“Certainly,” he nodded. “May I ask you the subject of your essay?”
“The Patricians.”
He arched his eyebrows. “Bold choice.” His words radiated approval. “I will be more than happy to help you.”
My smile widened and turned genuine. “Thank you.” I quickly reached the exit but my steps faltered when I saw Caleb leaning against the wall across the room, arms crossed on his chest, legs crossed at his ankle, his dark glare directed straight at me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He asked as I stood a few steps away from him.
“Meeting Taylor for lunch.” I replied, starting to walk away.
He made a beeline and stood in front of me. “Whatever your plans are, they’re not going to work,” he called from close behind me. “I can see right through you, Esmeralda Forbes,” he added with as much venom as he could muster. “You will not fool me.”
I wanted to ask him what hurt him so badly that he became who he was but in the end it didn’t really matter. He, and the likes of him, had no place in my life.
“And what are you seeing, Caleb Astor? What is my evil master plan?” I crossed my arms across my chest challengingly.
He cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing at the resistance in my voice. “You need to learn your place, Esmeralda, I will discuss this with your brother.”
I sighed. “You should do what you feel is right.” No matter what, he would never let me win and I couldn't care less.
“Be careful what you wish for, Esmeralda Forbes! You’re trying to entice me but once you’ll get my full attention, I'm not sure you’ll know how to deal with it.”
I rolled my eyes, but I wasn't sure I liked the feeling of giddiness settling deep inside at the idea of having his undivided attention. I turned around before he had a chance to see that on my face. “See you later.”
Chapter 6
Taylor had not been wrong in her assessment, things didn’t get better but at least they hadn’t gotten worse.
In the two weeks following my start at Brentwood Academy, things settled – Of course my brother still reluctantly took me to school and made a fuss every time Tay couldn’t drive me back. Of course, I was always being glowered at by the Kings of Brentwood and their groupies included – Well, Tay and I called them the Glee Team and it suddenly rendered them much less threatening and highlighted just how stupid they truly were. They had tried to get me going but since I dismissed all of their jabs, and attempts at humiliation, they eased off.
The only positive point in all of this was the classes, they were insightful and challenging and it was amazing for me to experience this level of teaching outside of the public-school environment I was so used to.
And just like every morning since I moved here, I was sat at a table filled with so much food it was obscene, across from a brother who enjoyed playing with his phone to remind me I didn’t have one and who now excelled at pretending I didn’t exist.
Our father stepped in, dressed in his usual crisp three-piece suit but his presence was an uncommon occurrence, he was rarely here, and poor Sophia was so faded into the background that I could barely see her either.
I’d been so hell-bent on hating them both, William Forbes and his pretty trophy wife, but whilst I had no problem disliking him after everything he was putting me through, I couldn’t dislike her – if anything I felt sorry for her.
The man she married was clearly a cold-hearted monster who didn’t look at her, touch her, or show her any affection – she was just a pretty toy who served one purpose – to make him look good when necessary.
I sighed thinking about how sad she always looked, how a woman who should be full of life looked like a faded version of herself.
“What’s the problem, Esmeralda?” My father asked, reacting to my sigh. However, his tone made it clear he didn’t want to deal with any issue.
“No problem father, everything is fine.”
He nodded stiffly. “We’re having people for dinner tonight. I believe it’s time to introduce you officially to the people who matter.”
I looked down at my bowl to hide my eyeroll. ‘People who matter’ meant his rich asshole friends.
“Look at me, Esmeralda,” he snapped, making my brother smile. Why did that boy enjoy my suffering so much?
I met my father’s cold eyes unwaveringly. “Yes, father?”
“I need you on your best behaviour tonight, polished and appropriate, I will not tolerate any mishaps, do you understand me?”
“Yes, father I do.” These words felt like pebbles in my mouth. I wanted to tell him to shove his middle-aged rules as far up his butt as he could.
He seemed pleased by my answer as his eyes shone with approval. “Very well, if everything goes well, I might reconsider your access to a phone.”
I did my best to keep my face smooth knowing that any phone he would give me would probably be tapped, but at last I would have a communication device to talk to Tay.
“Thank you,” I replied, and Lord did it cost me to bow my head and accept this.
My father smiled brightly. “I’m glad you’re coming around,” He commented before swirling around and leaving the room the same way he walked in.
Archie glared at me and I returned his look with an eyeroll. “I won’t steal your spot as favorite child Archibald,” I sighed. “I would never sink low enough on my principles and personality to be able to hold it.”
Archie’s nostrils flared at the jab. If he thought he could break my spirit he had another thing coming.
“Let’s go,” he ordered, standing up briskly and leaving the room without as much as a look back. He really was our father’s son.
“Is Oppenheimer driving you tonight?” he asked as we settled into the car.
“No, she has model union.”
“Be on time then, I don’t want to wait for you,” he barked and resumed his usual disregard for me as we drove in tense silence – ah, family!
“Please tell me you’re coming today,” I begged Tay as soon as I met her on the front steps.
She shook her head. “No sorry, mom doesn’t do sitters and I’m always too happy to avoid stuffy parties by babysitting my brothers.”
“Yeah, I understand,” I replied, crestfallen. I wanted her there, she was rapidly becoming my best friend, but I didn’t want her to suffer along with me. I liked her enough already to avoid subjecting her to any undue stress. “It’s maybe better this way, I’ll have a hard time pretending with you around.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ah yes, after Barbie wife William Forbes is gunning for Barbie daughter, isn’t he?”
I shrugged. “It’s not forever.”
She gave me a small smile full of meaning and it made me uncomfortable, as if I was delusional to even think about escaping this life.
“Just see this evening as a social experiment,” she added with a shrug as we walked down the corridor, our arms interlaced.
“It will help me with my Independent Studies,” I confirmed, somehow seeing the evening a bit more positively.
“How is that?”
“I decided to write a paper in Sociology, on the social castes and how old legacies didn’t really evolve to make place for strong women.”