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“Does scared count as excited?” I chuckle.
“It does.” He winks at me as he stands back up. “I’ll be outside. Your father is waiting for you in his study.”
My stomach recoils as I fake a smile. “Thanks for letting me know.” He leaves the room and I follow him, although he goes for the front door when we’re down the stairs while I take a left toward my father’s study.
“Knock, knock,” I fake a cheery voice as I push the door open.
“Alex,” my father calls in his serious tone. “Come here.” My eye twitches but I keep the grin on my face, bracing myself for a life lesson, or two.
I walk to his desk and sit in front of him like a kid who’s been called to the principal’s office.
“God,” he chuckles to himself before getting up and walking to the globe that serves as an alcohol cabinet. He pulls out an old whiskey and pours it into a tumbler. “My daughter is off to college. I’m starting to feel old.”
My father has always been a handsome man. Women fall over at his feet constantly. My mother wasn’t his first wife. She’s the young, second one. His gray hair is peppered with whatever is left of the black he used to have. He’s always clean-shaven, wearing perfectly tailored suits and an expensive watch from his collection of Rolexes and others. He doesn’t look his sixty years of age one bit, but I can only imagine what it’s like to see your only baby off to college.
He walks back to his chair and takes a sip of whiskey before leaning back.
“You’re lucky you got into Silver Falls University, Alexandra. I don’t think you worked as hard as you should have, but I’m glad they accepted your application. Maybe our name had to do with it. I don’t know.”
He swirls the whiskey in the glass as I clench my jaw. Or maybe it was because of my outstanding GPA, or the fact that I was my year’s valedictorian. The volunteering? My compelling resume? Perhaps the great essays, recommendations, and letters of application.
No, according to him, it’s my name andluck.
“The point is,” he keeps going, “you got in.” He takes another sip, puts the glass down, and leans toward me, aiming his finger in my direction. “You’re going to work hard, Alexandra. I am not going to accept you bringing any shame to this family. It’s embarrassing enough you can’t compete in any sports anymore.”
I look down at my left wrist and the scar that goes from there to the inside of my forearm. It’s not like I chose to stop competing. I was great at swimming and a nimble cheerleader. Not possible anymore since my birthday.
I nod and tuck my dirty blonde hair behind my ear. “Of course, Dad. That’s why I’m going.”
“I know your mom wants you to join the sorority she was a part of. I agree, as it brings valuable connections, but you will behave yourself. No drinking, no boys, no losing sight of goals. Work, Alexandra. That’s the only thing that pays.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Have you done the required reading? The essays your tutors gave you? I’ve not seen any of that on my desk.”
“You were away for work,” I tell him. “I’ve done them all.”
Spelling bees, private tutors, math summer camps, English literature retreats. I’ve done it all. I even tried drawing and painting. My mother’s family is known for their grandfather being a renowned painter. She’s an amazing artist herself and owns the only art gallery in Stoneview. She tried to teach me as a kid, and those were our best times together. However, that stopped when my dad realized I was having too much fun and lacked talent. No fun is ever allowed in the Delacroix house. No rewards come without hard work. In fact, no rewards ever come, no matter what. Never a well done or a great job. Even less a desperately neededI’m proud of you.
“Come here, show me your wrist.” He turns in his chair as I stand up and round his desk.
His fingers come to my right wrist and toy with the diamond bracelet he gave me the day after my eighteenth birthday. He couldn’t stand that my tracking necklace had been broken and stolen.
There’s a silver heart locket attached to this bracelet too. He undoes it and slides it off my wrist. My eyebrows lift from the shock.
Is he going to let me go to college without it? The hope of freedom blooms in my chest as the corner of my lips tips up. “Dad,” I exhale. “Thank y—”
“I’ve thought about your request to not have your bodyguard come with you to college.”
“Really?” I can feel my eyes lighting up with hope. Everyone in my family has a personal bodyguard. My mother has Vincent, who is one of the politest and most handsome men I know. I have Julian, who is on the older side but still perfectly good at his job. He doesn’t stay at home like Vincent, but he does come with me everywhere I go. And my father has three. Two with him at all times, and another who has all his work passwords, codes to safes, and other secrets like that. That’s in case something happens to Dad.
I’ve been begging my father all summer to let me go to college without Julian. Silver Falls University is the safest college in the country. It’s completely private, gated, and security drives around campus at all times. I probably wouldn’t be the only person on campus with a bodyguard. Most of the students from SFU are from influential families at risk of being targeted. But having someone follow you everywhere is so suffocating, especially when I know they report everything to my father.
“Yes, really,” my dad confirms. “I will let you move away from home without Julian. On one condition.”
Anything!I scream so loudly in my mind I’m sure he can hear it.
He puts my bracelet on his desk, tracing the circle of diamonds with the tip of his index fingers.
