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So, he’s my new kind-of brother. That’s just great, I thought to myself as I walked down the stairs that I’d been quickly ushered up earlier that afternoon. I’d known that he was arrogant, I’d known that from the moment that I’d seen his expertly spiked-up hair, but I’d thought that I’d only have to deal with him in school. I thought that I’d be safe in my room at home, but apparently not.
The maid had told me to go to the dining room around six. I wasn’t even sure where the dining room was, but I figured if I set off with a good ten minutes to look for it, I would surely find it in plenty of time. I didn’t need my ten-minute head start, though; as soon as I’d walked down the curving staircase, I could hear my mother’s voice carrying down the long hallway.
I followed her shrill, ringing sing-song, until I’d reached a room that was hidden away by two large, heavy-looking wooden doors. I lifted one of the ring pull-handles and shivered at the cold copper in my hand before I pushed it open. The door opened slowly, but that was in part due to its weight compared to my strength.
I looked around the huge room that had been half filled by a table that would comfortably seat at least sixteen people around it. A large stone fireplace sat in the center of the back wall; a fire was already blazing within it and throwing out bright orange light that seemed to warm up what I assumed would otherwise be a very cold-feeling room.
My mom was sitting close to the top of the table with a man who I assumed was going to be her new husband. He looked up at the sound of the door opening and smiled when I walked into the room. I smiled back at him lightly and then walked over to the top of the table, so that I could introduce myself.
“I’m Tilly,” I said, and I held my hand out for him to shake.
“It’s very nice to meet you. Your mother has told me so much about you already. It’s good to hear that you’ve got a smart head on those shoulders. I have a lot of time for people who can use their brains,” he said as he took my hand and shook it with a firmness that told me he meant business.
“I’m glad all you have heard is good,” I said, nodding, and then took a seat a couple away from my mom, who was beaming at me.
The doors opened again, and I fought with the urge to turn around and look at James. I could feel his presence as soon as he stepped over the threshold and into the room, but I gave the impression that I was ignoring it. I listened to the sound of his footsteps and worked out that he was sitting opposite me across the table, but I didn’t look over to him until he spoke.
“Well, Father, this certainly is a surprise,” he said in a kind of dry, sarcastic way that sounded bitter. “I’m sure, though, that mentioning the fact that I’d be getting a sister might have been something you should have thought of doing, before I walked into her room earlier without invitation.”
“I think your first impression greatly outweighed that one,” I said quickly as I defended his father, if only out of my own interests.
“Well, if I’d have known who you were, perhaps your reception at the school might have been different,” James said as he turned his eyes to me and held mine captive.
“I’m sure that it would have been,” I said with a small nod. “But I think that eventually you’d have let your true self slip. Don’t you?” I asked him as I raised my eyebrow questioningly.
“I think that you are yet to meet my true self,” James said quickly as conflict flashed across his eyes.
“I think I’ve seen all I need to,” I said as I shook my head and reached down to the book that I’d been keeping hidden in my lap. I ran my fingers over the pages, trying to soothe myself with the idea that I’d soon be with Mr. Darcy and Lizzy once again.
“I think that you hold snobs in contempt for their judgments when you are the worst judge of them all,” James said as he stood up quickly.
I could tell that he was annoyed. I wasn’t sure whether it was because of what I’d been saying or because his dad had just dropped all of this on him. It could have been a combination of it all, and it probably was, but either way, he stormed out of the room and left us sitting in silence as the atmosphere dropped from being sociable to dead silence.
“I’m sorry if I was the cause of that,” I said honestly as I looked up at James’ dad’s conflicted face.
“It isn’t you who needs to be sorry. He knows better than to behave like that,” his father said with a tired voice that told me he’d had to say that once too often for his liking.
I nodded without commenting on the situation and felt a great wave of relief when the maids started to carry the food through from the kitchen.
“Here you go, miss,” the maid who’d helped me find my room said as she placed a delicious-looking mixed meat platter in front of me.
“Thank you,” I said with a warm smile as she straightened up and walked back out of the door quickly.
“You should know, Tilly, that if you ever need anything, day or night, it’s their jobs to get it for you. Never be afraid to ask for anything; nothing is too big and nothing is too small,” James’ father said with a smile.
“Isn’t he great?” My mom beamed at me.
*******
Chapter 6
James
It’s been months since Tilly moved in. I ended up taking Poppy to the winter formal and it was alright. I can’t help but wonder whether the night would have been better spent at home, though; that’s where Tilly had spent it.
Summer had been creeping in for weeks and I’d pushed open my window to let the fresh breeze take away some of the dirty laundry and self-appreciation smell that seemed to hang heavily over my room but nowhere else in the house.
“Are you taking your turn?” Sam asked me as he passed the controller over and stepped over to the window.
“Yeah, yeah,” I said as I picked it up and brought my attention back to the room. Sam had come over a few days before for a game night, but had ended up staying a little longer than had been originally planned.
“You know, that sister of yours is outside,” Sam said as his eyes seemed firmly fixed to one point in the garden.
“Makes sense; it’s nice out there,” I said with an I couldn’t care less shrug.
“She’s looking pretty damn good,” Sam said with a wistful tone. “Money suits her,” he added as I watched him practically drool all over himself.
“If you say so,” I said, as though I hadn’t noticed the amazing transformation she’d had in the last few months. It was a cold approach I was taking, but it was necessary. She’d held my first impression and had given me no chance to redeem myself. She was hot, undeniably so, but I knew that underneath that sizzling exterior there was nothing but ice and resentment for people
like me.
“Like you haven’t noticed,” Sam said as he glanced over at me. “She’s living in your house,” he said, as though I’d be blind to not see the hot girl living across the hall from me.
“I guess,” I said reluctantly.
“I think we should go hang out by the pool,” Sam said with grin as he looked back out of the window at Tilly, who probably had no idea that she was being spied on.
“Of course you do,” I said dryly as I realized that Sam was crushing on Tilly. Sam had a reputation with the girls at our school. He was devilishly handsome, and he had a smooth way with words that seemed to temporarily wipe the mind of any girl who he set his sights on. Of course, that would eventually wear off and the girl would realize that he’d been playing her and probably two or three other girls on the side, too.
“So, can we go out and play?” Sam asked me with wide eyes and a sick smile on his face.
“No,” I said sternly. I could feel a note of jealousy run through my voice and I tried to quickly cover it up with a more casual look, so that Sam wouldn’t pick up on my real reasons for not wanting him to go near Tilly. “I mean, I have to live with this girl, man, don’t make life difficult for me,” I said as an explanation to my initial argument.
“Right,” Sam said, but his eyes narrowed, as though he was trying to work something out. “You know, for a minute there, you almost sounded jealous,” Sam said in a kind of teasing way.
“You’re an idiot,” I said as I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the screen and the hoard of zombies that were chasing after me.
“Oh yeah?” Sam challenged me. “Well, if that’s the case, then you won’t mind me going out and chilling with Tilly then,” he said with a look in his eyes that seemed to be enjoying the discomfort he was causing.
