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I keep my answer deliberately vague and cross my fingers that he doesn’t ask me to elaborate. I’ve barely got them crossed when he glares at me and snaps, “Why not?”
I bite the inside of my cheek, giving me a few precious seconds to come up with a good answer. I can’t exactly tell him the truth. I can’t tell him that I don’t want a date, as then I’ll be able to go with my friends—more specifically, I’ll be able to go with Miles.
My silence stretches on, and it doesn’t take long for Father to grow bored. “What happened to Haley? Why can’t you ask her?” he asks through gritted teeth.
This time, Chloe doesn’t even try to hide her scoff, or the way she rolls her eyes, making her hatred known. Father turns his glare towards her, giving me a moment's reprieve.
Before anyone has the chance to speak, Mother makes her opinions known, shocking us all. “You can’t take that gold digging whore. Someone with our status deserves a lady, not a tramp.”
Chloe chuckles, once again covering her face with her hand to hide it, as Father continues to glare at her. I speak up, pulling his attention away. “I wasn’t planning on asking Haley.”
It’s not just that I wasn’t planning on asking her, I doubt she’d come with me even if I did. After the night in the club, when I dumped her arse to chase after Miles, she made it clear she’s done with me. And if I’m being perfectly honest, I couldn’t give a shit. I’m kinda glad she’s no longer in my life, giving me a headache.
I have enough stress and confusion without adding her into the mix, too. I can’t stop thinking about that night, and it’s not because I upset her. Things between Miles and I got pretty heated in a way they never have before, and it left me reeling.
My head is all over the place, and I’m more confused than I ever have been. I’ve never been attracted to another guy before, but there’s no point in denying that I feel something for Miles…what it is, I’m not entirely sure. If I should act on it…well, that’s a different question entirely.
All I know is that I enjoy spending time with Miles, more than I ever have with anyone else. Marcus is my best friend, and he probably knows me better than most, but I still hold a piece of myself back with him.
Whereas, when I’m with Miles, he sees me. He sees the pieces I try to hide, the dark side I’m not always proud of, and he makes me feel alive. He makes me feel more like myself…and that scares the shit out of me.
“Then who are you taking?” my father snaps again.
I shrug my shoulders in a way that makes one of his eyes twitch. “Honestly, since none of us can find suitable dates, Marcus, Miles, and I will probably just go together.”
Father shakes his head as he continues to glare at me. “Well, I heard from Maximus just yesterday that Marcus has a date. He set him up with the daughter of one of his business associates.”
Chloe drops her fork, and the crash of it hitting her plate has all of us staring at her. Usually, my sister is good at masking her emotions, but for just a fraction of a second, several flash in her eyes, and they look suspiciously like jealousy and sadness, before settling on being pissed off.
Chloe has had a crush on Marcus for a long time, but it’s just a schoolgirl infatuation that is most definitely not reciprocated. I don’t think Marcus is even aware of how she feels, and she normally does a much better job of hiding it. I’m hoping she’ll grow out of it soon.
Luckily, our parents are too busy interfering with my life to notice, and they quickly turn their attention back to me.
Mother clears her throat. “Well, now you really will have to find a date. If you go with just that Miles boy, people might jump to the wrong conclusion.”
She says Miles’ name like she has a bad taste in her mouth, and I have to bite my cheek again to stop myself from saying something I shouldn’t.
A sinking feeling sits in my stomach as I ask, “What do you mean?”
I don’t know why I bothered asking, as we all know what she was hinting at, but maybe I just need to hear it said aloud.
“Well, we have a reputation to uphold, and we can’t have people thinking you’re one ofthosepeople.” Her nose wrinkles as she emphasises the word ‘those.’
“One of what?” I grind out.
“You know…thegays.” She whispers the last word, almost like she’s too disgusted to say it any louder, and my stomach twists into knots.
As nausea twists up my insides, my heart begins to race, and anger at her blatant homophobia makes ice flood my veins. I bite so hard on the inside of my cheek that I draw blood, making me hiss.
Father scoffs loudly, pulling my attention over to him. “Nonsense, Fiona. Everyone knows Jacob is a ladies’ man. Even if Miles has gotten himself that kind of reputation, which I’m not sure he has, as I’ve not heard anything, and Maximus would have told me, nobody would be stupid enough to think that of Jacob too.”
Anger thrums through me and I have to purposefully keep my voice calm, to not draw attention to it. “Miles hasn’t got a reputation. He just likes to keep his private life private.”
Mother rolls her eyes, tutting loudly. “That sounds like he has something to hide.”
“He’s had girlfriends,” I retort, hoping that will end this infuriating conversation.
Chloe cuts in, glaring at me fiercely. “Would it be a problem if Miles was interested in men?” Although she asks the question to everyone, her eyes are fixed on me, like she’s challenging me, and my heart almost pounds out of my chest.