Now That I Love You I Can't Hate You

Chapter 5

~Darson~

I'm not a fan of the steam room. I'm not for the heat but I like being here with Khara.

"Why'd you let your dad choose your bride if you two aren't that close?" I tense up. I wasn't expecting the question. Can't say I'm thrilled to talk about it.

"That man has never been a dad to me. A father sure but never a dad." My voice is more harsh than I intend it to be. Every time someone brings up the shitty things my father does to me I can't help but get upset.

I enter the house with a scowl on my face. Even from the front door I can hear obnoxious laughing from the backyard. I'm only here because my mother forced me to. Their anniversary. I can't believe she celebrates this like it's some sort of accomplishment. Congratulations, you married an asshole.

I weave my way through the house but couldn't go past the kitchen island and into the backyard. I watch everyone mill around with fake smiles and fake greetings. The sad thing about having a life like this, you never have genuine people around you. Never.

After Stacey Grace finishes talking to my mother, I can bet she'll walk over to her husband and talk about how much of a show off the Meldeevs are.

Louis Haliger is going to ask my mother how she's doing then block out everything she says after that. He's going to roll his eyes every now and then and wish she would stop talking after a minute.

Her so called best friend Sarah Hemmings will grin with her all day then spew to her best friends how annoying it is keeping up with my mother.

They're all fakes.

I take a glass of champagne from the many lined up on the counter and down it in one go. I snatch another. "If you want to do that you can do it in the confines of your room. The last thing we want is for people to think you're an alcoholic." I merely glare at him from the top of my glass. I don't feel like talking.

I turn and head for the stairs. He's following me but I really don't have the energy to tell him off. He left his anniversary party to nag at me. I'm beginning to think when he's bored, I bring him humour.

I pull open the door of what used to be my room and slam it behind me. Shortly after, the door knob twist open. I can't help but roll my eyes. What does he want.

"I heard from your mother you're looking to marry." My mother and her big mouth. She knows that man and I don't get along but still tells him my business. This is why I stopped telling her things. It's her husband so I understand that they talk but seriously.

I don't reply. I don't need to. "Why all of a sudden?" The last thing I want is for my father to be thinking deeply into this.

"Can't I be ready to start a family?" Coming from me, it must've sound like a joke because he chuckles at my reasoning.

"You really think people are going to see you differently because you put an expensive ring on some poor girl's finger?" He sees right through my plans. "Sure, if you think it'll work go ahead but let me choose."

"Like hell I'll let you choose who I spend the rest of my life with." I should've grab a champagne bottle on my way up.

"I have three pretty women in store for you. All have a family in business. Very convenient if you ask me."

"I never asked you." I down the last bit of champagne. "You're just sniffing for something that'll benefit you."

"Well, of course." He never denies it. I close the space between us just so he can hear me loud and clear.