in my veins | jason dilaurentis [discontinued]

fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Arabella watched with her head tilted and eyes narrowed, quietly observing her mother. Ella was conversing with both Hanna and Emily's moms. Arabella had no clue as to what they were talking about, but after finding that file in her parents' room and catching Jason talking to her mom, the brunette was armed with plenty of questions and if she didn't start getting answers she'd be heavily frustrated.

The venue for the fashion show was packed already as guests lingered and some of the girls participating scurried around trying to get everything into place. Especially Mona, who was acting a bit like a control freak and was starting to get on Arabella's nerves. The brunette didn't bother going to the dressing room as she was only going to make an appearance at the end for Ali's tribute. So instead of getting caught up in the mess of people backstage, Arabella was leaning back on Noel's equipment, him having been hired as the DJ for tonight's show.

"Hello? Arabella?" Noel raised his eyebrows at the girl, waving a hand in front of her face. "Are you even listening to me?"

Arabella looked over her shoulder at him questioningly, "Huh?"

"I said why aren't you getting ready?" Noel rolled his eyes at having to repeat himself.

"Oh," the brunette smiled sheepishly, turning so she could look at her best friend rather than glower at her mother. "I'm only modeling one dress and that's not until the end so I see no point in getting ready now."

"So you'd rather stare down your mother all night?"

Arabella scowled, "My parents hiding things from me again. I thought all the lying and secret keeping was over, but it's just stated back up again."

"Why don't you just go ask her?" Noel suggested, leaning forward on his elbows to peer down at Arabella over the equipment cart. "She might actually tell you this time."

"That's the thing I don't even know what questions to ask. None of it makes any sense," Arabella sighed, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"Hey, don't stress yourself out over it," Noel grabbed one of the girl's hands, squeezing it in reassurance. "I'm sure it isn't even that bad."

Arabella smiled gratefully at him, even if she knew that it wouldn't be okay. Her gaze shifted sideways to look towards her mom once again. Ella looked as calm as ever, a smile on her face as she talked to the other women. Arabella wished she could say she felt the same, but nowadays the girl couldn't catch a break. She was starting to wonder if she ever would, and she doubted the answer to that was what she hoped it would be.

-----

"Em? Do you need help getting into your dress? I bet Samara's gonna be here in a little bit."

Arabella walked into the dressing room just in time to see Emily get up suddenly after Aria's question. "I've got it," Emily mumbled, walking away.

"What's her deal?" Arabella asked, sitting in the chair that Emily had just left empty.

"Relationship problems," Hanna explained, also getting up. "We need some bubbly. I'm gonna go hijack some champagne."

Aria raised an eyebrow at the blonde, "Are you-Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I'll be right back," Hanna waved her off, grabbing a robe from a nearby clothing rack.

Arabella shouted after her before she was out of earshot, "Bring me some!" Aria shot her sister a look as she applied some makeup, getting a weird look from Arabella in return. "What is it, Aria?"