SILAS, saltburn

xiiv. FALLING APART

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
falling apart

    "I'M SORRY, but it's a bit fucking shitty. You're all throwing Oliver a party for two hundred people while my mother lives in squalor."

     Silas hated seeing his friends arguing, he felt it unnatural and made him feel awkward. He leaned against the doorframe behind Felix, who had turned his back to him. "Oh, she's hardly living in squalor, mate," Felix responded.

     "Well she can't pay her bills, so she will be! Okay? At the rate she's going she will be," Farleigh's voice trembled with stress and concern, visible if you looked closely.

     "Right, that's why dad is concerned about helping her! He doesn't want to enable her. He wants her to learn to stand on her own two feet," he understood Felix's point but also understood Farleigh's, he was worried about his mother's wellness.

     "Yeah, like he does?" Farleigh's sarcasm was palpable.

     Silas shifted uncomfortably, scratching his neck. "Farleigh," Felix warned, his tone serious.

     "I mean. You do know how this looks, right? Making me come to you with a begging bowl," Farleigh continued, his gaze wandering now and then to Silas' figure behind Felix.

     Silas couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, beyond the argument itself, as he glanced out the window. "What are you implying?" Felix demanded, his tone accusatory.

     "I think you know what I'm implying, Felix. Why don't you ask Liam and Joshua?" Farleigh's words hung in the tense air.

     Oh, Silas knew Liam and Joshua very well.

     "Who the fuck are Liam and Joshua?" Felix scoffed, his disbelief evident.

     "Your footmen," Farleigh stated matter-of-factly, causing Felix to gasp and briefly turn to look at him, though the blonde just shrugged.

     "Oh, that is low, Farleigh. Jesus Christ, seriously. Is that where you want to take this? Make it a race thing?" Silas tan a hand through his hair and sighed at his two friends. "What the fuck? I mean we're your family, we don't even notice... that you... you're... different or anything like that. I never know our footmen's names. The turnover of a footman is notoriously high!"

     Silas wanted to interject that Liam and Joshua had been with them in Saltburn for at least five years, but he held his tongue.

     "Of course," Farleigh sarcastically smiled. "And not to mention Silas."

     Oh, damn him. Silas knew he'd been a dick most of his life and what his brother would call a "playboy" but this wasn't the time for Farleigh to imply that he had been a playboy with him —too. Silas-fucking-Montague was praying fervently and if you'd read his mind in that very moment you wouldn't think he declared himself a loyal and exclusive believer of science ever since he was sixteen.

     He glanced between Felix and Farleigh, Felix now looking at him in confusion while Farleigh's eyes threatened a tempest. "What does Silas have to do with any of this?" Felix turned back to Farleigh, perplexed.

     Silas balled his fists and pursed his lips as his blue eyes bore into the conflicted Farleigh Start. "You've had everything handed to you, now even him. Because, Felix, do you think I'm stupid? You two— something's happening between the two of you," he spat out, his breath ragged.

     "And since when does that concern you? Last time I did check it shouldn't, Farleigh, for God's sake, what does this even have to do with— anything!" Felix's words rushed out in frustration.

     "You know damn well why, Felix," Farleigh's voice dropped, tears finally brimming in his eyes. "And you, Silas, this has been your best act so far."

     "Woah, I think this discussion has escalated so it's time to— calm down," Silas nervously said stepping closer to the other two, knowing he'd have to talk later to Farleigh alone.

     "Of course," Farleigh choked out, his eyes not leaving Silas.

     "Look, my father has been a lot more generous than most people would be. A lot more," Felix wavered. "But... Maybe... Maybe we've done all that we can."

note
i'm back!! i'm sorry this was such a short chapter but i've had this written for like two months, it was meant to have another scene in it but yeah.

i'm warming up to this book again so maybe i'll update in a few days. i apologize for taking so so long, uni has been... eventful and hard but i passed the trimester with 17 points out of 20 so i'm still happy about that.

not like you all care but i've got a situationship now💀, so my mind has been rather busy and couldn't concentrate on writing but it is time to continue because i love silas with all my heart.

i love you all so so much.