Within the Walls of Kingsbury Prep (Kingsbury Prep #1)

11: The Invitation of a Parent's Event

Last night was the best, most unexpected night I have had here at Kingsbury Prep. I spent close to two hours retelling the tumultuous relationship of Cathy and Heathcliff to Roman underneath my tree, our tree. It seems selfish calling it my tree when he's spent as much time as I have there, if not more. He sat in comfortable silence as I read, the words floating off the page and surrounding us. I could tell he was a little lost at times, due to us starting on chapter four, but he never complained. He just sat there, resting against the trunk of the tree, drinking in my every word. After I paused my reading, we had light conversation, grilling each other on our favourite things.

"You know mine, so what's your favourite book?" I asked him with genuine intrigue.

"Catcher in the Rye. What's your favourite movie?" His turn in our random game of 20 questions.

"Probably, Perks of Being a Wallflower or Sixteen Candles. What's your favourite item of clothing?"

"My ring," he flashed his green band situated on his right ring finger, an unreadable look in his eyes. "What's the one thing you really want to know?"

I paused, contemplating his question. What was it I most wanted to know? I had many: what happened at Knightsbridge with my mother and the eldest son; who's my father; or just something about my father, was he a nice man? All these questions flew through my head but I couldn't help but linger on the most recent question I've been dying to know the answer to: what did Roman mean by he's used to it? That comment has plagued me ever since he said it, baring in mind it's only been a few hours. It won't leave my mind.

"Earth to Millie," Roman waved his hand in front of my face, grabbing my attention.

"Sorry. There's so many things, it's hard to pick just one." I evaded eye contact with him. "I probably most like to know something about my father, not who he is, I don't care that much, I'd just like to know if he was a good person, do I look like him? You know stuff like that."

"I figured that would be your topic of choice, why did you have to think for so long?"

"There was something else I'd love to know but I don't think I should ask it." I hesitate.

"Is it something to do with the other night?"

"Yeah," I looked down at my feet, feeling stupid for bringing it up.

"I thought it would be."

"You don't need to tell me," I've realised with Roman I need to tread carefully.

"I will one day, I promise you that."

I returned to my dorm content and rather away with the fairies I might add. All the girls were asleep by the time I got back so I got changed as silently as possible and slipped into bed, the crisp sheets instantly cooling my heated body. I fell asleep replaying the images of the past few hours in my head, remembering how sorry Roman sounded, how I felt dizzy when he sat so close to me.

To think I hated him merely days ago, thinking he was the most privileged and obnoxious prick in the world to then lying there in bed, butterflies dancing in my stomach when I thought of him: who would've guessed it. Looking at it now, I need to be careful. I need to not go into the friendship for lack a of better word with hopes of it turning romantic. I'm damaged goods, as Roman appears to be, both of us with our anger issues, we would tear each other to shreds. Also Roman has only shown that he can be a better person in front of me privately, who knows if he'll keep it up in front of his posse. I can't help but wonder though, what it would feel like to actually be more than friends with Roman Kingsbury? I shake the thought out of my head immediately. Yes, he may be trying to become a better person but he is still a Kingsbury. He's still a part of one of the richest families in the world and I am just a nobody.