Between Love and Hate

Respect

*Kane's POV*

When she tells me the guy she's spent the last two hours with is gay I feel a bit ridiculous for the white hot jealousy that's been swirling inside me this whole time.

As I watch her go to a table, I see a group of people walking towards her. I think I may have seen them around before but I can't recall any of their names. I can, however, see that they're all snakes from way over here. I especially don't like the way the guy on the far right is looking at Violet.

I've been trying to stay away from her with my dad around so that he doesn't think I'm getting attached but she's in a big group. I could be there for any one of those girls, right? My legs decide before my brain does and I begin walking towards their table, glaring at the guy looking at her the whole way there.

He notices me and then quickly averts his gaze away from Violet. Fucking creep.

As I get closer, and the girls notice me, I see them very obviously checking me out and notice how they shift slightly to stick their chests out a little more. How classy of them.

I stand beside Violet and notice how she stiffens slightly when my arm grazes hers. Her eyes flicker to mine and then the one in yellow says, "Hi, I'm Cara," and sticks her hand out, leaning over to give me a better view of her cleavage.

I look at her hand and then back to her. After a couple seconds, I feel Violet elbow me and I roll my eyes slightly but take her hand and say, "Kane," and then pull my hand back quickly.

Cara introduces the rest of the group and then says, "So, we're gonna go to Fleur Room tonight. Do you guys wanna join?"

"Oh, um, I'm not 21, actually," Violet says.

Cara laughs and says, "None of us are. You don't need to be legal if you have money."

She then says, "I also don't really do clubs or parties or whatever. You guys have fun though."

"Come on Vi, it'll be fun. Please come with us. For me," Lucas says, begging her with his eyes.

"Ugh, how are you already good at guilt-tripping me?" She says to him.

"So you'll come?" He says excitedly.

"I mean, I guess so, yeah. Only for a bit though," she replies with a grin.

"How about you Kane?" Cara asks me, fluttering her eyelashes. A night club is really the last place I want to be but I don't trust them with Violet so if she's going, so am I.

I shrug and say, "Yeah, I'll be there." She squeals in excitement and the sound makes me cringe. This is going to be a long night. I down my drink and then turn around and pick up another one from a passing waiter. I check my watch and it's only 3pm. We'll be here at least another hour.

I wish Mitch wasn't such a creeper so I could I could just leave Violet here and go home. I mean logically, he can't really do anything here. There are like a hundred people in close proximity and I'm sure she'll be with Lucas the rest of the time.

"Kane?" Her voice snaps me out of my own head and I look at her to find her looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, what?"

Violet starts to explain, "Cara was just asking-"

"I was asking what you're taking at Harvard," Cara finishes for her. I grit my teeth to stop myself from yelling at her for interrupting Violet.

"Economics," I reply shortly.

"Oh, cool, I'm doing a minor in economics," she replies back.

"I didn't ask." That seems to shut her up. I can feel Violet looking at me but I refuse to look in her direction. I already know she's trying to tell me to be nice. I, however, will never show respect to someone who has shown no respect for Violet. For me, I mean.

Over the next while, the group does not attempt to interact with me at all. I'm glad they got the message. Violet is fairly quiet too, however I do notice the way she observes everything very intently. She's quiet but still present, gleaning every bit of information she can from people's mannerisms and manner of speaking. I thought it strange before that she would be a criminal attorney but now I'm beginning to think she might be on to something.

What feels like forever later, my father and Heather come over to us and my father says, "Lana tells us dinner will be ready shortly, so we'll be headed home now."

I just nod and walk away. I vaguely hear Violet's voice, but I can't tell what she's saying. I wait out at the front door for the rest of them to join me and we walk back together.

When we make it inside, we head to the bar where my father pours us all drinks.

"Do you like Macallan as well Violet?" She nods eagerly and he pours us all a glass of that. Of course she does; any real scotch drinker likes Macallan.

We sit on the couches and enjoy our scotch with some more awkward conversation until Lana comes to inform us that dinner is ready. We all move to the table and Lana serves us our food before retreating to her house. I feel a pang of guilt and wish there was something I could do for her.

"So, Violet, I saw that you were getting along well with Lucas Johnson today," Heather says.

Violet chews her food slowly before answering, "Yeah, I was. He's really awesome."

"What about Jace?" She asks, clearly concerned about something.

"What about him? You do know Lucas is gay right?" Violet asks her.

"Are you sure? Marissa is always trying to set him up with girls."

"Trying being the operative word in that sentence," Violet says.

"Oh, I see. Okay. Well I guess that's fine then."

"Actually, um I made plans to go out with him and some of the other neighbourhood kids tonight if that's okay?"

"Are you going?" Heather asks me. I nod.

"Well I suppose as long as Kane is there with you that should be fine, right Harper?"

My dad nods and we continue to eat dinner in silence. When we're all finished, Violet says, "Lana, Lucas should be here in a bit. Would you mind sending him up to my room when he gets here?"

"Of course Miss. Shaw," Lana replies.

"Thank you," she replies and then heads up to her room. I do the same, but not because I have to 'get ready' or anything. I just want to avoid spending time with my father as much as possible.