Secrets
by;michimichiro
Chapter 14
I was surprised when Margot invited me to dinner. It came out of the blue, but I thought it might be a good opportunity to cheer up Zia. She's been down lately because of her ongoing issues with the Brielle family. At first, Zia didn't want to go, but I managed to convince her.
"Come on, it'll be good for you," I said, gently squeezing her hand. "Let's get out of the house for a bit."
Zia sighed but nodded. "Okay, if you think it's a good idea."
As we walked to the restaurant, the evening air was cool and refreshing. The streets were busy with people heading home from work or out for the night. I held Zia's hand, feeling how tense she was. I hoped this dinner would help her relax a little.
When we arrived at the restaurant, a cosy place with warm lighting and the smell of delicious food in the air, I spotted Margot right away. But my heart sank when I saw she wasn't alone. Sarah, Zia's half-sister, was sitting with her.
I felt Zia's hand tighten in mine. She'd frozen in place, her eyes wide with surprise and worry.
"Hey," I said softly, turning to face her. I cupped her cheek gently. "Don't worry, okay? I won't let Sarah say anything mean to you. I'm right here."
Zia gave me a sad smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Thanks, Eli," she whispered.
We made our way to the table. Margot stood up, a big smile on her face, as she hugged us both. "I'm so glad you could make it!" she said warmly.
Sarah, on the other hand, remained seated. Her face was like a mask, showing no emotion at all. The tension at the table was thick enough to cut with a knife.
"Have a seat, you two," Margot said, gesturing to the empty chairs.
I helped Zia into her seat before sitting down next to her. Under the table, I gave her hand another reassuring squeeze.
Margot looked back and forth between Zia and Sarah, her brow furrowing with concern. "Is everything okay?" she asked me. "You all seem a bit... tense."
I didn't know how to explain the complicated situation without making things worse, so I just shrugged. "It's nothing," I lied, hoping to avoid conflict.
Margot wasn't buying it. She turned to Sarah. "Are you alright? You seem uneasy. Is something bothering you?"
Sarah's lips curled into a sarcastic smile. "Margot, I thought we were having a dinner date," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "Why are there outsiders here?" She emphasised the word 'outsiders' while staring directly at Zia.
I saw the shock and embarrassment flash across Margot's face. She took a deep breath before responding, clearly trying to stay calm. "Sarah, I invited them. I want to spend time with my sister today. Do you have a problem with that?"
Sarah's eyes narrowed. "I don't have a problem with Eli," she said, "but I have a problem with her... companion." She glanced at Zia dismissively. "Why are you trying to bring our two worlds together?"
I could feel the anger building inside me. How dare she talk about Zia like that? But before I could say anything, Zia put her hand on my arm. When I looked at her, I saw she was trying hard to stay calm and not react to Sarah's rudeness.
"Sarah," I said, keeping my voice level, "you weren't the one who invited us here. We'll only leave if Margot asks us to."
I looked at Margot, silently asking her what she wanted us to do. To my relief, she shook her head firmly.
