KINGSLEY

I hated when guests were over, but these two? I loathed them on a different level. The last time they were here, I’d barely been able to get down my meal because of the anger I felt, and this evening would be no different.

“Oh, Kingsley, you're finally joining us,” Harper’s wretched mother addressed me with a chipper voice.

It took everything in me not to roll my eyes at her. For some reason, my dad was genuinely fond of her so if I did that, he’d probably pluck both eyes out and reattach them painfully.

So, instead, I nodded in her direction and took the empty seat opposite Harper. The annoying little thing acted like I didn't exist, even when I was looking pointedly at her, she was facing her food righteously or acting engrossed in our parents’ boring discussion.

I was counting the minutes to the end of dinner painfully when her mom turned her attention to me again.

“You look better already Kingsley, you must have really impressive healing abilities if your allergic reactions are gone this quickly,” she was smiling at me but it did nothing to alter my opinion of her.

All of this was just a ruse, her attempt at making my father think she was worthy of being his wife, but if she thought that ruthless prick would favour her based on how nicely she treated me, then she truly didn't know a thing about the man she was marrying.

“Yeah, thanks,” I used a formal tone to mask the anger pulsing through me.

She smiled again then started shuffling through her bag for something. She finally retrieved a small gift box and opened it to reveal an EpiPen.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw my father’s jaw tighten and then he faced me fully and gave me a dreadful look. Which could only mean that I’d once again brought him shame with my countless weak points.

“Here, just so you're prepared the next time it happens,” she passed it over to me.

I nodded as I took it but didn't say anything because I was a 100% sure I’d lash out at her for somehow making a horrible situation even worse with her pretend kindness.

“I’m sure it won't happen again,” Father said as though he was joking and she smiled in agreement but I knew damn well that he wasn't.

This time around, I caught Harper’s gaze on me as I dropped Epipen and picked up my cutlery but she quickly looked away. She was really fucking weird.

“Ah, Harper, congratulations, by the way,” my father flashed her grin of pride that he’d never directed at me once in my entire life, “you keep giving your mother bragging rights in every single board meeting.”

“My brilliant little star,” her mom reached out and ruffled her hair proudly.

This time around, I did roll my eyes, seeing Harper being doted on was nauseating as hell.

“That she is,” my father agreed, “she's officially the youngest overall and only female student in the school’s history to have had her scholarship renewed for five years in a row.”

Her mom squeezed her shoulder, obvious pride bursting through her and Harper flashed my dad a thankful smile. I felt like boring a hole underneath me and burying myself in it, food had never tasted this bland and nasty in my mouth.

“And then there's Kingsley whose name being said in the board room usually means he's caused some teenage boy trouble,” his tone was light and his so-called fiancee chuckled, but I knew he’d meant that in the most condescending way possible.

For the rest of dinner, our parents acted like lovesick teenagers who couldn't keep their hands off each other. They were feeding themselves, making weird suggestive eye contact, and smiling at each other like they were alone and in paradise.

It made my skin crawl, especially knowing that neither of them was being true to the other. My father was pretending to be a decent human being and she was pretending to love him when the only things she cares about are his money and title.

Perfect match, I’d say.

“We’re going to do some stargazing, we’ll be back soon,” Harper’s mother held my father’s gaze even though she was addressing us.

Before I knew it, they’d left the dining hand in hand.

I immediately pushed my food out of my way and leaned further so I was making direct eye contact with the horrible companion I was left with.

“Does your mum always throw her legs open at rich men so she can put food on your table?” I pushed her glass of water and watched it spill all over her.

She gasped and quickly reached for a napkin.

“You think everyone cares about nothing but money and that's truly shallow-minded,” she retorted angrily, causing a vein to strain in my jaw.

“That fucking mouth, you'll never learn when to keep it shut will you?” the only reason I hadn't shut her up myself was because our parents could come back down any minute.

“I’ll shut it when you stop dragging my mom into your bullshit assumptions,” she frowned, her small frame and huge eyes doing nothing to scare me.

Pissed that I couldn't teach her a lesson, I abruptly got out of my seat.

“You have one last chance to tank this foolish wedding, bitch, or you'll regret your entire wretched existence,” I flipped her off before heading upstairs.

That night, I drifted to sleep while visualizing her begging me for mercy which she’d get none of.

***

The next day, I went to school awfully early and headed to the security room. I’d woken up with a deathly rage towards the person that triggered my allergy and I knew the best way to track them would be through the CCTV footage.

It took all of fifteen minutes for me to get my hands on the footage for the cafeteria from the head of security. I gave him a crisp wad of dollar bills that amounted to triple of his salary so he didn't need much convincing to turn everything over to me.

By the time I left with the footage, classes were already in session, so I headed to an empty lab and began to scan through it.

I’d already started to feel frustration crawling in when I finally spotted a familiar face amongst the cafeteria staff on the afternoon that I was practically poisoned. It was none other than Harper’s annoying know-it-all-all face.

At first, I didn't think too much of it because she was the type to volunteer like the stuck-up bitch she was.

But I quickly realized that I was wrong to wave it off when I saw her pour a powdered brown substance into the porridge mix that was being prepared when no one was watching. I didn't think she had the balls to do something like that, especially after the countless number of times I’ve proven to her that she belongs beneath me.

The anger I felt was murderous, it overwhelmed me so much that all I could do was stare pointlessly at my laptop screen and wish I could reach into it and strangle her.


When I watched the clips where she was lurking subtly and watching my allergy unravel me, I finally got up and angrily marched towards her class. We had the same schedule so I knew exactly where she was.

“You!” my voice thundered when I spotted her at the front desk peering attentively at the board like a stupid nerd.

Everyone’s eyes turned to me and Harper’s were shining with guilt and shock.

“Did you think I would never find out and you’d go scot-free?!” I stalked towards her desk, feeling my anger ball and multiply in my chest.

I heard Harper swallow but she remained glued to her seat with a stubborn frown directed at me like she felt no remorse.

“Mr Hawthorne, you can either take a seat or leave my class,” the English teacher ordered when the class scattered with whispers.

“I’ll gladly leave,” I flashed the teacher a fake smile before reaching for Harper’s collar and dragging her out of her seat easily, “but you’re coming with me.”

And then I pulled her out with me not listening to her useless protests the entire way out.