"I don't know, believe me, I'm dying to find out" she replied. Folding her arms, her hazel eyes scanning everyone in the hall, I noticed her eyes were a mixed color of a light gold but then it was gone, was it the fluorescent? Now I was hoping that wasn't the case.
"It's always loud with everyone, I can barely think, not a moment of silence," she said like a struggle, and then she set her orbs on me again. "But you… nothing, like an empty shell"
"Emilia" Lucas' voice came in and it was like the spell she had on me was broken.
"Hey Cuz" she smirks but he didn't return it, it was almost like he knew she was onto something, his eyes darted to me and then he smiled.
"Hope this little minx isn't troubling you?"
To be honest she was more lenient with me than anyone else. I shake my head still playing what Emilia said to me in my head.
"Okay now I'm bored," Emilia said, rising to her feet.
Lucas huffed. "You're always bored"
She shot him a look, and she whirled her prolonged gaze on me, I looked away feeling uncomfortable, and the next I heard was her retreating heels.
"Lucas" he faced me, I could tell he was avoiding me, he was doing a really bad job at that, or I was just too observant. I didn't understand the need to but I figured it was that look he gave me in the restaurant, it must have been uncomfortable for him just like it was for me, maybe he never intended the look, but why did it come to that though, it still bugged me.
He smiled at me. "Can I help you with anything beautiful?" he asked with hands in his pocket and I blushed.
"I haven't seen Dace, is he okay?"
His smirk broadened almost like he expected me to ask such a question, he seemed satisfied?. "You have his number, text him" he mouths with a wink before walking away leaving me to my thoughts.
~
School was over but I didn't take the bus, I walked instead but my main goal was to reach a bookstore, I was hoping I might find it here, the histories about this town and its founding families, the ones I saw in our school library was more of the economic development but I needed to know more, whenever our bus passed this particular street I always sight this bookstore, I guess I might find what I was looking for here.
The bells at the top of the door dangled as I walked in, the inside looked pretty big than it looked from the outside, I could already spot the rows of shelves trailing deep inside, wow, whoever built this place was good in terms of dimensions, it was a whole different look within.
"Hello, how can I help you?" a lovely voice said to me, a beautiful tan-skinned woman with short brown curly hair and brown eyes, she was just at the counter, her arms resting on it, I noticed the book she was reading.
"H-Hi, just here for a book"
"Hmm, are you buying or renting?"
"Renting"
Her smirk broadened. "You look familiar, strawberry hair, green eyes, you must be an Adams" she mused walking out of the counter, taking in most of her look she was beautiful, it was like everyone had beauty in their genes in this town, maybe angels lived here in the past and gave birth to beautiful humans. Crazy right?
"Yes, Adams"
"Vanessa's niece"
"Yeah, " I said with a nod, everyone seems to know Vanessa, seems I was part of it too, at just a glimpse they would tell who I was, It was quite interesting and suspicious.
"So what book can I help you with?"
"I need a book for my history class"
"Oh, what kinda book? I thought you have those in the school library"
"Not this one, Our history teacher gave an awful assignment, about founding families" it was a hot lie I know! And I was pretty good at it, surprising even for me. The moment she mentioned she knew my aunt, I was vigilant not to tell her anything, it was an instinct, everyone had something to keep away from me, I figured she might too.
"Then I think 'Founding Juneau' is just for you"
"Founding Juneau?"
"Yeah I know sounds off, but if you're hoping to learn more about the founding families, that's exactly what you need" she strolled to the path where the bookshelves were and I followed. "You know your family are included too"
I pulled some strands of my hair behind my ear. "I'm aware"
She climbed the iron stairs. "The Adams, Sherman's, Devereaux's, and many others along the line, all the way back before Juneau was built" She looked down at me. "But the Devereaux's are the most influential and more powerful"
She leveled the brown book she brought out. "You should know that... you're studying the founding families after all"
"Y-Yeah" I took it.
"All you need to know is in there, I hope that helps you with your test. Sign here please" she gave me a roster and a pen I didn't know she had on.
"How long will you hold on to it?"
"Just a week" I replied, signing my name. "I'm a fast reader"
"You don't say," she mused. "It was nice to meet you, Emma"
"Um," I stopped her in her tracks. "Why are the Devereaux's the most influential and powerful, I mean there are other founding families, shouldn't they have shared the profit or something"
"If you're asking if the Devereaux derived their wealth by building this town then you're wrong," she says. "They came here years ago, radiating and glamorous as they are now"
"They came here?" I muttered.
"Yes… the Devereaux isn't from this city or this town"
"W-Where did they come from then?"
She smiles. "Your history book will tell you what you need, Emma"