I heard Brett calling for me to calm down and felt Tyler try to grab for my hand again, but all I was able to process was the white hot rage boiling through my veins. It was as if Will had known I would try to get out of it and instead had gone around me to my parents, the two people that would bend over backwards to ensure I made an appearance at a Dawson family gala.
I was gnashing my teeth so hard I could feel the muscle in my cheek twitching as I stormed into the kitchen, skidding to a halt as I took in the scene. Will and my parents were sitting on the living sofas, a drink in each of their hands and my mother's head thrown back into a laugh as my father chuckled into his scotch.
"Well there she is, the woman of the hour," Will said, turning to me with a brilliantly white grin. I balled my hands into fists to keep from slapping it right off his sun-kissed face.
"Oh sweetie, we're so happy to meet your new boyfriend!" my mother gushed, her eyes dancing with pride. I nearly forgot to breathe.
"My...what?" I demanded, my voice little more than a squeak. But no one had the time to reply before Brett and Tyler made it to the kitchen, the grin on Will's face dissolving into a scowl.
"Who's this?" my father demanded, taking in Tyler's beach attire as the mirth faded from his face.
"Tyler," Will said coldly in greeting.
"Will," Tyler replied frigidly, his face stony as he stared him down.
"A friend of yours, Dawson?" my father asked, a hint of hope in his voice as he turned towards the spoiled rich kid on the sofa.
"Not especially," Will said coldly, before turning his eyes back to me, "You weren't returning my texts so I came over to hammer out some final details for Saturday. I figured your parents would appreciate an invite since it's going to be a society event and all,"
"I'm not going with you," I said flatly, staring him down. My mother tittered, instantly on her feet.
"Oh come now sweetie, a lady never goes back on her word! Besides, it's a charity gala and the event of the season!" she said, advancing towards me with a stiff smile. Her eyes shot daggers, warning of the consequences if I failed to comply.
"I'm not going to his stupid gala!" I screamed. The room fell into silence.
"Well that's a damn shame," Will said finally, leaning over to plunk his glass onto the coffee table, his eyes holding mine as the smirk crept onto his face, "I was really hoping you'd be my date. Your parents would really have loved the party,"
It was all my mother needed to snag my arm and frog-march me from the kitchen, her fingers like cold steel.
"You need to watch your tongue!" she snapped, releasing me once we were finally out of earshot in the front hall. I massaged my arm, shooting her a sullen glare.
"He's not my boyfriend," I said through gritted teeth.
"Well I suppose you had better start changing that," she retorted, "Because you will go to that gala. Do you have any idea what kind of opportunity this is Madison? He's a Dawson!"
"And a creepy sack of shit!" I shouted.
"Watch your tongue young lady!" she hissed, "And you get back in that room and tell him you're going to that gala, or so help me I'll ground you for a month!"
"I'd take that over his party in a heartbeat!" I fired back. My mother inhaled, taking a few steps towards me until she was looming over me in her heels.
YOU ARE READING
How To Rule Your High School
Teen Fiction**A Wattpad Featured Story** Madison Carlisle isn't just popular, she's the one girls want to be and the guys want to be with. But what's a girl to do when a new kid threatens to upend the social ladder she's worked so hard to climb? With plenty of...
