“Okay, so…..”
Chapter 10
SOPHIE
The bell rings, not only signifying the end of class for the day but the end of yet another week. And what a long week it has been. Thankfully, though, it has been rather uneventful, other than having the watchful eyes of Preston and Barrett following me everywhere and the one-percenters trying their best to piss me off. A situation that I am more than content with. Yet I feel like this is the calm before the storm.
The boys have been watching, assessing me all week, when they think I don’t notice them. I feel like they are trying to pick me apart, looking for weaknesses, and I’ll be damned if I give them one.
Even Kurt has been watching me, although not with the same calculating stare as Preston and Barrett. No, his is more lewd, making my skin crawl every time I feel his eyes on me or catch his blatant stares.
I also went to the school library this week and did some research on The Feral Beasts. I wasn’t able to find much, but I did come across numerous news articles about a criminal gang in Oregon that are notorious for drug running, gun smuggling, and various other illegal activities, but I couldn’t find any information on who runs the gang or any of its members. It’s all very hush-hush and I can’t work out what it has to do with my father and his plans in Crescentwood.
I stop by my locker at the end of the day so I can grab the books I need for homework over the weekend. As the locker door swings open, I find a folded piece of paper perched on top of my pile of books. No one ever talks to me so I can’t imagine who would be leaving me notes.
Lifting it out and unfolding it, I can feel the blood draining from my face as I read the words on the page…
It’s only a matter of time until I get to tie you down and do whatever I want with you. Fuck your ass raw while I slice you open over and over again, watching the blood pool over your pearly skin as you scream out in pain.
Snapping my head up, I quickly check my surroundings, looking to see if anyone is watching me. I can’t deny, whoever this is, has me totally creeped out. No one is paying me any attention though, everyone in the hall is too preoccupied with grabbing their own stuff and getting out of school as quickly as possible.
There’s nothing I can do about this reprobate at the minute. I’m only one person, and I already have my hands full. Right now, Robert is a more imminent threat. I need to keep my attention firmly set on him.
With that in mind, I decide I’m not going to think about these notes or Preston and Barrett, or anything to do with school all weekend. As far as I'm concerned, none of it exists.
Shoving the note in my backpack, I close my locker door and stride out of the school with my head held high, leaving all my school issues behind as I climb into the car.
Once I’m settled in the back seat, I turn my thoughts to Robert. I haven’t had any more run-ins with him. Thank God. He doesn't seem interested in spending much time with me, and I've definitely gone out of my way to avoid any interactions with him, hiding in my room and only sneaking down to the kitchen in the middle of the night, but I don't think I'm going to get away with avoiding him much longer. He hasn’t asked for an update all week and I’m pretty sure it's overdue.
My assumption proves correct when I step into the house and Thomas greets me. "Ah, Miss Sophie, I hope you had a pleasant day at school. Your father has requested your presence at dinner this evening. Seven sharp," he informs me, smiling as though it’s great that my father is making time for me.
I really am coming round to Thomas. He's a bit of a strange one, but it's hard not to respond to his pleasant and optimistic remarks with similar friendliness. He's also the only person who talks to me most days.
"Hey Thomas, no worries I'll be there. Couldn't deny a request from dear old dad!” I respond with heavy sarcasm before making my way up to my bedroom to change before dinner.
Not really wanting to start on the mountain of homework I have to do this weekend, I instead try to work out what my plan is going to be while I am living here.
I’ll be eighteen in four months. I could run away then, it’s not like he could keep me here against my will once I’m a legal adult, but what would I do with myself? I would have no money to make it back home and I don’t fancy living homeless on the streets. It would be a struggle to get a job with no high school education.
No, I’ll have to stay until I’ve at least graduated. That way, when I make a run for it, I’ll have a high school diploma to help me get some sort of a job to tie me over and help me build a life for myself.
One thing I have learnt from my life so far is that I don’t want to just survive, scrounging for every penny and barely getting by. That is no way to live. Not that I need a life of opulence, like what I’m currently surrounded by. If anything, the sheer waste of money in this town sickens me. How many families could be fed, children clothed, homeless given shelter, with the money the people in this town spend on one-upping each other, each trying to prove they are the better, richest, more important family. It’s disgusting.
No, all I want, all I need, is a little place of my own and not stressing about paying for food or bills. That shouldn’t be too much to ask for.
Ok, so I won’t be going anywhere any time soon but when I do leave, I need to have money gathered together. Robert clearly only brought me here to use me for something, so why shouldn’t I take this opportunity to get something back in return.
He’s filthy rich after all and trying to present this perfect, loving family image to the rest of the town. I don’t see how he could turn down a simple request for some spending money and a phone, if phrased the right way. I may as well use tonight's dinner to start working on him to get what I want.
If all else fails, I can always fall back on my pickpocketing skills. Heck, I should probably keep my skills fresh in the meantime. God knows, there are plenty of people around here not hurting for a bit of cash. They probably wouldn’t even notice if the odd twenty-dollar bill went missing.
◆◆◆
At seven p.m. on the dot, I am seated at the large dining room table, big enough to seat at least twelve people, yet there are only two place settings. Robert sits at the head of the table, barely even glancing my way as I take my seat. I haven't eaten in this room yet and I can't help but admire the large bay window overlooking a beautiful rose garden. Above the table is a large chandelier full of crystals that the light sparkles and reflects off, dancing across the surface and twinkling around the room. It's mesmerising to look at. In fact, the whole house is tastefully decorated.
Other than the maids, I haven't seen any other women here and my father doesn't seem to have a wife or steady girlfriend. I wonder who chose the interior for this place.
"How is school going? Have you settled in okay?”
"Eh, yeah, school is going well. I'm a little behind in some subjects but I've been studying hard to catch up.”
"Good. Good.” he responds absently, still not looking at me. “Have you made any further progress with the group of kids from school?”
And there we go, right on time, the reason why we are having this dinner. I knew we were overdue for an update on my social status.