Down the rabbit hole Chap 3 A tight knit reunion withen well known strangers.

Clarity rest her fingers on a small, unblooming rose bud. She was crouching, in behind the hedges. The party had died down after the proposal, and only a few guests remained. Happily fleettering about their weekends, now that their least favorite relatives were long gone.
Clarity never talked to her cousins, even though she had many, whom her company was always wanted. She turned them down everytme, to play with spiders or read a novel. Rumours had been sparking up that Clarity spoke to ghosts. That wasn't true, even though Clarity would enjoy talking to someone with experience in life, unlike her many, clueless cousin. They could have Nyree.
" Clarity,"A small, soft voice only recgonizable as Clarity's cooky mother Alice. She approached her middle daughter without caution, croutching down next to her slightly.
" Would you like to join your family in the tea parlour? We have some nice freshly made coffee, i know it's expensive but-"
" I prefer tea."
" We have vanilla frosted cookies too."
" I prefer chocolate."
Her mother shook her head, smiling. Alice stood up stooping over her yellow clad daughter.
" You are the fussy little one aren't you?Nyree loves everything you hate, and Lya doesn't care.."
Clarity nodded slightly as her mother trailed off. As Alice strode off, she called out to Clarity
" You ca join whenever you want to!"
Clarity ignored her mother, and stayed crouched in the bushes as the entire garden seemed to claer out. Running away from the family reject.
Clarity stayed their, searching for spiders as hard as she could, but no luck. She decided to just go join her family. No one had spoken to her in monthes. Striding off into the tall grass that led to her white stoned home. It wasn;t very small, but it wasn't a palace either.Just as she reached the cobble stone steps, some ran past her eye. A mouse? a rat? something small. And grey. She shrugged it off and continued inside.Her usually eerie, queit subdued home was interupted by bustling men women in light coloured gowns, childeren, her age and younger were running up and down hallways, in and out of rooms and all the way upstairs.
They better not touch dad's study room Clarity thought bitterly. She made her way into the tea parlour, and to her surprize, it was full of her favorite people.
Aunt Gabrielle, her father's younger sister by 2 years. She was a very intriguing woman, if she had a feeling, she felt it through her entire being.

Uncle Alan, he was about sixty, one of her oldest uncles. He was a jolly man dressed in tie-less suits and unbuttoned jackets. He was known creating his own alchoholic concoctions and passed out after consuming them. Never married for some reason, though.

Cousins Portia, Clark, and Ginnie. They were the most understanding cousins. And the most fun. None of them were sibling though, but their ages all matched. Back then, when Clarity liked to spend time with her family, they four would go on treasure hunts and ocean adventures. Burrying some of Aunt MAvis's most important items in the backyard was Clarity's absoloute favorite activity.

" Glad you could join us!"

Alice said, behind her daughter, coming in through the doorway with a tray covered in vanilla,strawberry and cinnamon frosted cakes, and cookies, two teapots, one filled with tea, and another with coffee. Alice smiled meakly towards her daughter, trying to please her desperately. She placed the tray down on the raised table. Everyone reached for the tray at once.

" Hey Clear!"

A phlegmy voice excled joyfully. Clarity turned to find a wide eyed brunette, gangly and stalky, towering over everyone else. She had a growth spurt over the spring, Clarity thought. She was taller than Uncle Alan!

" Potion! It's been ages!"

Portia smiled, revealing two rows of perfectly placed, white teeth. She always was the pretty one.

" I know, hasn't it? I haven't been having a picnic since I went off to school thoguh. No one really likes me."

Portia said, referring to St.Atome's academy for young ladies. Portia's father, uncle Albert, insisted Portia be seperated from the boys. Apparently, Boys are trouser deamons! Bad influences and struck in the head. Stay away from them! Or you will loose all your merits and acheivments. Just ask your mother!

Albert never really did like any male friends Portia socialized with. He a bit shaky even with his own nephew.

" Clear? Is that you!"

A pair of piercing, tea green eyes only to belong to a member in the Felisus family. Ginnie, a short sized, short-tempered red head. Always the leader in our many adventures.

" Ginger! yes, yes it's me."

Ginnie hugged her best friend. They hadn't spoken since Ginnie moved to Scotland, but they did send a few letters.

" How's Clark doing?"

Clarity asked, awkwardly. She had always felt something between her and Clark. They weren't even cousins. Just extremely close family friends.

" He's...changed a bit. Since the lost days. He's not entirely himself."Ginnie stammered. Portia was lost in a gaze, as the three friends stared at Clark, questioningly. He had gotten very handsome over the years. He had changed personality wise too. Not the same boy Clarity used to chase around the garden, trying to put a spider in his ear.

" Hasn't anyone taught you, it is rude to stare!"

A shrill, high, unfamiliar voice chirped into Clarity's, and her friend's ears.

Brielle Evanswoode. Her father and Clarity's were working partners for a brief time period in france, and she's been invited to parties ever since. She was a goody-two shoes, and never approved of their adventures, even if she begged to join just 3 minutes before.

No matter how horrid she was, she had still been blessed with that heavenly face. Perfetly chizzled features, her eyes practically glowing in their sockets. It wasn't fair.

" Oh, sorry. We didn't notice that Clark was now your property!"

Ginni e steamed, Ginnie and Birella Hated each other deeply. But that hatred was just about to get stronger!