has been transferred and is new. You have to see she doesn't really feel lonely at Crowndale university. I presumed she'd want to be guided by a member of The Elite."
"Okay." Edward nodded nonchalantly.
"Any questions?"
"No." Angelique opened her mouth for the first time only for a negative word to roll out.
Real classy.
The president's eyes flitted over to the charmer sitting across her as she spoke "Try not to get burnt. You both may leave now."
———
Edward Ambrose never knew how to zip his mouth shut, so when they were very politely kicked out, he, not so politely mumbled to himself, "And there she goes ruining another one of my fine days with responsibility."
Angelique shot him an amused look, upraising an eyebrow before finally letting out her much concealed sarcasm, "What a heart warming thing to say. I've never felt more welcomed."
He looked over at her, giving another scintillating smile "You know, I love when people can handle my smart ass mouth without getting offended like a little bitch."
"Hmm..." she concurred, a lilliputian smile playing on her lips as the cold breeze brushed against her velvet cheeks dusting a slight blush "I do take jokes but once I'm offended... no promises."
"I'll keep that in mind," he chuckled, beckoning her to follow with a flick of his hand "Come, let's get to your locker first then I'll tell you how things work around here."
The previous clamorous voices of students meddling around turned into quietened undertones as the they parted for Edward and Angelique like the red sea, making way for them to stroll through.
"How long have you known Evelyn for?" There was a mild curiosity glinting in his gleaming eyes as Edward queried her about his twin. The meagre times when Angelique had encounter him, were amid their concerts or tours. The 'Frosting Oceans' were an American DJ and production duo with Edward as Frost and Evelyn as Ocean.
She glanced at him, caffeinated hair shuffling from her shoulder to cascade down her spine "Umm... 16 years? Maybe 17? I'm not really sure."
"You guys must be close."
"I'm not much sociable and barely talk to people I don't know, so I guess it's safe to say I have a very limited number of friends."
"That's cool, actual- oh- your locker." He said, halting in front of a full-length locker, her following the movement "Yeah so I was sayin-"
A soft familiar voice sliced thought the cold air as Lauren stood beside Edward, her fingers tugging on the Tiffany's locket clasped around her neck.
"Hey everyone."
"Lauren! I missed you so much!" Edward beamed the muscles in the apples of his cheeks flexing and Angelique's gaze followed them in amused.
"Ed," Lauren giggled, dropping her hand from the chain to terminate fidgeting with her locket "We met like an hour ago."
"I still missed you."
"You know I always miss you." Lauren smiled gently at him, her lips glossed a rosé shade "Anyways, why were you called by the president?"
"I have to babysit your sister." Edward winked at Angelique, his boyish charm lighting up the room.
"You aren't offensive at all, I swear." She rolled her eyes, lips perked up in a authentic smile. Edward Ambrose was the kind of person you can't help but smile around. He was that happy, easy going person. The baby with absolutely no perturbation on his plate.
Lauren giggled, her fingers heaved up to touch her lips, staining them a pale pink "Ed, I can take my sister from here."
"But it's my job...."
"Come on, you don't want to get late for your class. I know your class starts in," Lauren flipped her ponytail off her shoulder before peeping down at her Bvlgari Serpenti watch "12 minutes."
"You should know I'm the last person to care about classes," he shrugged gingerly, his eyebrows creased just a bit as he thought about it "I'll see you around, Angelique."
"Sure." She threw him a genuine smile before he turned on his heels and walked away.
Angelique spun back to her cousin. Lauren's dark brown curls, exactly the shade of hers, were pulled into a high ponytail and her chocolate brown eyes coruscating in the brightly lit corridor of the college. She was sporting a white Gucci loose crop top that divulged a couple inches of her golden skin before the commence of her designer black jeans. Lauren had paired it with nude Alexander McQueen pumps. Her Jean Paul bag dangling from her left shoulder and a black Burberry blazer hanging from her left elbow.
"Cute outfit."
"Can't say the same about you, though." Lauren smirked, recieving a smug smirk right back.
And this is why Lauren is my best friend.
Angelique clicked her tongue to the top of her mouth and rolled her eyes, the smirk glossed on her lips never slipping as she replied, sarcasm dripping "You don't say!"
They got going in the direction of the dorms, the crowd of students spitting once again for Lauren.
"You met my boyfriend." She stated, seizing a glimpse of Angelique from the corner of her eyes.
"Humm." Angelique hummed, somewhat amusedly. Her gaze casted downwards on the bracelet wrapped around her wrist as she skimmed her fingertips, feeling the sharp edges of encrusted diamonds scrape her skin.
"So?" Lauren licked her glossy lips, relishing the fruity flavor as she examined Angelique by turning her head towards her and posing promiscuous.
A corner of her lips twisted up but she didn't bother even glancing sideways, as she said "So?"
Lauren stitched her lips in a thin line and shot her an irritated glance whilst entering the elevator of the dorms "Angel?"
Angelique laughed, simply, teasingly as she reclining on the wall of the elevator, finally latching her gaze on hers.
"Why do I even bother with you?"
"You and your daddy. Both." She rolled her eyes before fixing them back on Lauren's "He's very mature. Your boyfriend, I mean."
"Be an angel, Angel."
"Oh god. I could use all the negative words in the dictionary and still not be able to tell you just how much I hate that pun." She sneered lightly presenting her exasperation as they stopped in front of a door. Lauren swiped a card before draping the door knob in her hand and twisting.
Angelique analyzed the insides. It was elegant, painted in cream colour, wafting a homey vibe. The drawing room was vast, a flat TV on one of the wall. Against the TV was a couch, a few bean bags and a brown coffee table. Except being a bit messy, it wasn't a dorm room. It was a fucking suite.
"How many rooms are there?" Angelique questioned, her amber eyes penetrating hers.
"Four. The last one is used by Evelyn, the one adjacent to it is mine and JJ's. The left one is Ash's and the right one is Charles' and well, Ed basically lives in the drawing room. So you'll have to share it with Charles or Evelyn."
"Fine."
Lauren removed a similar card from the back pocket of her designer jeans and handed it over to her cousin.
"You can come here back, later. I've been craving pancakes since morning." She said, gazing down at her nude shaded nails.
"You have?"
"Angel?"
"Fine." Her lips curled into a sincere smile, eyes shining in the bright lights.