MARELLA REDEK STOOD anxiously in front of her bedroom mirror, attempting to tame her hair. It had been a terrible idea to attempt to lace the entire thing into one of those cute floppy buns, and now she had to try and untangle all the strands of hair from each other.  

She didn't know how she hadn't realized that a boy as good-looking as Tam Song was in her class, and was eagerly preparing for the car ride to The Vacker Mansion. She could even deal with Biana for a few hours if it meant that Tam got to drive her there. 

After changing into a tight, red long-sleeved cropped shirt that showed off a little bit of her stomach and high-waisted frayed denim shorts, she slipped on her favorite red ankle boots and headed out the door. 

Before leaving, she turned around to say goodbye to her mother. "Hey mom. I'm going to Biana's house. Remember her? I've told you about her before. But guess what?! A good-looking guy is going to drive me there!" 

She heard a honk from outside the door and opened the curtain a tiny bit to see a shiny black car parked outside her house. 

"And there he is! Bye Mom!" Marella called out to her mother, who had not even turned to face her daughter. Marella sighed, and opened the door, wondering why she still tried. 

"Hey Marella!" Linh called, waving out from the passenger window. "Do you want to ride shotgun, because I can change seats and move to the back if you want?!" 

"Nah I'm fine," Marella said, even though she secretly wanted to, but Linh was far too innocent and sweet for Marella to take the seat from her.  

Tam had both of his hands firmly planted on the steering wheel, his eyes staring straight ahead. Marella noticed that his knuckles were turning white from holding on so tightly. 

Linh saw her staring and laughed. "Tam's not very good at driving, so he's feeling extra-stressed, especially since we're going to Biana's house."

"Shut up," Tam muttered under his breath, as he took a sharp left turn that would have caused Marella to fall over and smack into the window if she hadn't had her seat belt on. 

"What do you mean, 'especially since we're going to Biana's house?'" Marella asked. 

"Oh you didn't know?" Linh whispered conspiratorially. "Tam's had a crush on Biana since freshman year! But she doesn't know he exists." 

Marella felt her heart sink deeper into her chest. Another boy who liked Biana. She should have known. Why did she even try anymore when every guy that she liked would like Biana over her? 

"No I don't, stop it," Tam said, though Linh's statement was already confirmed by the blush riding up his pale cheeks. 

The car ride remained silent for the most part, with occasional questions from Linh, but Marella couldn't really focus on them. All Marella could think about was the fact that Tam liked Biana just like every other guy on the planet. 

As they pulled into the ginormous drive-way that was lined with giant cherry blossom trees that draped the car with pink flowers, lined with ginormous carved hedges. As they drove up the circular road that led to their driveway, the legendary Vacker Mansion was revealed. 

With hundreds of white columns and four magnificent stories, the mansion in total including the backyard covered around 15 whole acres of land. It reminded Marella strongly of the White House. As the car drove up the circular street path towards the overly gigantic golden gates that an 18 wheeler would comfortably fit under. There were two automatic white knights that stood post at them. Linh tried to speak to one of them, but discovering they were simply machines, she sat back down in her chair, pouting. 

Once Tam had persuaded the mechanical knights that they were not there to: "Threaten the safety of Sir Alden and Lady Della," they were allowed through the giant gates into what seemed like another realm. 

With large juniper trees, leaves flecked with silver and gold, and a pearly smooth stone path that led all the way around the entire house and its yard, it resembled the castle of a fairy tale king. Tam hit the brakes as they parked behind an old brown truck, splattered with some strange glowing substance that had a slightly flattened wheel, and did not match up with the rest of the aesthetic around them. 

The three of them got out of the car, and Linh gasped as she pointed out a building made of glass, where there were flowers of all kinds, and millions of brightly colored butterflies flying around. As they headed up what seemed like thousands of stairs towards the elevated front doors, Marella noticed a sparkling lake with real swans and what seemed to be a couple of pool floaties floating around inside it. There was also a large meadow, with grass so green it seemed like she was in a children's coloring book, and she saw a wooden stable nearby, with actual horses prancing around inside it. 

Marella grudgingly admitted that Biana's family had some serious taste. Tam must have felt the same way, as he looked around the area with the increasing look on his face that said plainly: 'Wow. I really do not belong here.'

By the time they arrived at the doors, Marella was regretting the choice to wear heels. No wonder the Vackers were so in shape, every day they had to climb a fucking mountain made of marble to get anywhere. No wonder they were all perfectly sculpted sticks. 

"Let's play a game," Marella said sarcastically as they waited for somebody to answer the door. "I say something and lets see if we can find it in the Vacker's backyard. Marble Statue." 

"There!" Linh pointed out happily. Marella craned her neck and rolled her eyes when she saw that Linh wasn't joking. In the middle of the circular driveway, on top of a giant stone was a pointed monument with the Vacker 'V' carved into the middle. 

"You gotta be kidding me," Marella muttered under her breath, just as the door opened, showing Fitz Vacker, in a tailored black shirt and fitted black pants. 

"Hey guys, you're here for the project right?" 

"Obviously," Tam remarked. 

"Jeez, no need to be so salty. Come in," Fitz held the door open wider for them and they all stepped inside. Marella couldn't help but notice that Fitz's hair looked exceptionally good today. "Just a warning, Keefe and I will be here practicing football in the backyard while you guys work, so we might be a bit loud." 

"Yeah I know, I'm on the team too," Tam said, as he strode past Fitz and entered the mansion. 

Linh shot an apologetic look towards Fitz as she and Marella walked past him. "Sorry about that, he's just a bit- well, salty like you said." 

When Marella walked in the building, everything around her screamed 'rich'. The first thing she noted was the extremely posh foyer, with white ottomans lining the wall and two topiaries besides the door. A large crystal chandelier with hundreds of tinkling white crystals that flowed downwards in a spiral hung in the middle of the room from the high celling. A large fluffy rug was spread across the floor, and she could see tiny gems interlaced within the wool, making it glow underneath the lights.

She also noticed that every time Fitz opened the door, there was a light heavenly chorus. Fitz seemed to realize she had noticed, because he flushed and quickly explained, "It's a sound system. Dad hired somebody to install it because he saw it in the store during one of his daily donation times, and bought it. It gets quite annoying sometimes, and Mom doesn't like it that much." 

Marella could see her face in the shiny wood floors. It was quite disorienting, seeing your face every time you walked, and she was grateful when they headed towards the door leading outside. 

Dex was there, chatting with Sophie underneath a giant weeping willow, and Biana and Maruca  were sitting on the bench besides them. Biana was looking though her phone, and Maruca was staring around the backyard in awe. She was the first one that noticed them. 

"Guys! Tam, Linh and Marella are finally here!" she called out. Biana raised her head from her phone and looked at them. 

"Finally. Why were you guys late?" 

Marella shrugged. "I dunno Ms. Oh-so-perfect-punctual-pretty-pants, some people I just can't meet up to your oh-so-punctually-amazing standards. I bow before you as a pathetic peasant my queen." Marella bowed mockingly at Biana, causing a hint of a snicker from Dex and Sophie. 

Biana pursed her lips and sighed. "We're gonna have to be civil guys, or else all of our grades will take a hit from this. It's just four weeks, we can get along for that long right? 

Sophie, Dex and Linh nodded, Tam muttered an "I guess", Maruca shrugged, and Marella murmured "four weeks is way too long." 

Marella slid into the bench besides Dex and Maruca and Linh sat besides Biana, with Tam on her other side. Dex opened up the packet that the teacher had assigned to them. 

"Okay, so it says that we can't have any inappropriate language in our play-" 

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Marella asked indignantly, snatching the packet from Dex and staring at it. "How are we supposed to show emotion then??" 

"Uh, by not cursing?" Sophie replied.

"Duh," Maruca murmured exasperatedly, rolling her eyes. "That's what 'inappropriate language' means. Thanks for informing me genius." 

Marella gave Maruca a high-five under the table.