26 - A Seat At The Table

JUNE’S POV

“So they invited you to have dinner with them?” My mum said.

“What are you going to wear?!” She added before immediately rushing to her room and throwing out clothes.

I changed outfits four times before deciding that I looked equally unimpressive in all of them.

If I wanted to get Mr Hayes’ approval, I had to look the part too.

I didn’t know what they expected from me.

Maybe softer voices, better clothes, less obvious desperation?

Whatever it was, I hoped I could imitate it long enough to survive dinner.

“This one. Your grandma bought me this dress years ago when I started job hunting but I only wore it once.” She held up a long polka dotted dress with a square neckline.

It was soft and flowing.

“Go try it on.” She shooed me toward my room.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The dress hugged my waist tight and pushed up my breasts slightly. The dress stopped just above my ankles.

“I hear someone needs a makeover!” Jules’ voice rang out as she walked into the flat.

“Wow, you look… so beautiful.” She smiled as she walked into my room.

She let my curls fall past my shoulders and made them the center of attention.

By the time she was done, I looked almost unrecognizable.

“The artist and her masterpiece.” She dramatized proudly in front of my mum. “Wowww, you look better than I did in that dress.”

“Is he coming here?” My mum asked.

God forbid.

I wasn’t ready for him to see my life, yet.

“I can drop you off at Kensington.” Jules volunteered.

Soon, we were at Kensington, Adrien was already waiting outside the car.

Not just any car, a sleek black Porsche. He was standing by the driver seat in a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

The dark fabric contrasted his skin perfectly, making his blue eyes seem brighter beneath the evening lights.

He looked expensive, so effortlessly put together.

His head lifted the moment I stepped out of the car. Then he froze. His eyes moved slowly over me, as if he was trying to process what he was seeing.

The silence suddenly made me aware of the dress, the hair , heels and everything Jules had forced me into.

“You look…” he paused, blinking once to himself before laughing softly.

“That bad?” I crossed my arms defensively.

“No,” he said immediately, softening his gaze.

“You look gorgeous.”

The weird thing about Adrien was how sincere he sounded when he complimented me.

Like he genuinely meant every word.

I believed him too.

“Thank you.” I responded softly.

“You don’t have to worry, they’re just people.” Adrien assured me as he drove.

If only he knew.

“And we’re here.” He added.

I tried to hide my twitching fingers but he already noticed.

“I’ll be there with you,okay?” He said softly.

“O-okay.” I breathed out.

The Hayes home looked like the kind of place people lowered their voice in.

Everything in the house looked expensive, but it didn’t feel like a home.

Everything seemed curated.

A man stepped out of the hallway, he was almost identical to Adrien, his hair was just lighter and his eyes were hazel.

“I’m guessing this is the unlucky girl.” He looked at me before stretching out his hand.

I thought he was going to shake my hand but, like Theo, he lifted my hand and pressed a kiss against it instead.

“Pleased to meet you. How could a beautiful girl like you, choose to be with my brother?” I could tell he was not being serious and just teasing his brother.

“Dinner’s already being served.” A maid came out to inform us and led us to a dining room.

Adrien held my hand and rubbed slow circles softly, it was soothing and managed to calm the nerves I was hiding.

“June dear, Adrien has told us so much about you.” A blonde woman came up to me and pressed a kiss to my cheek, it was his mum.

I smiled softly and greeted her, I wasn’t used to so much physical contact.

Despite her smiles, I had a strange feeling she was evaluating everything about me.

“Sit, sit.” She said and Adrien pulled out a chair for me. He sat right next to me.

“Their dad isn’t here yet but he’ll be down soon.” She explained.

I stared at the untouched food in front of me, suddenly terrified of using the wrong fork.

Mr Hayes soon walked into the room. I didn’t need to look, the air shifted. Beside me, Adrien sat up straighter.

“Adrien speaks very highly of you.” His dad spoke.

I looked up.

“You’re responsible for Adrien’s recent academic improvements.”

His eyes moved briefly towards Adrien. “Impressive work.”

“Thank you sir.” I said.

“What do you plan on studying?” He asked me.

“Law.” I answered simply.

“Law? Why law?” He said as he ate.

“Power fascinated me.” I answered honestly. “Especially who gets protected by it and who doesn’t.”

Silence settled briefly across the table.

“Interesting.”

“Adrien’s always been a little distracted academically,” his mother says lightly.

“Well someone had to keep the average humility levels in the family balanced.”

Everyone chuckled, except me.

There was something depreciating in the way he spoke, I didn’t understand how it was funny.

“Football makes him disciplined though, it’s admirable.” Lucas added.

He was the only one who seemed proud of his brother.

“Lucas has always been academically focused.,” his dad said.

I noticed the favoritism, they spoke a bit more proudly when the subject matter was Lucas.

It was subtle. The difference in tone, in patience and in belief.

“Football is only nice while it lasts isn’t it? Reality always crashes down.” His mum added.

There was something restrained about him here, like even his personality had to sit properly at the table.

“What part of law interests you, June?”

“Human rights and political law mostly.” I answered after chewing the food in my mouth.

Lucas looked up slightly, “that’s ambitious.”

“I know.” I replied.

“And idealistic.” Adrien added.

“I just think laws reveal what societies truly value.” I expressed.

“How so?” Mr Hayes said, staring at me intently.

“People always claim everyone matters equally,” I explained. “But legal systems usually represent who gets protected first.”

Mr Hayes gave a small nod in agreement.

“You’re very articulate for someone your age.” He said, he said it more like a fact than a compliment.

“Thank you.” I managed to say.

The dinner went smoothly but the tension and expectations on Adrien was undeniable.

“Lucas was already managing internships at your age.” His mum told him.

Adrien nodded dramatically, “Yes, because being normal was never an option here.”

“At least football keeps you occupied.” His dad said.

Something about that sentence unsettled me.

Adrien let out a small laugh. That somehow made it worse.

“I think people underestimate him.” I said before I could stop myself.

Even Adrien looked surprised.

Mr Hayes’ gaze shifted to me carefully, “and why do you think that?”

“A lot of intelligent people don’t work as hard as he does. You talk about him like he’s unfinished.” I couldn’t stop myself from defending him.

Sitting at the table, watching them insult his passion subtly, made me upset.

“Maybe if people stopped deciding who he’s supposed to become, they’d notice who he is already.” I finished.

“Hmm,” his parents muttered.

“Thank you for coming June, feel free to stop by anytime.” His mother said.

“Walk with me.” Adrien said as we stepped out.

“You didn’t have to do that.” He spoke in the quiet garden, only illuminated by the lights on the fence.

“Do what?”

“Defend me like that.”

I looked away first.

“Why do you let them talk to you like that?” I asked him.

He shrugged his shoulders.

“You should stand up for yourself.” I told him firmly.

“You look cute when you’re angry.” He said with a smile.

“I’m not angry.” I said.

“You’re defending me in a strangers garden after meeting my family for one night.” He said with a laugh.

“That sounds pretty angry to me.” He added.

“I just don’t like unfairness.” I defended myself.

“That’s not the only reason.” He said.

The way he said it made my chest tighten.

“Maybe.” I said with a small smile and rested my head on his arm.