Knocking at the Harringtons

Proper-Harrington-perfect

Sebastian could hear their voices as he walked to the dining room. He heard his father's deep voice, Vivian's soft laugh and Amaya's unfamiliar yet soft voice. He paused in his tracks as he remembered their brief encounter in the kitchen. She was... Interesting... even more annoying than expected he thought to himself, before entering the dining area.

The room became quiet as he walked in. He quickly locked eyes with Amaya, who seemed slightly uncomfortable by his presence. His father glanced up at him, following him with his eyes. "Glad you could join us," Edward said with forced politeness.

Sebastian shrugged, dropping into the empty seat across from Amaya. "Didn't have much of a choice, did I?" He muttered under his breath, though loud enough for his father to hear.

Edward shot him a sharp look, but didn't engage further as he finished chewing his steak. Instead, he turned his attention to Amaya, trying to ease the tension. "So, Amaya, I hope the room is to your liking? If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Amaya nodded, her voice steady but polite. "It's lovely, thank you." She glanced briefly at Sebastian, then back to Edward. "Everyone has been very welcoming."

Sebastian resisted rolling his eyes. He picked at his food, not really hungry, since he had already eaten out with his friends Louis and Luke, earlier this evening.

Amaya's presence was unsettling to him. Why was she here in the first place? He didn't understand why his mother would invite a stranger into their house. 

She seemed fit into the flow of Vivian and his father's conversations, it seemed almost rehearsed. Her face had a perfectly constructed facade. She seemed as if she belonged here, even though she clearly didn't and it bothered him.

"So, Amaya," Sebastian finally spoke up, his tone casual, "What brings you to our humble home? Just a little vacation perhaps?"

His question hung in the air for a moment, and the atmosphere in the room shifted slightly. Edward and Vivian exchanged quick glances, but neither interrupted as they continued eating.

Amaya turned her gaze toward him, her expression calm but observant. "Not exactly a vacation," she said, meeting his eyes. "I'm here for school and..." Amaya stopped herself and glanced at Vivian and Edward who were sitting on the other side of the table. They had their attention turned to the food.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the vagueness of her answer. " And other reasons, huh?" he said lowly enough for her to hear. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Sounds mysterious." He whispered, unaware of her circumstances. 

Amaya didn't flinch. "Right," she said softly, though there was a hint of defiance in her voice.

Sebastian tilted his head slightly, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Oh, we love a good mystery," he said with a sarcastic tilt. There was tension between them, and her steady demeanor got under his skin.

Vivian cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Yes, well school is important," she said." London offers some of the best educational opportunities in the world. I'm sure you will thrive here-" she paused for a moment before continuing: "Ah of course! How could I forget? Your school uniform. You start attending school tomorrow, after all." she exclaimed, clapping her hands together, before heading out of the room.

Sebastian's smirk faded as Vivian strolled out of the room. His eyes returned to Amaya, who quietly continued eating her food. Her stillness annoyed him, as if she was deliberately choosing her words and actions, never revealing too much. The room seemed unnaturally quiet in Vivian's absence.

Edward shifted uncomfortably in his chair, glancing between his son and their guest. "Tomorrow will be a good start," he said, attempting to fill the silence. "It'll be nice for you to settle in and get to know people your age. Make friends." 

Vivian returned to the dining room with a folded uniform in her arms. "Here you go, Amaya. I hope it's not too big on you." Vivian said, holding out the neatly folded clothing for Amaya to take.

Amaya gently took the uniform, her eyes scanning the clothes. The clothes were beautiful. The fabric was navy and had dark red detailing across the skirt. Navy was Amaya's favorite color, so she was pleased.

"It's very nice, thank you," she answered, her fingers brushing the fabric in her lap. Vivian's smile brightened. "I'm glad you like it. You'll look lovely in it.", "Tomorrow will be your first day, and I'm sure you'll fit right in." she said as everyone focused on Amaya.

Sebastian rolled his eyes, not even trying to hide his annoyance by the mention of her fitting in. He didn't want her snooping around his life.

Edward cleared his throat, catching Sebastian's reaction but choosing not to comment. Instead, he turned to Amaya with a calm, fatherly tone. "Amaya, we've arranged for our chauffeur to take you and Sebastian to school from now on. He will pick you both up at 8:00 am sharp."

Amaya looked up, a little surprised by the kind offer but nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Mr. Harrington. That's very kind of you."

Sebastian sighed audibly. "Of course," he muttered under his breath, clearly displeased at the idea.

Edward shot him a warning glance. "I expect you to be ready on time, Sebastian. It's important that you both make a good impression at school."

"Well, I think that's enough for one evening," Vivian said, standing and smoothing out her dress. "Amaya, dear, get some rest. It's going to be a big day tomorrow."

Amaya stood, nodding to both Edward and Vivian. "Goodnight and thank you again for everything."

As she made her way up the stairs, she could feel Sebastian's eyes burning a hole in her back, but she didn't flinch or quicken her pace. She knew he was displeased with her suddenly invading his life. But eventually he would find out the true connection between her and his family.

As she continued up the staircase, she heard footsteps close behind her. He was following her upstairs. That's when she remembered that he, to, had his room on the same floor. She pushed the neatly folded uniform closer to her chest, as her heartbeat quickened slightly. She refused to acknowledge Sebastian's presence behind her.

When she reached her room, she hesitated for a moment with her hand on the door handle. She didn't want to look back, but curiosity got the best of her. Slowly, she turned her head, her eyes briefly meeting Sebastian's as he walked past her, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Goodnight, Amara," he said, purposely mispronouncing, as he continued down the hallway into his room.

"Jerk," she muttered before entering her room and closing the door shut. Finally, she could breathe again. Amaya looked around her dimly lit room. The space felt both unfamiliar and oddly comforting.

She set her school uniform down on the plush chair by the window and walked over to the large bay window that overlooked the garden. The moonlight lighting up the perfectly manicured hedges and pathways. Everything here was so... polished, proper-Harrington-perfect.

Amaya leaned her forehead against the cool glass as she closed her eyes. Her thoughts drifting to the memories of her parents. The memories were faint and fragmented, and she couldn't really remember her father's face. 

Her father had died in a boating accident when she was around 3 or 4 years old. It was a tragic event that her mother never spoke about, as if it would summon ghosts they weren't ready to face.

However, Amaya had no choice but to confront them now. As she exhaled slowly, she recalled her mother last words. "Your fathers death, Amaya, it wasn't an accident."

She knew better than to trust anyone here with that knowledge, even if curiosity burned within her. She needed to know more. What had really happened in the past?