The next few days were completely and totally overwhelming. I barely had time to breathe and I think it had something to do with the bridesmaid dresses Michella got for me. It was a pretty gold dress with heels that were bound to kill me but the worst part was that Michella purposely ordered a dress few sizes smaller. I had to give it to my mothers brilliant design and as much as I didn't like her talent was clear.

Unfortunately her talent didn't fit me.

If it had been up to Michella I would have been stuck in the dress through out the wedding but thankfully Jakes mom saw that I was so completely uncomfortable and told me to take it off and she would ask for a new dress.

I swear to god I looked blue even after I took the dress off.

Afterwards I went to my dad's office. You could make out that my dad was over compensating with me which probably explained the incident inbetween my mother and him about the matter of me being arrested. But whatever said and done I pretty much enjoyed whatever I did in the office . It was mostly learning about the different branches and structures of the company and all of its investors.

The Hendersons were once again on the top of that list too.

I can't help wonder just how big an empire like that can be. I mean my fathers company as compared to Henderson empire was almost minuscule and yet his earning margins told me the reason why all of us had an unlimited credit card.

I am exhausted over the next few days with constant rehearsals for the wedding, my mother glaring down at me and never giving me a chance to escape from her line of view. She even took my phone and I would have probably made a big fuss about it but I was to busy to bother.

I didn't see Jake or Alec much to my relief as well as disappointment. Even if I wanted to I couldn't meet any of them. My mom made sure to send a car for me so I had no chance if exploring or going anywhere. I didn't meet either of them in the office and frankly my schedule was to jam packed to even make the effort.

I did feel guilty about my outburst with Alec and I know I had to apologise but for now I just wanted to cool down because we both needed time to process what had happened.

Me mainly being a bitch to him and him mainly sucking up to everyone in sight.

So the next few days passed like that. There was almost zero change in my schedule except for the occasional dirty glare I would throw in my mothers way and carefully construct a plan to kill my sister during my free time.

It was on the 24th of December that anything even remotely interesting happened.

Christmas was a very big deal in our house. Well, at least to my parents and I only found out when the both of them were decorating the Christmas tree in the morning.

I had gotten up later than usual because my dad had told me to take next five days leading up to the wedding off because work during Christmas and New Years was incredibly slow and he had already booked me for my entire summer vacation after graduation to come back to New York.

I hadn't discussed my college application plans with my dad yet because I was yet to take the SATs at the end of January (I had planned to take the last one possible so that I had enough time to prepare) although my SAT subject tests were all sorted out and I had done extremely well in all.

"Clara come help me put the star on top." My mother calls out.

I roll my eyes as she turns around and walk towards her. She had me almost on lock and key for the past few days while her other daughter hadn't come home at night for the past two days. Nice to know that she loved me so much.

I sighed and took the star from her and stood on my tip toes and easily put it on top. I had got my fathers frame tall and kind of lanky but not really very skinny.

Trust me with the crap I eat I don't know how I am not obese but fairly okay in size.

My mother on the other hand is like Michella not too tall but extremely curvy yet at the same time thin in a way that made most boys drool. Well, at least in Michella's case I seriously did not want to find out if the same thing happened with my mother.

"So Clara what are your plans for Christmas?" My father asks me, his voice muffled by the tree in between us.

I glance at my mother who has this look on her face that is clearly daring me to say the J word but my mother and Michella shared the same genes and trust me I did not want to cross her anymore than I already have.

"I'm not sure, Rebecca wanted to go Christmas shopping but since I'm grounded...."

I pointedly stare at my mother who is happily back to ignoring me.

"Rebecca is the red head?" My father asks.

"No, the one with black hair."I say.

"Oh right Marion Reynolds daughter the one dating the Hoffman's kid right?" He asks and I'm quite surprised at how he knows that.

"Yup." I say.

"So why don't you go?" He says,"You are seventeen and young and I really don't see what you did to get grounded."

"She got arrested!" My mom exclaimed.

"Not legally. She has nothing in her record to prove it." My father replied coming out from behind the tree,"I checked it myself."

"But that doesn't mean she didn't get arrested." My mom says,"and all she wants to do is go and see Conrad's son who has in all sense got his fathers attitude."

"His name is Jake."I say,"He does have a name."

"She is young and she is dating a boy I'm sure you did it when you were a teenager."my father states.

"Oh please you are blinded by trying to make it up to her after all of these years." My mom fired back,"Just because Walter opened his big mouth with a few praises about her and she is dating Conrad's son it's more or less perfect for you and your stupid business and you have no time for anything else."

I sigh as they start fighting and Michella who just entered is mirroring the same expression. She looked a bit messier than usual and her clothes were wrinkled. I had seen her do the walk of shame well pride for her enough times to recognise it on sight.

"So who was the unlucky boy this time?" I ask trying to tune out my parents bickering.

"You know you have got a really big mouth on you ever since you started dating Jake?" She snaps,"I would watch it if I was you."

"Finally dropped the fake sister act huh?" I say,"I mean I should have gotten a clue when you tried to suffocate me in that dress."

"Well, I did it as soon as I realised that Jake was not worth it." She spat,"He is an asshole anyway and a total man-"

"Oh save the speech mother has already given it to me."I say,"And your opinion on him is something I can't care less about."

"Well, it's not my opinion more than the fact that I realised that whatever you have, has been mine first." She says grinning,"So as much as you try to see the good in Jake Henderson remember that I know much more about him than you do but I am not going to steal the fun of you finding out about it yourself and realising just who you are dating."

"Wow you act like he killed someone Michella." I roll my eyes,"All this he was the first and only person to dump your sorry little ass."

Something flashed in her eyes but it was replaced by a look of triumph.

I roll my eyes and grab my wallet and I am about to open the door not caring what my mother would do when she found out I left the house when Michella says from behind,"Alec."

"What about him?" I say opening the door.

"Oh I was simply answering your question. About who the lucky guy was." She says.

I glance at her for one-second but it's enough time to let her know that she had won this round. By a massive lead.

I quickly close the door and try to gulp back the rising bile in my mouth. I rush down the stairs instead of the elevator not wanting to wait for it and giving me time to think about what she said.At first I go slowly remembering to be careful knowing my past track record of falling.

But the triumphant smile on my sisters face pops up into my mind and I find myself running as fast as I can away from her. My sister was a bitch but she was a smart one. She knew exactly what to do to drive me over a ledge I couldn't possibly climb over.

It had happened the last time I crossed a line by spilling something about her that I shouldn't have and I payed that price for a full six months.

Even though Michella would never say it out loud but the reason she dated Alec was clear: to spite me. And boy did it work.The Michella phase had come after the Natalie phase but it hurt a lot more because she purposely flaunted him everywhere, in school as well as at home.

She did everything she could to show him off and frankly I don't know how much of their relationship was true. Maybe she did like him but her timing was impeccable right after I had almost ruined her reputation. I was absolutely miserable during my sophomore year.

Alec was a lost puppy at that time. Reeling from the Natalie break up he fell for Michella hard and for that as much as I tried I couldn't blame him after all she was pretty and smart and why should Alec be different from any other boy who would fall just as hard for her.

Jake didn't though.

Well, at least not until he kind of got drunk and slept with her.

I slow down almost laughing as I remembered the face Jake had made when he had first seen Michella. Fourteen year old Jake May have been much more immature with his stupid pranks but he was every bit as good looking as a person could be. Back then while he simply chose to ignore me he was repulsed by Michella.

And that definitely shot him higher up on my likeable scale.

Until he obviously decided to read my diary in front of everyone in camp and colour my hair red.

I calm down by the time I reach the ground floor because I had almost tripped and tumbled down the staircase and it took all of my concentration to carefully step down the rest of the way knowing that my balance was pathetic.I try to push Alec and Michella out of my mind especially the Christmas incident kind of sticks due the christmas decorations put up on the streets as I make my way to the Rebecca and Samantha's hotel.

For a brief second it does slip my mind when I remember Jake's reaction to the story and how he had laughed so hard that he had fallen down.

Maybe it's about time I start to understand the hilarity of this situation too. Maybe it's about time that I get it through to my head that my life when it comes to Alec Evans is so ridiculously complicated that it's just completely and totally flipping hilarious.

"Why are you laughing?" Samantha asks me as she swings the door open allowing me to enter her room.

Somewhere in between the walk to their room I realised why Jake was laughing at what I told him, because it was funny. In fact it was downright hilariously pathetic and the entire tangled situation between my sister, Alec and I was a comedy in which I was unfortunately in.

"Okay should I be worried about her?" Samantha says as I finally stop laughing.

"I found something funny so I laughed."I shrug as I plonk myself down in Samantha's bed.

"Why worried? Be happy." Rebecca rushes into the room from the bathroom door and stands in front of her mirror trying to take off her smudged mascara. She is wearing a tight black dress which I have never seen before and her hair is tangled and messy.

Suffice to say I have never seen Rebecca so out of shape.

"Our good girl here got arrested." Rebecca states as she takes off her earrings and places them on the table,"For trespassing."

"You broke into Alec's room?" She says incredulously,"I mean isn't that a bit too much now?"

I stare at her unblinking and start laughing again.

I mean it has to be sad if the first thing that pops into Samantha's when it's announced that I got arrested is that I got caught stalking Alec.

"No, I didn't it would be too much of a hassle and quite a pointless exercise." I say surprised of how calm and rational I sound while saying that.

"Well, like I said before screw Alec-" Rebecca starts but is interrupted by Samantha who mutters,"Oh I bet she plans to."

For some reason I don't blush red or react to that sentence like I previously would have, in fact I am pretty much irritated by it but I simply give her a small smile and say,"Rebecca continue."

"Anyway apparently the both of you were arrested for trespassing?" She says and raises her eyebrows.

"Alec got arrested? I mean he is probably as bad as everyone else in our grade but I really didn't think of him as the breaking and entering type." Samantha states.

"Alec? Really who cares about Alec I am talking about Jake." She says and for some reason that statement makes me want to smile,"They got arrested for going on top of the Empire State Building when they were not supposed to and Alec went to bail them out with Jake's father."

"You could have jeopardised your future you know." Samantha states,"And good thing Alec was there to save your ass-"

"Are you really kidding me?" I say,"HE ratted me out to my mom and she grounded me."

"She is your mom." Samantha states.

"Really? So then where was she during parent teaching meetings or-"

Samantha cuts me off swiftly,"I get that she was absent but stop blaming Alec for that he did the right thing by calling your mother."

"What have you become Alec's new spokesperson or better yet lawyer?" I snap angrily my previous calm disappearing,"Well then defend this: He slept with Michella. Again. After we had a fight about it."

Samantha blushes red and I know its from anger and not embarrassment.

"I am not anyone's spokesperson or lawyer, I am just trying to make you see sense." She says,"Jake is bad. You are not. You have never done anything wrong in your life but with him-"

"So what?" I say really get frustrated,"So what if I do something wrong? Just because I am the good girl that doesn't mean that I can't do something fun or have a spine for once? Stop blaming Jake you know nothing about him-"

"How much do you know about him?" Samantha says ,"He is changing you Clara and not for the better-"

"Well, I think it's for the better." Rebecca speaks up this time,"And who are we to judge who she dates-"

"Fake dates." Samantha corrects.

"Who cares this is Clara's life Sam and it's her choice." She says,"I personally like the Clara that actually fights with Natalie stands up for herself and isn't tripping over her feet all the time and I like Jake because the both of them are perfectly imperfect and frankly thats the most anyone could ask out of any relationship."

"But they are not dating, Rebecca." Samantha says out loud,"They only put up a ruse so that Clara can make Alec jealous, the guy she has been pining over forever."

"Samantha." Rebecca says quietly and for some reason Samantha freezes. She looks at Rebecca with an unreadable expression on her face and finally shakes her head and springs herself off the bed,"Fine you are right but Clara I hope that Jake is worth losing a guy like Alec who has been your friend for a very long time."

She leaves the room shutting the door behind and Rebecca sighs.

I sit there shocked at what Samantha said and try to process the jumble of thoughts that race through my head.

"So I slept with Jeremy." Rebecca finally says and breaks the ice and cdiverts the topic.

I look up at her startled and ask,"When?"

"Yesterday." She sighs,"And I am scared that now that I have slept with him he may just....."

"Why are you scared?" I ask slowly seeing how Rebecca is trying her best not to cry.

"I-I "

She faulters and for the first time I realise why she was rooting for me and Jake.

"You are scared that Samantha was right? That Jeremy just acted like he liked you to sleep with you?" I try to keep my tone as soft as possible but it does not cover the harsh words in the sentence.

"I don't know."She finally admits," I asked him if he wanted to go for dinner today and he said that he had a family commitment. It's Christmas Eve for the love of god and I thought maybe.."

She again looks down and I realise just how whipped she was over him.

"You-You love him don't you?" I say,"And the reason you root for Jake against Samantha is because you hope that she is wrong about him, so then she is wrong about Jeremy too."

"No, I don't root for you guys because I hope Samantha is wrong I really hope you guys make it.." She trails off.

"There is nothing to root for between me and Jake. As for Alec... Sam is right he did do the right thing but I am pissed at everyone telling me what I can do and what I can't." I say,"As for Jeremy Hoffman I can't really say anything much but I think he genuinely is in love with you."

"I hope so." She says,"I hope Samantha comes back around,"

"Yeah what was the secret telepathic thing you told her to get her to leave?" I ask.

She looks at me her eyes calculating how much she should tell.

"I don't think it's my place to tell." She finally says,"Sam well tell you soon enough."

"If she ever talks to me again." I mutter.

"She will, she just is having a hard time." Rebecca says,"Her parents are pressuring her about college and she is all over the place and extremely stressed."

I nod.

"I hope so." I mutter.

"Well, I know so." Rebecca says smiling once again.

At times I wish I could be like Rebecca who displays her emotions so openly. She really believes in the best in people and despite being afraid she is ready to take the leap.

I on the other hand, am a giant bowl of confusion and drama.

"So you want to go Christmas shopping?" I ask her.

We had actually never really made plans of going Christmas shopping I had just used it as an excuse to get out of my house.

"I already shopped." She says looking guilty.

"That's okay." I say slowly,"I mean it's not like I have anyone to shop for. I mean that is unless I want to gift Michella a knife to kill herself."

The two of us laugh it off and pretty soon we start discussing random things.I don't know how it happens but out conversation leads to us ordering and watching The Proposal. It's about the end of the movie when Sandra Bullock cancels her wedding that the door bell rings.

Rebecca who is pretty much bawling her eyes out for no reason is in no shape to open the door so I lift myself and head lazily towards the door and swing it open.

I find myself face to face with Alec. His eyes widen and he takes a step back.

"Hi." I decide to start simple.

"Hi." He yet looks unsure about himself and extremely uncomfortable.

We stand there together in awkward silence until he finally breaks it,"Is Jeremy here?"

I shake my head in response and say,"No."

He gives me a quick nod and looks almost relieved that he has a chance of getting out of here and away from me.

"Okay then I guess bye." He says quickly and backs away.

"I'm sorry." I blurt out before he can go any further.

He looks puzzled as he stops,"You don't have to, it was just a small spat."

"No, I'm sorry for saying that I didn't approve of your relationship with my sister."I say rambling,"I mean it's not like I have any right to have a say in this I mean it's not like we dated or anything...."