"Miss, are you sure you are ready for school?" June expertly twisted the soft hair into a bun as she spoke.
"Yes, I am well enough." Her foot no longer ached as much as before. Beside her was a pair of crutches given by the doctor.
It had been two days since her stay at the hospital.
Today was the first of a two-day College Entrance Exam, she couldn't afford to miss it. Although her heart was set on acting, she still wanted to try going to University.
"I want to try wearing a bit of makeup." June looked slightly surprised in the reflection of the mirror.
Keira watched as her surprised look turned into a gentle smile. June pulled out the makeup she had bought that day, placing it before Keira.
"Let me help you." June was quick with her hands, drawing a thin liner and some mascara. She brushed some blush along her cheeks and covered her lips in a light coral. Her eyebrows were gently brushed and filled, giving her a youthful look. "You're going to be turning heads, Miss. How beautiful!"
"That would be a first for me." Keira had been called a beauty before, but it was always paired with 'but compared to Selene, she is only this much.' No one was willing to turn their heads for her beauty, how could they when her sister was Selene?
As Keira wore her jacket, the door to her room was pushed open. In came Lucas with his long legs, suit, and tie. His face was still the usual stiffness as he looked Keira up and down.
"Change the skirt to pants."
Keira gawked at Lucas, not understanding what he meant by wearing pants.
"The skirt is part of the uniform…" Seeing him frown at her words also made her frown.
What's his problem so early in the morning?
"Pants are also the school uniform. June, go and grab it from Brian."
"What pants…?"
June returned with the pants, handing them to Lucas with just as much confusion written on her face.
"Young Master Lucas, these are pants for the male uniform. I don't think it is appropriate for the Miss to wear."
"It is. I had it tailored to fit her specifically." Lucas approached her, crouching down with the pants to her foot. "Lift your legs."
"I can wear them myself." Her attempt to grab the pants was stopped when he pulled them away. He looked at her with furrowed brows, not understanding why she was making it difficult.
"Lift your legs, Keira." His voice was more demanding this time. "Are you this embarrassed when others help you dress?"
But you're not an other…
From birth until she moved out of the house in her last life, Keira never had to dress herself. It was always either June or another person.
Keira obediently raised her foot. Although she had on long safety shorts underneath the skirt, Keira still felt her cheeks heat up from embarrassment.
He helped her stand and pulled the pants up underneath the skirt. The pants had a hook instead of a button, making it easier to wear and remove.
"June." At his call, June stepped forward to remove the skirt and style her uniform.
Her shirt was tucked inside and the vest hung perfectly over the waistband. Her uniform jacket matched the other two, turning it into a three-piece suit instantly. She didn't need to wear a belt as the pants fit her perfectly.
"Are you sure you want your hair up? And the makeup is for what exactly?"
If you don't like it, just ignore me!
"Yes, I want to wear my hair up." Keira ignored his question about the makeup entirely.
Lucas didn't seem satisfied but chose to accept her answer anyway. He picked her up and carried her downstairs for breakfast.
"Don't talk to strangers, and don't make new friends. You won't be seeing most of those kids after graduation anyway."
"Why?" Keira had no intentions of making friends, naturally, she would agree with his words. But this was the first time he had openly objected to her making friends. It made her curious.
"They don't want to be your friends."
"I understand." Seeing her nod with her head down made his steps falter.
"When did you become acquainted with Austin Pierce?"
It was no secret that Keira loved everything Austin Pierce starred in. His films were always the only thing she would ask them to buy for her.
Lucas and Dylan were the only two who accompanied June back to the hospital that night. Upon seeing her return to her room with Austin Pierce, they couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Hearing that question reminded her of that day.
Hillary didn't keep her for too long after dinner Fearing that Keira might be tired, she planned to call a nurse to escort Keira back.
"I'll send her back since I need to leave anyway."
"Oh! No need to bother you—!"
"Shush! The gentleman wants to escort the lady, let him do as he pleases." Hillary shut her rejection down immediately. "Since you offered, be nice, Austin."
Be nice? What an odd thing to say… Keira found their conversations and shared looks to be odd.
"I'll be gone for an entire week. Don't scare me with an illness again, Old Lady." Saying his goodbyes, he didn't wait for Keira to utter hers.
"Thank you for—!" He wheeled her out of the room quickly, cutting her goodbyes short.
"THIS DEVIL—!" Hillary's voice escaped the closing doors.
"She's a funny old lady, don't you think?" He chuckled at her curses, slowing down his pace with a wide grin. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you earlier."
"No…I was just slightly surprised, not scared."Keira wondered what kind of face he was making. "Your grandmother is lovely."
"Is she now?" His tone was teasing.
They were moving at a comfortable pace, neither fast nor slow, down the quiet corridor. The sound of his shoes against the floors was pleasing to her ears. It maintained a rhythmic tone, not a beat slower or faster.
Interesting…
"I like your footsteps." The rhythmic beat faltered, stopping as the owner stood there baffled."
"My footsteps? That's a first." He leaned down to get a better look at the seated individual. "Is that the only thing you like?"
His voice was buttery as they whispered into her ears. Keira couldn't help but shiver at the sudden closeness. She turned to look at the perpetrator, wanting to say something.
"Is my face pleasing to you?" His lips looked soft and healthy, the complete opposite of hers. The way they curled into a smirk was attractive.
Keira found herself drawn to his mischievous gaze, unable to look away from the outstanding visuals. She could feel his hair brushed gently against her face, tickling it with its soft texture.
"You were staring at my poster like this too, you know?"
"You saw?"
That was hours before he entered the shop?
"Nope." He chuckled, watching her lips twitch with annoyance. "I was just guessing since my poster is quite attractive as well."
"…"
"You look at me with such infatuation, I fear my chasteness is endangered."
"With my foot like this?"
"It is possible to attack me in that state."
"You are praising me too much." Do I look strong to him?
"HAHAHA! You don't usually socialize, do you?" Keira didn't understand why he found her words to be funny.
Austin noticed her confusion. He happily explained himself to her, watching her every reaction with interest.
"Other people would get angry if I implied that they could attack me. No one wants to be perceived in such a negative way. That was a cute answer. I like it."
Their pace continued until they reached her room.
"If a person insults you, you should be angry. Don't treat everyone with such tranquility." His voice tickled her ears again, whispering into them. "There are people out there who like to take advantage of that."
"I do get angry?"
"Hmm? Sure. I look forward to seeing you at the company. I pray you get good scores on your test. Until next time, Keira."
By the time he finished, Lucas and Dylan had already approached them. He gave them a quick nod and left before Keira could say anything.
"We don't know each other," Keira answered Lucas's question after a while.
"You don't?"
"No, we don't." Seeing her insistent on them being strangers, Lucas reluctantly continued toward the dining room.
Breakfast had always been by herself or with Selene, yet today the usually empty dining table was occupied. The sight of her family members sitting down for breakfast made her feel dread.
"I was quite surprised, to receive a call, so early in the morning, from Madame Hillary Pierce," Rania spoke after sipping on her coffee. Her gaze lingered on Keira, before taking out a folder. "She wanted you to sign with her company."
"But why would she?" Selene's ears perked with interest at the mention of a Pierce. "You didn't agree, right Mom? I don't want to be separated from Keira!"
"Of course not. My daughter will be managed by me. How could I trust her with someone else? Look at her."
Ah…so she doesn't have any trust in me…
Keira knew that she shouldn't be feeling this hurt by those words, yet her tightened chest ached greatly.
Keira didn't speak, focusing only on the food given to her by June.
"I will introduce you to your manager after the exams are over. Your first role will start filming next week." She gave Lucas the folder, having him place it in front of her. "I will have my stylist come in to help you with your looks from now on. Darling, we need to fix…that."
Keira didn't bother thinking of what "that" meant. She gazed at the contract, watching her own hands sign every signature box.
Regardless, destiny would have me walking down the same path as before.
"Seeing Sister wearing pants also makes me want to wear them. Brother, didn't you prepare some for me as well?" After breakfast was over, Lucas diligently brought her to the car. She would be riding with Selene to school.
"You are fine in a skirt."
Double standards…
Keira turned to look the other way, not wanting to pay them any attention.
"Next time you have to give me pants also!" Selene whined cutely, only getting into the car when she received a promise. "Bye Brother! Wish me luck!"
The car ride was filled with chatter. Selene had always been close to the driver and the assistant due to her bubbly nature, while Keira was the silent and distant one, always watching from the side.
Today was no different from before, Selene's voice filled the car instantly, never ceasing until they arrived at their destination.
"Miss Keira, I can assist you into school if you aren't comfortable with the crutches." The assistant opened the door for her, watching as she balanced herself unsteadily with the new instrument.
"No, I'll get used to it." She had been carried around like a doll these past few days. It was time she depended on herself more.
"SELENE!" Seeing Selene exiting the car, multiple schoolmates approached her familiarity.
She was quickly surrounded and urged to enter the building. This left Keira alone by the car.
"Are you sure you don't need help, Miss?"
"No, thank you. You should head back."
Keira wobbled forward, trying her best to walk as stable as possible. The most challenging part was the stairs. Her classroom was on the second floor, making it difficult for her.
The school had an elevator that was multiple classes down, making it a challenge for her to get to. She struggled with choosing between the stairs and the distance to the lift.
"Need help?" A voice startled her from her thoughts, nearly causing her to fall over. "That reaction is a bit much."
"What?" Keira found him staring at her with an eyebrow cocked.
"Pants?" Jace stared with much curiosity. "It looks good."
"Huh?" She had never really interacted with Jace Bradley before, only once when she awakened.
Jace is an odd character in the novel. Thinking of him in that, Keira couldn't help but stare.
"Was it injured because of me?" He glanced at her ankle, looking unbothered by it. His question was casual, it didn't seem like he needed an answer. "So? You need help getting up there?"
"What help!? Keep away from her, Jace!"
Oh great… another one showed up.
Angela strutted down the stairs with her lips in a frown.
"Hey, move away already!" She frowned even more when Jace remained still. "Let's go to the elevator."
"Yeah, let's go." Jace had his hand in his pocket, walking ahead of them without a care.
"Able-bodied people should use the stairs!"
Keira felt like she was stuck between middle schoolers in an argument.
"Then you should use the stairs as well."
Everything happened so quickly, before she knew it, Jace had picked her up. The crutches fell to the floor, loudly echoing through the hallway. This caused other students to glance their way.
"Up the stairs, we go." He took large steps, walking up quickly with ease.
I'm being picked up and carried around like nothing. Do these people not think I'm heavy or are they just super strong?
Keira didn't dare wrap her arms around his neck, she instead, clutched his jacket tightly.
"PUT HER DOWN!" Angela picked up the crutches and quickly followed. If it was before, Keira would have thought that Angela was caring towards her, like a good friend would be.
All eyes were on them, watching with curiosity, ready to gossip any moment now.
"Some animal keeps yapping loudly around here. Can't a man have some peace and quiet?" Jace muttered in annoyance.
"Jace! I'm being serious, put her down! What if Selene sees this?"
Her good friend wasn't worried about her, after all, Jace was a love interest of Selene in the novel…