Crazy but Sweet, Sweet but Crazy

8: good eyes for good people

I looked down at the platters of pizza, fries, pasta and slices of fruit presented before us, as Elliot and I sat at the study table of my father's room, after Sonia closed the door on us with a much satisfied look.

"Do you always happen to have women's perfume in your bag?" I pushed aside some of the food in front of me and set down my laptop.

"It was a fortunate turn of events. Got a unisex perfume from someone this morning, knew that Sonia Adams is a collector of perfumes." Elliot surveyed the room we were in with open interest, picked up a slice of pizza, and started eating.

'Mrs. Adams' that and 'Mrs. Adams' this in front of Sonia, and now, back to 'Sonia Adams'.

"I presume this is your father's study?" After swallowing a mouthful, he pointed to the glass casing sitting by the window side housing exactly eleven car keys. "The car brands. Your father's favourites."

I was even getting accustomed to the discomfort that arose from just how much Elliot Lockwood knew about my family.

"Really. Why are you doing all this?" I asked, ignoring his remark. "Helping me prove my dad's innocence. Trying to dig out dirt on your parents. Revealing both to the press in a few months' time. For revenge?"

Elliot shrugged, chewing. "Partly."

"You know better than me. Lockwood Co. is a massive company. Even if you succeed in taking down your father from his position, the company will go on like nothing happened, after some time. Your father will go on living like nothing happened, too. You can't break a stone with an egg."

"I know." Elliot took up another slice of pizza, and sipped a glass of coke. Then, matter-of-factly, he said, "I know the egg will break trying to break the stone. But it'll at least leave a mark of its yolk, won't it?"

"The egg won't benefit at all. It'll just break." The words left a sour taste in my mouth. "You're manipulative enough. Just make use of your family. Go along with what they want, keep your mouth shut and head down. Get shares of the company, become more powerful and influential, enough to actually have an impact when you're older."

"And here I thought you were an innocent young lady," Elliot cocked his head, grinning. He emptied the glass of coke, drinking like he'd been deprived of water for long. "What a plan."

Then, he put down the glass, and dabbed his mouth with tissue, and ever so casually, said, "But do you think they'll let me become powerful and influential enough to take them down?"

Keeping up with the Lockwoods was a thing because Elliot completed the picture perfect family of four. The handsome, young, charming, polite kid who was mercifully and ever so graciously adopted from an orphanage.

I'd seen pap shots. Of Elliot, arms linked with his adoptive mother Isabella Lockwood, both with their smiles fitting for a commercial.

One shot was enough for everything both had on- from lipstick, shirt, jeans, dress, bag to even the lip balms they used- to be sold out within minutes of the release of the photo.

Elliot Lockwood treated the world like the stage of a play, like a photo zone, and for a reason. He'd been the Lockwood's tool of good PR all his life.

"I see that look on your face. Like you feel bad for me." Elliot nodded in satisfaction. "Goal achieved."

With a roll of my eyes, I switched on FaceTime. "I'm calling Ian. I'll introduce you to him, take my time calling Bianca, and come back."

"Keeping whatever we're doing a secret, includes keeping everything a secret from Bianca Owen." Elliot popped in a slice of an apple into his mouth, smiling.