Free From Rags by Suzanne Wright Page B

even in this situation, Jaxxon found herself smiling.
    “You know what they say,” began Isla, “beggars can’t be -”
    “It won’t work, you know,” said Jaxxon in a bored, flat tone. “Trying to make me feel small…It won’t work. I feel sorry for you if you have to put other people down to make yourself feel big.” Isla guffawed but Jaxxon could tell that her directness had put Isla out of her comfort zone.
    “Sweetheart, if you’re such a sensitive person then fame really isn’t for you.”
    “Sensitive?” Jaxxon smiled. “No. You see the thing is, sweetheart , unless insults come from someone who I care about then I really couldn’t give a shit about their opinion. It’s the fact that you’re trying so hard to get at me that I don’t like. If you can’t handle frankness, then having a conversation with me really isn’t for you.”
    Merely a second after her last word was said a tingly feeling spread down Jaxxon’s spine and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Someone was staring, and staring hard . There was nothing about it that felt threatening, it was just intense. She resisted the urge to look; if she’d managed to land herself an extremely intense admirer then she didn’t want to give him any encouragement.
    Just as Jaxxon was about to drag Anna away, her attention was snagged by the loud snickering of a dark-skinned, busty woman who was shrugging her way through the crowd. Jaxxon recognised her to be a chat-show host.
    “Well if it isn’t Crystal Marsden.” Isla’s smile was deceivingly friendly.
    Crystal halted in her stride and glared at the actress. “Don’t bother, I don’t have time for backstabbing overactors, or” – she looked at Jonathan – “failing producers, or” – she switched her attention to Anna – “little -”
    “Hey,” snapped Jaxxon. “Not a word about her.”
    Crystal inhaled sharply, a look of surprise on her face. “I’m supposed to bow down to the face of Allure, am I?”
    “I don’t care whether you bow, clap or flip me off. But you leave Anna be.”
    Scrutinsing Jaxxon with her eyes, Crystal placed her hands on her hips. “You know what they say – you can pamper a poodle, but it will still be a dog.”
    Jaxxon was pretty sure she had never heard anyone say that before. As backward insults went, that one was crap, but whatever. “If that’s the best you’ve got in your locker your imagination can’t be up to much.”
    “Face of Allure you might be, but remember this: you’ll always be a product of the failed social system.”
    Jaxxon pinned the much-too-talkative snotty cow with a glare that she knew had to be shimmering with all the exasperation she was feeling. She guessed it was the same look that Richie, Ollie and Tony claimed put people in a thrall because the snob seemed mesmerised. Good, at least she would definitely be listening. “Here’s something for you to remember; you might have been born into money, but you came out of a vagina the same as everyone else. Popping out of one that’s rich doesn’t make you anything but lucky, or susceptible to being stuck up your own arse. Whichever.” With that, Jaxxon pulled Anna further into the crowd. Again her spine tingled and the skin of her back was almost burning. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could resist swerving around to see who the hell was staring.
    “Bloody women,” grumbled Bruno as he very abruptly appeared at their side. “No offense,” he added quickly.
    “What’s up?” asked Jaxxon.
    “My ex.”
    “She didn’t come,” guessed Anna, her voice sympathy itself.
    “Oh she’s here alright. With someone else.” Anna gasped. Jaxxon winced. “They’re looking really cozy.”
    “Maybe you should talk to her,” said Anna. “It might just be for show – you know, like Ollie wanted you and Jaxxon to play up to the rumors.”
    “I thought of that, but after talking to her I learnt that it’s no so innocent at all.”
    “Boyfriend?”