Harleigh
“So, girls,” Michael said across the table. “What did you both get up to yesterday?”
Celeste shot me a startled look, clearing her throat and grabbing her glass of water.
“Uh, we… Miles… and—”
“Didn’t you say you were hanging out with Mulligan and Miller?” A smug smirk played on Max’s face, and I tightened my grip on my fork a little, wishing I could stab it in his hand.
“Uh, yes. Yeah. We uh… we stayed over at Miles’s.”
“You did, huh?” Michael frowned. “Well I hope you slept in one of the guest rooms, Celeste.”
“Daddy!” Her cheeks flamed as she dipped her eyes and focused on her plate.
“I always did like Miles,” Sabrina said, helping herself to another glass of wine. “But he’s a little bit… what’s the word… dimwitted.”
“Mom.” Celeste balked, her eyes snapping to her mom. “Miles isn’t dimwitted. He’s… nice.”
“Nice, yes. But his parents are concerned he won’t get the grades required for Columbia.”
“I’ve already told you, I’m not sure I want to even apply to Columbia.”
“Now, sweetheart, don’t be so hasty.” Michael sat back in his chair, surveying the three of us. His children. Two he wanted. One he didn’t.
When Celeste had woken me earlier, informing me they were back from their trip and wanted us to eat together, I’d almost laughed in her face. We rarely ate together. Not after those early days, when I’d first arrived and they’d tried to coax me out of my room for dinner.
Since I’d returned from Albany Hills, I could count on one hand how many times we’d eaten as a family. So color me suspicious that they chose today of all days.
Besides, the last thing I wanted to do was sit around and play happy family knowing Michael had made sure to drive a wedge so deep between me and Nix that there was no coming back from it.
My eyes flickered to Max and his smirk grew, only fueling the fire in my chest. “You and Miller are getting close, huh?”
I narrowed my eyes, wondering where the hell he was going with this. It was a game, that much I knew. But what was his end goal?
And why hadn’t he told his parents yet of his suspicions about me and Nix?
“Harleigh,” Michael said, and I blinked over at him. “Is that true?”
“I… we’re friends.” My brows crinkled, anger pulsing inside me, making it difficult to concentrate.
“After our conversation, I got the distinct impression you weren’t.”
“It probably isn’t a good idea for the two of you to—”
“Sabrina.” My father shook his head, patting her hand.
“At least she’s hooking up with Miller and not that kid from across the reservoir. What’s his name again? Wild? Wiler? Wilder.” Max grinned triumphantly. “That’s the one, Phoenix Wilder.” He sat back as if he’d pulled the pin on a grenade and intended on watching it detonate.
A ripple went through the room as Celeste stared wide-eyed at me and I glared at Max. I didn’t think I’d ever hated anyone more than I hated him in that moment. And for someone who harbored a lot of hatred in her heart, that was saying something.
Michael cleared his throat, muttering, “Max, that’s enough”
“Sorry, Dad. I know you don’t like talking about—”
He slammed his hand down, making the glassware clatter. “I said, that’s enough.”
“Harleigh knows better, don’t you?” Sabrina said, concern and something akin to disgust glittering in her eyes. “She understands that she left that life behind when she came here.”