all too well - Theodore Nott

chapter 21

"I'm so glad you decided to come, El." Her dad said, a hopeful smile on his face as he opened the door to his apartment.

"Yeah, well, it's only for six days." Selene twisted the strap on her bag nervously.

"I know, but I haven't seen you in a while."

"I've been busy," Selene said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"How is school going?"

"Oh, it's going. That is for sure."

He nodded. "That's good."

"So, where is Kate?" Selene narrowed her eyes around the apartment, trying to keep the small talk to a minimum.

"Oh," Her dad looked uncomfortable. "I thought we could all go out for dinner tonight around six, and you can get to know her."

"Okay, sounds good. What restaurant?"

"It is some new fancy Italian restaurant."

"So is the dress code like dresses, or..."

"Fancy." Her dad shrugged.

"Is it apart of MACUSA?" Selene asked, "I do not remember an Italian place."

"No," he said, a nervous glint in his eye. "I actually wanted to discuss that with you."

"Discuss what?" She responded hesitantly.

"I have not told Kate about your lifestyle, and I do not plan on it." He straightened a pile of books on the coffee table, refusing to look Selene in the eyes.

"Ever?" Selene tried to keep her tone even and not let any waver settle in.

"I think it is best if I do not," he said, still not meeting her eyes.

Selene paused, staring at the top of her father's head. "Okay," Her tone was cool as she took a step back. "I better go settle in."

"Oh okay. See you later, sweetheart."

She did not respond as she walked away, shaking her head incredulously. Selene slipped into her room and closed the door tightly behind her before she fell face down on the bed, burying her face in a pillow. She didn't know how she was going to survive the dinner without exploding on her dad, much less five more days.

Hot air hit Selene as she stepped inside the restaurant. A lady came forward, offering to take their coats. Selene stepped back as her father gave the reservation name to the hostess and waited for him to point out the table. Selene smoothed out her black dress and the knit sweater she was wearing.

She followed her dad, who was following the hostess through the restaurant without even thinking, her mind in the same place it had been since the ball. They stopped at a square table with a very white tablecloth on it and a lady in a purple dress sitting at it. She had blonde hair that was pulled back into a bun perfectly. Perfectly styled, unlike Selene's and her mother's untamable hair. She got up and looked like she was about to kiss Selene's father but glanced at Selene and then just hugged him.

She smiled at Selene and held out her hand. "You must be Selene. I'm Kate.

"It's nice to meet you."

"I can hear your British accent. It's so pretty."

"Oh, thank you. It's pretty subtle because I mostly grew up here." Selene felt like throwing up, but she swallowed it down, trying to keep her promise to her mother and actually be nice.

"Yes, Aaron, your father, sorry, told me."

"Shall we sit?" Her dad asked.

Selene slid into her seat, almost knocking over a glass cup. She steadied it and looked up at her dad and Kate. Her dad was glancing between Selene and Kate. Kate was smiling so widely that Selene was surprised her face didn't hurt.

Selene cleared her throat. "These tablecloths are really white."

"Yes, I suppose they are," Kate said, still smiling but slightly confused.

"So if you want to get wine, then I would recommend not spilling it. I mean, it must be really hard to get wine stains out of these. Not that we would have to clean them, but it would be nice to not make the waiters have to clean it up. Then again, it might stain it so much that they just might have to throw it away. Or they could just bleach it really well. But that would be a lot of—"

"Selene," her dad said, "Maybe we should talk about something else besides tablecloths."

"Oh yeah," Selene said. "So, when is the wedding?"

"This summer," Kate smiled. "That's actually what I want to talk to you about. I know that we just met and we aren't close, but I would love for you to be a bridesmaid."

"Oh," Selene said, surprised and the urge to deny the invitation biting at her stomach. She pushed a smile on her face. "That would be nice. Thank you."

Her dad smiled, "That's great. You were nervous for nothing, Kate."

Kate smiled. "So, Selene, your dad told me that you go to an amazing boarding school in England."

"Yeah, it's great."

"He said that you are top of your class. Is that true?"

"Tied. Tied for the top with Hermione Granger."

"Well, I do not know who that is, but that is amazing."

"Yeah." Selene gave a tight-lipped smile and smiled.

"Kate," her dad said, "would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow? I can cook."

"Oh, I would love to." She smiled, "If that is okay with Selene. I don't want to cut into your father and daughter time."

"No," Selene said quickly. "No, that's okay."

"Well, if you're sure."

Selene's dad looked at her, hurt that she said it so quickly. Selene didn't look back at him. She tried to act like she didn't care if she hurt his feelings, but she did. She would always want his approval. And she hated that part of her.

"Selene, what's the matter?"

She looked up. She sat on a chair in the living room reading a book about animgus.

"What?"

"You have barely talked to me all day or at dinner last night. I told Kate that we were close, and now she probably thinks you hate me."

"That's not far from the truth," Selene muttered.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," Selene sighed, opening her book again.

"You can't talk to me like that, Selene. I am your father."

"Stop acting as if you care about being my father," Selene said, rolling her eyes.

"What is that supposed to mean, Selene? I love you. You are my daughter."

"Well, you should have thought about that before you went and fucked up."

"Selene..." He trailed off, rubbing his forehead.

"Let me know when your mistress gets here, Aaron." Selene got up and stormed into her room. She tried not to cry. She really did. Her dad and Selene had never fought that much when she was younger. Whenever it had come close, he would always smooth things over. Part of her wished he would do that now.