Amory's POV
Perfectionist... Perfect, Perfection. I hated those words; it irritates me more than I can explain, part of the reason being Mom's obsession with it. She is a perfectionist and an evil one at that, imposing her perpetual monarchy on everything and everyone around her.
Ever since I was little, I have always been under that rule of perfection; everything has to be perfect, from the most important family decision down to the least designs in the house, and each of the rooms reflected Velda's perfection, which only makes me sick to my stomach, especially when I have to follow her instructions on what my room looks like and how it must appear in case of publicity.
The gray color of my bedsheets, the air freshener, the curtains, the wardrobe, and everything sometimes makes me sick, along with her face.
I took a deep breath and looked at my reflection in the mirror, studying my appearance. It was only recently that I was able to go back to my natural hair color and do some changes in my room and remove that nauseating air freshener that she has in her room, recently after Atticus's death.
I will no longer live under her rule again or be manipulated again.
"Oh, baby girl, do you really think we're different? Look in the mirror. You're just a mini-me, a manipulator, and you're so good at it. Why don't you just embrace it, huh?"
I shook my head to clear away the foul memory from my head; today's not the time to remember that terrible day I woke up from surgery.
I straightened up, Kale will soon be here; everything has to be perfect... Perfect... Perfect.
"Everything must be perfect, Amory, including your shape, if you need to maintain your social status, your reputation, your aura, and your identification as an enchantress... You love being above everyone else, right??
This is for you; you need to go through another surgery."
I don't want to remember this, but I was far too deep down the memory lane.
"Mom, I don't want to go through that pain again... Pls...pls...pls, Mom."
"Beauty is pain, my dear; this is important, and you must endure it, regardless of what you feel."
"Mom, you can't do this... I still have a right to refuse; if I don't agree, the doctor will never put a knife on my body."
But all I heard was sardonic laughter.
"You really think you have a say in this, don't you?"
She turned to one of the doctors.
"Cuff her to the bed if she tries to run or shout, then you can apply anesthesia and start the surgery." She turned to me; I was already heaving with tears on my face, but she just leaned to face me... While smiling
"Don't worry, my dear; it's going to be over soon, before you know it."
I tried standing up to follow after her but was pushed back to the bed. I struggled, but I was pinned on the bed before someone cuffed my hands to the bed. I continued screaming until someone injected me from the back, and I lost consciousness.
I stood up abruptly from the mirror as I held my chest from the pain that was emanating from my heart... I shake my head frantically.
"I'm not her; I'm not an evil manipulator. I'm not a perfectionist, who wants everything perfect, not caring about the consequences, whether it left a scar or killed the person... I'm not... I'm not... I'm not her."
"Are you sure??"
"Yes!!" This time I screamed in my room at the taunting voice in my head. I don't know why the sardonic laugh won't leave my head... It's mocking me, isn't it?
"Look around you, Amory... What do you see?
It's all perfection... It's all me ... It's all you; there's no separation here."
Pressing my hands in my ear didn't stop the voice or my brain from processing and instinctively
I look around the room... Everything was arranged in a certain order that Velda had taught me; nothing was out of place. I stared at my reflection, and it dawned on me....
She's right.
We're one and the same thing, I'm the same person as Velda.
"Ahhhhhh!!!" I screamed as I went into a frenzy, pushing everything off the desk, pushing the desk down, before grabbing the mirror and shattering it, ready to grab a piece of the glass and…
"Amory!" "Amory!!" "Amory, open the door."
And I froze! The piece of glass falling from my hand—that's Kale.
That finally broke me out of my frenzy; I can't be seen like this... My hair is a mess, my room is in a more sorry state, shit, shit…
"Amory, are you there?" the voice came again.
"Yeah," I said, my voice now a bit steady.
I breathed in, willing myself to calm down and talk more coherently.
"Are you going to let me in or not?" I could already hear an edge in his voice.
"Sorry, Kale, but can you wait for me downstairs? Let me, ugh... Ughm... Freshen up; I'll be down before you know it."
I listened to the silence that came after, adding to my nerves... Before I hear footsteps begin to leave, moving farther from my room.
I breathed out a sigh of relief, okay... Amory, get it together; this is not a time to get a breakdown.
I looked at the shattered glass and bent down to at least clear it, but I was pricked immediately by a shard of glass, making me hiss, and I stood up, leaving the glass on the floor.
I went to take a quick shower to erase any traces of tears. When I came out, I did my hair quickly and put on light makeup before putting on some clothes. Not really thinking about it, I just wanted to get out of this place; it's haunting enough already... There's no way I'm staying here to discuss anything with Kale.
I went out and quickly ordered a maid to clean my room. I briskly went downstairs, and I found Kale sitting at one of the antique chairs in the little library beside the living room. It was an extension from the living room that definitely should not be seen unless you are a part of the family or at least a worker to know there's an extension, and not to mention, you have to move a few things to get access to the main library.
I moved closer to find he's not in the main library but just a little extension from the living room. I'm definitely lying if I say I'm not surprised. I've taken a few of my friends to my house, but none of them noticed that extension. It's not that hidden; it just requires a little attention to detail, and you will figure out how the house was built.
His nose was buried in a book seemingly out of this world. "I presume you're done, considering the amount of time you spent in there and the one you are currently spending staring at the back of my head."
I shivered at the sound of his voice, his British accent cutting through each word...
Why does he speak like this anyway...??
His face was still buried in a book, not sparing me a glance since I came into the room.
Well, I'm going to change that.
I walked around him to stand before him, my butt planted on the table before him before I took the book from him.
"I'm guessing you find this book more interesting, Kale... It's quite disappointing."
"Or... is it a distraction?" That made his eyes lift to mine, searching my gaze. I smirked at the look of uncertainty settled in his gaze before leaning down towards him, my hands planted at either side of the chair.
"What are you reading anyway?" I said, my breath now fanning his face. He definitely didn't appreciate that, because he sprinted up immediately, pushing the chair back. After he was satisfied he had put a safe distance between us, he looked at me before clearing his throat.
"When are we starting the project... Are we using your room?"
I moved from the table and proceeded to leave the library...
" We're not doing it here, I have a studio apartment not far from school, let's use that one"
He followed me out, and I turned to him in time to see him give me a grim expression.
"What!"
"You said we were doing the project in your house."
"And I changed it."
"Why?"
"Kale, seriously, plans changed."
He didn't say anything again as we went outside, walking towards his car that was looking really luxurious... Maybe his parents are not poor anyway.
"We're going together, Kale, in my car," I said, calling after him.
"No, we're not," he said, looking at me.
"Yes, we are."
He raised an eyebrow at me.
"Seriously, Kale, you don't even know the place.
We go with my car, and when we're back, you can take yours."
He looked between me and his car before sighing, walking past me towards my car, which only made me grin... He's always throwing tantrums... And just to irritate him more, I walked fast, catching up with him.
"You didn't answer my question."
He raised an eyebrow at me. I didn't say anything, my eyes fixed on that single action.
"I didn't quite catch the question; can you repeat it?"
I cleared my throat as we got into the car.
"I asked you what you were reading back at the library."
"The Roman Empire," he said, seeming to be confused on why I took an interest in the book he was reading.
Roman Empire seriously... What is this guy really?
"What!"
"Nothing," I said before driving off.
Roman Empire... I couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
What an old man trapped in this drop-dead gorgeous body... I could feel his gaze on me.
In a bit to know what amuses me but at the same time not commenting at all, he just reclined back in his seat, put on his seatbelt, and then tried to get comfortable.