With Love // Farleigh X Reader // Saltburn ✔️

11. The Henry's

It was the dinner time. I was unfortunately sandwiched between Farleigh and Penelope. It was making me feel awkward especially since I'd have to talk to them. I had to talk to Farleigh first. "So, how's your day been? I feel like I haven't seen you all day. We must've been in opposite areas of this place." I said to him and I was hoping he would say something.

"Maybe there's been a reason for that." He said to me and I knew why that reason was.

"There probably has been." I said to him and I had a sip of my drink.

"There has been. Which is why I want us to talk after this is over." He said to me and that gave me hope. A certain hope. Hopefully he'd forgiven me for not telling him. But this was Farleigh, he was as stubborn as anything and there was no way he'd do that. Or would he. It's like what Felix said, he was different around me. I could see it and others could to.

"I'll be looking forward to that talk." I said to him, I suppressed the smile that threatened to appear on my face. I couldn't let him know that I was thinking that this was good. Because yet again nothing good ever follows we need to talk or any other variations of that phrase. It was always leading to the same end. Like live in away, we all meet the same end eventually.

"Oh, I bet you are. Every time I've seen you since we argued, you've never wanted to hide more. I have no idea why." He said to me and I looked at him. I didn't either. He looked at me. For the first time today.

"I don't know either. I guess it's just nerves. You know what I mean right?" I asked him and he looked at me. I feel like he didn't but at the same time the look in his eyes were making it seem like he did.

"I do because although I'm trying to distance myself the only thing I want to do is talk to you but I couldn't. I had things I needed to tell you but I couldn't because I didn't know how you'd react or even feel." He said to me and there was a hint of anger in there. But he could still talk to me. This argument was over our relationship, he could still talk to me no matter what. Whether we were together or not. We still had a bond that would keep us tougher.

"You know you can always talk to me. You need to start talking to me instead of bottling things up because I'll listen to whatever it is that you have to say. You know this." I said to him and he looked at me and nodded. A small smile appeared on his face before it quickly disappeared.

"I know and I will. Just after tonight." He said to me and I nodded. I then had to turn my attention to Penelope.

"Oh, Y/n it's so lovely to see you. Your father and I have wanted to talk to you since your big move to Oxford. How has it been?" She asked me with that smile. Oh, how I hated that smile. The way she always looked like she cared but my brother, Warren, and I could see straight through her.

"It's been good. It's nice to be far away from home. Starting on my own. But not on my own." I said to her and she smiled at me.

"I remember when I was in university, I spent most of it partying and meeting guys. I heard about you and Farleigh, I had a feeling that would happen." She said to me and I looked at her. Sure she did. To all of that. She wasn't the type. She was a perfect good girl but how I know that she'd snap if something was ever out of line. I'd seen her freak out because someone forgot to get her a lime for her tequila once. That was enough for me to dislike her. Who cares about a missing citrus slice.

"Everyone did, you weren't the only one. How has it been back at Thistlehouse?" I asked her and I saw her look at my father who was sat across the way. He smile was faltering a little bit.

"Henry and I had a fallout before all of this. And your brother, he's not talking to me still. I don't get why he hates me so much. And since you've been gone as well. He's even worse for it. Could you call him when you get the chance, he'd appreciate that." She said to me and I looked at her. As much as I hated her I had to push that aside and I had to be nice to her.

"Listen, my father always falls out for people when he misses my mother the most. This dinner was one of her favourite things as you know. Besides Warren has always been as arse. You just gotta watch some awful comedy movies with him or even support him at one of his matches and I promise he'll come around." I said to her and she looked at me and nodded. Like she would really try and do all of that. Like she would try.

"I'll try that. If it doesn't work, at least you tried to help. Also, if at any point you want to come home during this summer you can. I know that we've been everywhere but Thistlehouse isn't the same without you there." She said and I smiled at her, well it was nice to be invited back to my house. But it was a seasonal place, during the summertime I'd be here but not Thistlehouse. That's how I would've liked it to have stayed but sometimes houses don't become a seasonal thing but a permanent thing. One we can't change.