Homeless

Chapter 23

"I really don't want to go in there," Nathaniel grumbled.

We were sitting in the car in the driveway of his father's house. 'House' seemed too small a word for it. It was a mansion, situated in a neighborhood I didn't even know existed in the city, with stately homes, sprawling gardens and spitting fountains.

The sun had set as we were leaving the apartment, and by the time we got here it was dark. The mansion sparkled, its windows spilling light outside. The fountain in the middle of the driveway gushed glowing water. How in the world did they get water to glow?

There were at least ten cars in the driveway, more parked on the street. Nathaniel was as caught off guard as I was. Claire, who had stayed behind with Mark, had told us it was just a family dinner. Considering the number of cars, it seemed to be more.

The bodyguards parked the car behind us and turned off the lights. I was a little bit nervous. But if I got bored, I would just find Cecile and hang out with her. The little girl was spending the night here, at her grandfather's place.

Nathaniel hit the back of his head against the seat and sighed. I smiled. He was acting like a petulant child.

"I think you're overreacting," I told him.

"Overreacting?" He asked with raised brows. "Me?"

"Just a little bit," I said, holding my pointer and thumb an inch apart.

He shook his head. "You have no idea what you're about to walk into, young woman," he said, his lips twitching up. "There's nothing scarier than a mother determined to make you her daughter's future spouse."

I snorted and unclasped my belt. "You think too highly of yourself, young man."

I opened the door to his soft chuckle and got out. Nathaniel jumped out and rounded the car towards me.

He was dressed in black khaki pants and a black sweater underneath his coat, the collar of his white shirt peeking through. I smoothed my hand down the white coat I had borrowed from Claire again. Underneath it, I had put on a pale blue silk shirt with long puffed sleeves, tucked into a pair of wide legged white pants that flowed down to my ankles, and beige boots. All of which I had chosen from the clothes Claire brought earlier in the day.

She had rolled in a suitcase bursting with clothes in order to find a proper outfit for this dinner. She kept lending me clothes that she never accepted back. At this rate, I would have her entire wardrobe by the end of the year. When I had said as much, Nathaniel snorted, saying his sister's closet could clothe seven normal women, to which Claire inquired 'how exactly was she not normal?' and then an argument ensued between the two siblings.

"I like what you did with your hair," Nathaniel said. The lights of the house and the garden reflected in his dark eyes like stars.

I touched my fingers to the intricate braid wrapped like a crown around my head, curly strands escaped the plait and framed my face. I had seen it in a picture online. It'd been frustrating to recreate. But the result was worth it.

"Thank you," I said, glad that I decided to try it out.

"Let's go," Nathaniel said, holding out his hand. Right. We were supposed to be dating. I put my hand in his and we walked to the front door. My heels clicked on the white marble of the front porch. The house looked even more grand up close. My heart raced.

Nathaniel rang the doorbell and squeezed my hand. "It'll be okay."

I glanced at him with a smile. "Are you comforting me or yourself?"