Being good is hard. Really hard. Lets face it, no one in this planet is entirely good.

Depressing but true.

Lets take me for an example. I am termed as the good girl which is ironic as being a good anything complies you to follow the rules and help other people.

Now lets just see how many of the check boxes do I really fill.

1) I listen to my parents.

Yup totally.

2) I have never done anything bad in my life.

Do drugs, alcohol and riding a motorbike dangerously on the streets count as bad?

3) I study a lot.

That's because I don't have a social life

4)I am nice to everyone.

Just ask Natalie where she got that huge bruise on her face from.

5) I love my siblings.

Absolutely.Which is why I almost jumped with joy when I found out that my sister had gotten kicked out of Harvard.

I felt kind of bad for her but then I remembered how she flaunted around with her acceptance letter and I let the grin spread.

Jake didn't tell me anything much after that because he thought it wasn't his place to tell.

So after Jake dropped the bomb he took me to finish my Christmas shopping, all I could think about what was the jingle I was repeating in my head;

Michella got kicked out of Harvard, Michella got kicked out of Harvard.

I did feel guilty at times and not to mention bad but that lasted for exactly two seconds before I started singing the jingle in my head.

"Why did she call you?"I ask him as we head down the lane to a watch shop.

"I don't know." He says,"But I guess she thought that I could help her out."

"Could you?"I try to sound genuine.

"Yes, they accepted her for the next semester but till then she isn't going anywhere near there." He says.

"No wonder she Is so attached to you superman."I say jokingly but he frowns.

"Attached is a bit of an understatement don't you think?"He says.

"Well this story has actually told me a lot of things." I say,"One I have excellent blackmail material against her and two Michella is not that big of a slut and is actually capable of feelings."

Jake raises his eyebrow,"I don't get the last part."

"Well I thought she just wanted you for some trophy but she genuinely likes you."

The minute I say it I regret it. Usually when I told anyone that my sister liked them they went running to her and Jake maybe different but he is still a boy and my sister is still the supergoddess.

"Isn't she sleeping with Alec?" He blurts out.

"Yup." I say bluntly.

We lapse Into silence and I'm still playing the Michella got kicked out of Harvard jingle in my head when Jake breaks it.

"I don't think you will use it as blackmail." He says carefuly.

I raise my eyebrows and he continues,"Michella told me why you guys fell out so badly and for someone who has kept that a secret for so long never once throwing it in her face I don't think you will do anything."

I stare at him gape mouthed,"She told you about that?"

He nods and I look and suddenly start feeling guilty,"She really really likes you Jake and I'm-"

I break off realising what I was going to say that I was rudely taking him away from my sister when she may as well be in love with him. But then I realise what she has done with Alec and I shut up. Why should I be the selfless one who is actually feeling guilty for coming in between? Hasn't she done the same with me and Alec? And I liked Jake so yes I was going to be selfish for once and come inbetween Jake and her because this time I believed that I actually had a shot.

It was ironic really. I spent my entire life mooning over Alec who was totally out of reach and when I think I actually have a shot with someone it turns out to be Jake Henderson someone who is even more unnatianble than Alec.

"Earth to Clara." He snaps his finger in front of me and I am dragged back to reality.

We were standing in front of a watch shop now and he was looking at me intently his eyes green as ever. In the sunlight I can make out the bruises on his face which he has taken a lot of effort to cover up.

I want to ask him where he got them but I have been nosy enough for today.

I try to think of what to get everyone. In normal families gifts are opened on Christmas mornings but since my parents never got out on christmas eve we only exchanged gifts at night on christmas day.

"Yeah, I'm on Earth." I say smiling,"With a lot to process."

He smiles and shakes his head looking at me,"I have never seen anyone weirder than you."

I wink at him going into the shop,"I will take that as a compliment."

______________________________

"Clara you were supposed to be home by six and its six ten."

My mothers voice blares through the phone and I find myself wanting wanting to throw my phone.

"There was a long-"

"I don't care Clara, rules are rule."She says in her stern voice.

Jake makes a mock gaging face and points to the phone and I laugh silently.

"If there was a long line in the hospital then you should have mentioned your boyfriends fathers name or even his surname."

Wow, she finds a way to blame Jake even for this.Okay technically it was his fault we got late.

"He has a name you know." I reply drily.

"Good for you learn to use it then if that's the only use he has." She says,"Now I want you to rush home and change and come straight here. Your boyfriend will know where it is."

With that she cuts the call.

"Well she is pissed."I say dumping my phone into my bag.

"Isn't she always?"He replies and I dind myself nodding.

"True that."I say,"Although she would be less pissed if you hadn't pulled the stunt with the ice cream. I am still sticky because of your mango ice cream."

"What I can't have my clumsy moments?" He says.

"No you are Jake Henderson." I reply,"You have the grace of a bloody god while he rest of us trip over our own feet."

"That's only you." He says smirking.

"Okay that's probabaly true but bottom line is that you don't fall."

"No, I do fall." He says intently,"Sometimes harder than I want to."

Something in his tone told me that he wasn't talking about falling down.

"Well regardless my mom is going to raise an army if we don't reach early." I say trying to change the topic.

"I do find it ironic that you decided to give ypur mother a a mug that said worlds best mom." he says smiling slightly.

"Exactly, what I was going for." I say returning his smile,"But that won't change the fact that I am late."

"Have you ever heard the term fashionably late?" He asks clearly teasing me.

"I have zero fashion sense and I like being punctual." I reply,"So we should get going."

He simply shakes his head and I laugh.

"What?" I say,"Do you diagree?"

"Yeah I do." He says,"I mean come on Clara are you telling me that you the person who rode a motorbike on the streets of New York can't handle being late?"

"Well I-"

He interrupts me before I can say anything else,"That's it I have had it. Today you are going to be fashionably late.I do add the word fashionably."

"Dream on Henderson."

_____________________________

Remind me never to underestimate Jake's talent of persuasion and manipulation.

We had arrived about an hour late thanks to him and the fuss he put up about my dress.

"Does your mom want you to look like a nun?" He says looking down at the dress my mom had put out for me.

"In front of you yes." I say picking it up,"She thinks that you are one of those villans from the books whose main goal is to steal a girls purity. Well at least it seems like that."

He laughs and I push him slightly as I say,"Now get out I need to change."

He makes a face,"Please tell me you are not wearing that horrid thing."

"Yes, I am." I say,"I don't have much of a choice."

"Correct me if I am wrong." He says slowly,"But your mother is a designer company who owns her own clothing company."

"And your point is?" I ask.

"My point is that you are not wearing this hideously loose dress." He replies and snatches the dress from my hand.

"Hey! Give it back!"

"Take it."He says taunting me by raising it up so I can't reach. I jump in vain as he puts lift it even higher.

"I hate you." I grumble dejectedly giving up.

"I'm sorry if I don't want my girlfriend fake or otherwise look like she has come out of a nunnery." He says.

"Okay then find me a dress." I say siting on my bed with my arms crossed.

It tales two of his giant strides to reach the other end of the room and he yanks open a closet door.

"And you tell me you have nothing to wear." He says pointimg to the large walk in closet which has shoes, bags, dresses and every type of clothing article possible all arranged perfectly and color cordinated.

"I'm glad you think that I am that organised." I say,"But that is my sidters clothes not mine."

"And I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you borrowed something." He says lookong through the dress.

"No, she would just hands down kill me." I reply.

"Aha." He says lifting up a dress,"You are definitely wearing this."

I stare gape mouthed at the dress he has picked out. Its beautiful I have to admit. Its a black flowing strapless dress that's short from the front and long from the back. Its got a lovely sequin pattern on its front and a thin waist that has a small black satin belt.

"I can't wear that." I say.

"And why not?" Jake asks raisimg his eyebrows.

"Because my sister will kill me and then roast me alive." I deadpan and he rolla his eyes.

"Oh come on."Jake says,"That's taking it a bit to far. Just try it on and if it looks bad you wear your nun dress."

"Fine." I say snatching the dress out of his hands and march towards the bathroom to change.I slam the door just to prove my point and I quickly change my clothes.

I know the dress won't fit me well because Michella and I are different sizes and I'm slightly taller than her and much less curvier.Suprisingly though it fits me perfectly and as I look in the mirror I actually like what I see.

My eyes don't look a dull grey anymore but are actually sparkling slightly. My hair is actually looking good for once where its neither too curly or too straight. This reminds me of how I looked on the night of the Homecoming Dance. I looked cute and sweet almost angelic according to what Ashley said but this dress made me look edgier and much more well it certainly did not make me look like a good girl in anyway.

It made look dare I say it quite hot.

I open a cabinet where Michella stores all her make up.Sure enough its all neatly arranged in sections. I take the first thing I recognize and that's an eyeliner. I take my time to apply it slowly and it comes out well.

The black makes my eyes look darker and brighter at the same time. I then grab a mascara bottle and try to recall all the lessons Rebecca gave me on using them. I apply it thickly to my eyelashes which look much more prominent.

For the final item I am about to grab a clear lip gloss from her collection but my eyes fall on her bright red lipstick and without thinking twice I apply it.

I look at myself and I look completley different. I don't look like the girl who was going to dinner with Jake and Alec two months back when Jake dropped one comment that more or less turned my life upside down. She looked innocent yet plain.

I definitely don't look like the girl who went to the Christmas Homecoming Ball wearing a white dress that made her look pretty and angelic and most of her made a look like a complete good girl.

I looked edgier, older and much more confident. I didn't look like naive or like some princess which was ironic because I had no grace what's so ever. I didn't look like a girl who wined or backed away from anything.

I looked different and I felt different. I liked different.

I slowly open the door and Jake sighs,"Thank god. You were taking so long I thought I would have to-"

He stops his eyes widening slightly. He quickly regains his composure and smirks,"Well you certainly don't look like a nun."

So that's why we were an hour late standing in front of a fancy penthouse with a grand total of seven missed calls from my mom.

Basically I was screwed.

But then I didn't care. I mean right now I was more concerned about how Michella would react seeing me in her dress.

The door opened to reveal Alec.He looks at me gape mouthed for a second and is about to say something but Jake moves forward and pushes alec aside slightly.

"Close your mouth bro." He says mockingly,"And stop drooling over my girlfriend."

With that he grabs my hand and pulls me in the house with Alec glaring behind us.

The inside of the penthouse is luxurious and spacious like everything the Hendersons own.

"Dinner is this way." Alec says awkwardly not really looking at me as he leads us ahead.

"I know where the dining table remember this is my mo-"

I elbow Jake and he breaks off as I give him a look that clearly says Behave.

He rolls his eyes but shuts up and follows Alec to the dining area. It is decorated extremely well with a nice Christmas tree which is complete with a star on top.

The dining table goes silent as we enter and everyone stops and stares at us. Jake in front of me goes slightly rigid and his fist clench. I can see his gaze fixed on his father who is opposite to his mother.

"Nice of you to arrive Clara." My mom says her tone icy and her eyes matching the hard tone of her voice. She gives a small nod,"And Jake."

Jeanine, Jake's mother completley oblivious to the change in atmosphere simply smiles,"Come on take a seat I hope you don't mind but we started eating."

Jake is still glaring angrily at his dad who is comfortably sitting and talking to Mr Evans his attention diverted from us.

"Of course not." I mutter hastily,"Sorry for arriving late we got-"

"That's okay."She genuinly smiles,"I hope your hand is all right. Jake told me you needed stitches."

I look at Jake shocked trying to figure out when he had time to call his mother.

"Its okay it wasn't that bad." I say seating myself opposite Alec, who was staring at me intently.

"You got hurt?"He asked lookong concerned.

"Yeah clumsy me cut my hand while chopping nuts." I say.

"Unfortunately they weren't yours." Jake drawls and I roll my eyes.

"It wasn't that bad." I say,"I just got distracted."

Alec is about to reply but Michella comes into my line of sight and she looks furious. She has clearly come from the kitchen with two plates in her hand.

Great now she has ammunition to throw. I swear to god one day without drama would be a miracle. Drama should be my middle name.

Clara Drama Wilson.

By now everyone has resumed their previous conversations although my mother keeps on glancing icily at me. Michella's glare is mad enough to melt my mothers eyes too.

"That's my dress!" She snarls.

"Yeah- I -I-"I falter looking at her.

"She had to borrow your dress because I spilt some soda on her dress." Jake comes to my rescue,"Clumsy me."

She purses her mouth into a tight line and nods taking her seat on the other end of the table.

I am surprised she isn't the one siting next to Alec but with my parents. Michella being her usual self would have been expected to sit next to Alec and flaunt her relationship with him on my face.

"So Clara." Jeanine, Jakes mom calls me and I look up,"How has dealing with my son been?"

I smile and Jake rolls his eyes at his mom.

"Well he can be a little difficult."I say smiling.

"Only a little?" She says teasingly,"Why then he must really like you."

"Wow mom thanks." He says sarcastically.

Both Michella and my mom are mirroring the same look of disapproval while everyone else was busy in their conversations. Alec kept on glancing at me as if wanting to say something but then he glanced away closing his mouth.

"But seriously."Jeanine continues,"I have got to give credit to your genes. Must have inherited Lily's organisational skills just like your sister. Making her my maid of honour was one of the best decisions I made. I don't have to worry about anything. She's been like a daughter I never had."

I know Jeanine doesn't mean it hurtfuly but it stings and Michella's triumphant smile adds salt to the wound.

Jake grabs my hand underneath the table and I am thankful for his simple gesture of kindness.

"I'm going to keep the bowls In the kitchen."My mom announces,"Clara can you help me."

Almost immediately I know that I didn't have a choice and whatever my mom was doing she was doing it in private because she didn't want to make a scene.

"I'll help too."Michella says standing up and I can immediately tell that its turned from a bad dream to a terrifying nightmare.

I pick up the bowls silently following my mother and Michella's lead to the kitchen. Its clear that Michella knows where she is going and has been here many times before.

Like the daughter I never had.

I snap out of it as we reach the kitchen and I put the bowls down on the counter.

"You were late." My mom says stating the obvious.

"There was a really long line at the hospital and I got delayed while buying everyone gifts." I say slowly.

"We already exchanged gifts Clara." She says curtly,"You go and return everything you bought tomorrow."

I take a step back at her sharp remark and look down. I don't want her to see how much it affected me. I mean I had always been on the outskirts of this family but my mother alienating me completley took it to a whole new low.

"I called your school you know." My mom says her tone becoming even sharper,"I was surprised to hear that your grades were still intact but what I wasn't surprised to hear was that you were getting into fights with people."

I became angry after that.

"Do you know why?" I say my voice rising,"Or are you to self engrossed here in New York? Do you know even know that Natalie and I are not friends anymore? Do you know that she has bullied me and made my life miserable for the last four years? Along with your older daughter?"

"Don't try to act like a martyr or a victim Clara." My mom says taking out a CD from he purse,"You are out of control and have been ever since camp with Jake Henderson. Michella showed me your antics in camp which were all recorded."

My eyes widen realising what the CD in her hands has in it. How did Michella get it?

"Thank god it wasn't leaked out." My mother continues,"Both your father and my reputation would be flushed down. You need to be controlled and I don't care what you do or try to do you are breaking It off with-"

"You bloody self centered narcissistic cold bitch." I snarl looking at Michella. I had never ever been so angry in my life and right now all I wanted to do was slap her across her face."I cannot believe thay even you were so cruel and cold that you could show that to her."

"Don't blame your sister she was just trying to help you." My mom says.