91 The Flashback, June 2004 2 (1/2)

The fourteen year old girl looked reluctantly at Rebecca, her eyes full of indignity. She was grumpy and was protesting with all her heart. Yet all Becky did was smirk at her while telling her to stay put.

Miya sulked unhappily, as the older girl twirled her about, trying to adjust her dress.

She didn't like it at all, the blue fluffy looking gown that Becky was forcing her into. Becky was also pulling at Miya's hair curling it at the bottom and putting powder on her face.

Miya coughed, creeped out instantly.

”Becky,” she said in revolt, ”This is so stupid. What are you planning? And why should I go to the party? And this dress sucks!”

Becky laughed.

”I'm just glad mother didn't get me a pink one. And this one's not so bad, little one. It's a good colour, it's called royal blue.”

”Okay, but why are you putting make up on me? It makes me want to faint!”

”Because you have to get dolled up in order for the plan to work. Now quiet! You're making me lose focus.�� Becky had begun to paint the girl's lips red.

Miya made a face.

”I don't care about the plan,” she said in one final try. Becky smirked.

”It's going to be fun, punk. Stop whining now.”

That was Miya's last effort. She then closed her mouth and let Becky carry out her plan.

Downstairs, Jimmy Hunter was standing in a corner with a glass of wine in his hand. He was wearing a black tuxedo paired with a black tie. He was the very image of breath taking beauty wrapped in a cold exterior right then.

He gave the hall a glance, looking unimpressed.

The Chairman had dragged him to this party tonight, saying that it was important. Jim had paid his respect to the Freeman couple and was now not to be bothered.

To be honest, he was not much of a party person. And he didn't really care about the Freemans. He had just joined the financial department of Hunter Corporation, and so had had the chance to look at the Toby-Freeman Publishing House's books.

With all due respect, they sucked at business.

Jimmy sipped on the wine quietly, bored. He had done his research, and there was nothing that interested him at this place. Except of course, that girl that he kept hearing about.

Rebecca Freeman Storm.

He had heard rumours about how useless an heir she was. And it amazed him, that a lady from a respectable family could ever be bred bad. So, he wanted to meet her and make his own observation.

After all, half of what you hear in his world was always crap.

The party had started a long time before.

Honestly, Jim thought it was stupid, a masquerade party. It wasted too much time, and he would rather go back and finish some of his work. But he couldn't voice his opinion, so he too had put on a simple black mask that covered his eyes and part of his nose.

Becky had meanwhile pulled some strings with the servants of the house.

”Miya!” she said excitedly, giving the smaller girl a final glance, ”I've found out. That Jimmy Hunter is in a plain black tuxedo and a simple mask! Oh, this is perfect. It's not at all hard to arrange. Miya, this is going to be so much fun!”

Miya's face scrunched up.

She enjoyed fooling around in the neighbourhood with Becky, but this she didn't approve of.

”Becky,” she said indignantly, ”What are you planning? And why are you so concerned about this Jimmy Hunter?”

Becky rolled her eyes.

”Stop being a wuss, little one. And I don't give a rat's ass about Jimmy Hunter. He's just part of my plan to make my life a bit easier!”

”What are you going to do?”

Becky smiled evilly.

”What I am good at. Creating a ruckus!”

With that, Becky went on and found herself a black tuxedo. She wore it, and then looked back proudly into the mirror.

She herself was only about an inch shorter than the Hunter boy. And she had seen him in the pictures. Their faces were too different, obviously, but with a mask covering half her face and the right make up, she would make a good imitation of Jimmy Hunter.

Not to mention, the lights must have been dimmed by now, and the dance must have begun. She could hear the music upstairs.

Nobody would notice that she was a fake.

Giving her appearance one final touch, and forcing the lace mask that looked like falling raindrops, on Miya's face, she dragged the little girl to the party.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Hunter was bored to death.

He had had his wine, made minimum conversation, refused sixteen dances and now was walking over to meet his father. He had had enough of this party. He was going back to the Hunter Estate.

Just then though, something caught his eyes.

Miya walked down the staircase nervously, holding up the gown, almost tripping over it in the process. Becky helped her with it, appearing like a proper gentleman. Miya was complaining.

”I look so stupid in this.”

Becky rolled her eyes.

”Shut up. You're gorgeous. Do you want me to call Adrian to confirm?”

That ended the conversation, but the frown never left Miya.

”And your plan is stupid.”

Becky again rolled her eyes.

”No, its perfect. Come on, Miya! I'll push you to a private corner, where my parents can obviously see you, and I'll pretend to force a kiss. There! The good image of Jimmy Hunter is shattered, he becomes a pervert and I can live at least a month in peace. How cool is that?!”

”It's not cool. It's stupid. But promise you won't kiss me for real? I don't want my first kiss to be you!”

”Yes, promise!”

”And make sure only Uncle and Aunt are looking when you do this. It would be bad to spoil the image of an innocent person publicly.”

”Yes, yes. Now don't be such a goody-goody. I'm not an idiot to mess with the heir of Hunter family anyway.”

Rebecca helped the girl down.

Just then though, her eyes fell on the gentleman that she was imitating. Jim was looking in their direction, and Becky was instantly nervous. Thinking that if he saw her, she might be found out, Rebecca quickly descended the stairs and hid in the shadows. In the process however, she stepped on Miya's dress.

The girl was already struggling with the fluff around her, and her hair that kept falling to her face. So when Becky accidentally stepped on the dress in her hurry to hide, Miya automatically tripped.

She would have fallen face down, but someone put an arm before her waist.

When Becky saw Miya was about to fall, she ran from her hiding spot for help. Someone else though made their way before.

Jimmy Hunter was just in time, to stop the girl from falling.

It was the blue in her dress that had initially attracted him. And now, he stood at the bottom of the stairs, grabbing the front of her torso as she almost fell over his shoulders. She was standing two stairs above.

Miya breathed a sigh of relief, clutching at the person's shoulder.

Then she quickly regained composure and looked back. The room was only lighted by faint blue ballroom lights. She couldn't really see the person. The mask was familiar. As was the dress. The jaw seemed slightly out of place, but Miya didn't suspect much. She concluded the obvious.

”Becky,” she sighed, ”Thank you.”

With that, the girl let go of Jim's shoulder, and trotted down the stairs clumsily, saying she would say hello to uncle and aunt.

Jim was surprised.

He let the small thing go, but he didn't forget to look back all the way till she had disappeared into the crowd.

Slightly dishevelled, the young boy shrugged.

That girl… well, it had been only for an instant. But he had never seen such striking green eyes.

And somehow, they seemed familiar.

Becky stood in the shadows, barely breathing. She couldn't believe that Jimmy Hunter had rushed to Miya's help! And that little punk couldn't even tell the difference! She thought it was her doing the saving!

Had she really disguised herself that well?

Or was Miya was actually just inattentive?

Just then, Rebecca's phone beeped. She took it out hurriedly, and saw Kasu's number flash. She picked up the call and barked angrily.

”What?”

A deep voice spoke to her on the other end.