Not That Bad #Wattys2018

Chapter Eighteen

"Stop right there." Dad tells me, just as I'm about to slip out the front door.

Of all nights my parents are home early, it's today, Wednesday, the night of the Blood Beneficiary. Dad's seated at the table with a cup of coffee and a chess board in front of him. I guess he and Mom were playing. He's losing, by the way. Mom is in the bathroom but that doesn't mean I won't get grilled anyway.

"Where are you going?"

"Out." I say. I'm about to leave again but Dad clears his throat in a way that tells me the conversation isn't over. So I say, "with a friend."

"Jaq bringing you out? You're all dressed up." Dad looks up from the chess board finally.

I cringe. "Jaq is completely out of the picture, Dad. It's just some Beneficiary thingy at the town hall."

Dad won't give up trying to get information out of me. He looks vaguely embarrassed about mentioning Jaq though. I'm embarrassed for him. I'm embarrassed for myself. I mean, AWKWARD.

"So." Dad says, "Since when do you have an interest in beneficiary thingies?"

"Um." I pretend to be interested in my nails. I'm thinking about how long I have to stand here saying nothing until he forgets I'm here and I can slip out the door. Five minutes? I'm willing to wait for ten if it means I won't have to answer anymore questions. I can't wait until Mom comes back from the bathroom though. She'd want to fix my hair.

God, NO.

Two minutes pass by before Dad gets up and wraps his arms around me in a bear gives me a hug, "You look beautiful my pumpkin pie with whipped cream and cinnamon."

Sometimes he can overdo it.

"And if you don't want to tell me about your date then it's fine. Don't get home past your curfew, you know it's a school night."

"It's not a date." I say, "but thanks, Dad." When he sits and is staring at the chess board again, I say, "Don't cheat, you know Mom will find out."

He lets out a loud sigh.

***

My entire drive to Town Hall is filled with thoughts of Eli Graham. Of Dad insisting that it was a date. But it wasn't, right? It isn't. I was only going as a friend or whatever I was to him now.

The Town Hall is sound proof, I hope, because I can't hear a thing. I hope I didn't get the time wrong and that this wasn't some sick and cruel revenge plan Eli came up with, God knows why. I get out of my car anyway and walk towards the entrance debating whether I'm over dressed or under dressed.

I'm wearing heels, which means I definitely went all out and a slinky black dress that my mom bought and insisted I wear AT LEAST ONCE because it's 'IMPORTANT FOR A LADY TO DRESS LIKE A LADY.' My hair is down (I didn't really have a choice with the whole tattoo thing) but I've put a whole set of crap Mom had in her room in it to give it more volume and shine.

There's a guard at the door which means there is something going on. He nods at me and opens the door for me to enter. I can hear the sound of soft classical music now that I'm inside. I have to go down a long flight of stairs into the main ceremony room but I freeze at the top stair.

Eli lied.

It's definitely too fancy. There's this huge chandelier hanging in the center of the room with sparkly crystals that look bloody under a red light. Everyone is seated at tables with red table cloths and shiny glasses with sparkling deep red liquid and tinkling silverware. There are thick red curtains over the long windows and everyone's dressed really fancy.

At least I'm not over dressed.

Eli's mom is on the stage giving some sort of speech and she's got this big smile on her face like to be anywhere else would break her poor fragile heart.

I see Eli staring up at me from across the room, near a bar. He's standing and drinking something fizzy. He looks hot in his black suit, white shirt and red tie. When we make eye contact, he grins a huge dimpled smile at me. My stomach lurches, but in a good way.But then I see something that makes my blood BOIL. It's Imogen at a table with two empty seats... One for Mrs Graham and the other for Eli.

Of course.

I guess it's pretty obvious that Eli would bring Imogen. Even more obvious why he'd sit with her. But then, why do I feel like I've been replaced?

Imogen is Eli's girlfriend.

Imogen is Eli's girlfriend.

IMOGEN IS ELI'S GIRLFRIEND.

I need to remember that. But again, she's taken first place. It's starting to feel inevitable. And, even worse, it's breaking my poor, fragile heart.