Stop Pretending | Saltburn

Chapter 9

※※※

Eventually, Ronan returned to Saltburn but didn't hide his sadness and joy about the news of his mother; He refused to sit and eat breakfast with the Catton, Farleigh, and Oliver. However, nothing piqued his interest more than Farleigh's bringing up the egg situation after everyone had wandered to their rooms. Ronan could admit it sounded embarrassing, but he did laugh with him.

"Now, enough about Ollie," Farleigh said, sitting Ronan on the bed with his arms crossed around his chest. Where the hell did you go? And why didn't you at least text me back?"

"I needed space." he scoffed, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Space? Come on now, Venetia told us about you and her endeavors last night." His tone was jealous, but Ronan didn't want to entertain it.

"We had wine and talked, Farleigh... it was nothing betrayal worth." He said sarcastically and got up, ready to leave the room. He didn't want to entertain much of anything.

"Wait a fucking minute!" He stood before the door, not letting the rebellious man out of the room. "What happened? You came because looking upset... you were fine yesterday. So what changed? did I do something?" Farleigh searched for an answer in Ronan's eyes, and he sighed.

"You didn't do anything, ok... I just get depressed sometimes... I went on a run to help clear my mind, but it didn't help. Just give me time, and I will be as good as new," Ronan smiled, but Farleigh knew that it wasn't real; he knew that Ronan was torturing himself about something, and he intended to find out.

"OK, fine. I believe you. Look, we are going to the garden in a while. Do you think you'll join us?" he asked and moved away from the doorway.

"Maybe... I'm going to go lay down in my room." Ronan kissed his cheek before disappearing deeper into Saltburn. He was distraught, but it wasn't obvious. He hid that worry behind his wit and banter like he always did. That wasn't a good thing.

As the morning passed, Felix, Farleigh, and Venetia sat in the grass and wildflower garden, completely naked and bare for the sun to lay upon their skin. The bloodline lay with them, but it was clear it would stop at Farleigh, whose mind wondered about Ronan.

"Is my new and better brother joining us?" Venetia grinned, seeing Felix frown at the question.

"New brother? don't joke like that." Farleigh chuckled at the two but sighed.

"Ronan didn't seem well today. He might be lying down still." Venetia began to pout.

"He looked like he saw a ghost when he greeted everyone! didn't he?" She exclaimed.

"Could he be homesick?" Farleigh shrugged at the question.

"Who knows, he gets sad when he doesn't have his music around?" Felix lit up as if he had an idea to help Ronan but didn't intend to tell Farleigh about it. "I don't like that look. Whatever you think, don't do it. You might run Ronan off."

Felix laughed, not caring for the warning he intended to carry on with his plan. "We're over here, Ollie!"

※※※

The summer passes in a blur of golden moments for Oliver Quick ,but in those same golden moments, Ronan Abbott lurked like a ghoulish stranger, unable to stay longer than 20 minutes to an hour. Though when he stayed, he managed to get closer to Venetia and Farleigh, still not paying much attention to Felix or Oliver, all because Oliver would make it difficult just by being there. Ronan couldn't explain it but didn't care.

Venetia, Felix, Oliver, and Farleigh would be found sunbathing in and around a spare pond, while Ronan would be watching from inside Saltburn.

The family and Oliver would be slumped in the library watching movies. In this instance, they watched 'The Ring' while Ronan spent his time in the cellar looking for something to drink.