22. Grovelling Reyes Couple

VIENNE'S POV

An hour and a few minutes had passed before I let out a big exhale. And I believe I was done giving and explaining all key points of the topic to Calloway, so I pushed the jotter fully to his side.

“There. Take another close look and point out wherever you're not clear with, okay?” I mumbled out tiredly before grabbing my cellphone; 6:10pm said the time.

Somehow, I don't feel the need to hurry off. I glanced at Damon who has that frown on again, that one when he's seriously trying to assess or get something stuck in his head. So far, he's doing good and that keeps me wondering how his grades have been going down these years. If he could keep up with this pace or higher, the grades could be telling a different tale at the end of the year.

My eyes strayed away from his form to the whole room again. The apartment is humble enough; not too big or too small, but it was cozy enough which had the tiny feeling of envy run through me.

It was way in contrast to mine which is extra spacious; not complaining, but the emptiness in the atmosphere that peeks out sometimes, back home had me comparing and coveting.

Tch.

What a life.

I lightly shook my head at my predicament in self-pity.

Curiosity nibbled at me upon realizing that the apartment only has pictures of himself and Dawn. Nothing about his parents. Nothing was giving away that there's the presence of any guardian and they both don't seem to be expecting their arrival.

Perhaps, out of town?

I was about to ask when Dawn sashayed over..

“Damon, I'm hungry. What are we having for dinner?”

Damon exhaled before pinching his eyes, clearly tired before they found mine.

Just at that moment, my tummy chose to let out an embarrassing rumble and he tilted his head slightly at me in amusement.

“Heard that?!” Dawn squealed out excitedly, murdering my chance to get embarrassed “Vienne is hungry too, we could have dinner together. We'll be waiting for Damon.” She turned to me grabbing my arm, “let's watch a movie while we wait for dinner. Have you met Choki?”

“Nope. Who's that?” I let her pull me over to the sofa and I could feel someone giving us a dark look.

Oh! Look at that. It's our grumpy chef.

I threw him a nod to hurry along to the kitchen and get started.

“It's our cat. My ginger cute cat” Dawn answered with a giggle. “Choki?!!” She called out.

A few minutes passed and food was ready. Here I was sitting at their dining table of four, staring at the bowl of several hot toasts, enough sauce and a jug of watermelon juice. I looked around while savouring the aroma, unbeknownst to me, my long stare and silence seemed to be creating a wrong thought in Damon.

“What? Not to your liking?” Damon's resigned voice rang out, though measured.

“No. It's okay”

“Then eat.” he grumbled out at me and that had me tipping down my lips at him in displeasure.

“Stop giving our guest an attitude, Damon.” Dawn had sourly spoken up for me which earned us an unbelievable scoff from him before he returned to setting the table, getting the plates.

He carefully placed toasts on our plates before feeling the other with sauce.

“Enough?” He asked and I found myself reaching for my plate while nodding absentmindedly at him. I was hungry.

I devoured the meal while mentally commending his little culinary skill. I found myself reaching for more and helping myself and Dawn with the juice.

Holding the last piece, I delved into the thought of when last I've had proper family dinner; no siblings and my parents were always away after staying for a few days.

Pathetic.

“It's getting late Reyes, I'll take you home when you're done and ready” Damon's voice rasped out to me.

***************

The next day came fast.

So did school.

It was break, but I found myself sitting in the classroom with a few other students, not hungry and in the mood to leave my seat. I scribbled a few mathematical equations on my notes, my mind occasionally drifting off to yesterday evening at Calloway’s apartment.

‘will you come over again?’ Dawn had hopefully asked while grabbing onto my hand. And I nodded with slight uncertainty.

What if I don't get to go over again?

My thoughts were cut short by a condescending scoff. It was stripping.

I looked up to find Ryan staring down at me and I almost choked on my saliva. When he walked over, I didn't know. For a moment, I couldn't help getting nervous and trying to splutter out something.

Amelia and a friend of hers stood a few feet away from my seat, watching. Along with Seth.

The smug look on Ryan's face as he contemptuously looked down at me was tearing at my heart and twisting daggers into it. It was stripping my pride.

I fought back the urge to break down before I opened my mouth with a cracked voice. “D_Do you_”

“So, that's all you are…” he began. He chuckled, his hands were stuck in his pockets and his arrogance was almost paralyzing me. “I knew you were all bluffing. What's your point in going out with that Scholarship kid when you're still pathetically hung up on me, huh?”

I bit down on my lips. He was painfully right but him saying it like this was humiliating. The other students were paying attention to us.

“I couldn't believe my ears when I heard the Reyes couple came over to our home…” he mockingly said in a sing-song. Dramatically.

His statement had me snapping up at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Stop pretending. Didn't you ask your parents to come over to beg so we could get back together?”

And that had my scalp itching in instant humiliation. Blood rushed to my face because there was a high chance of it being true. But still…I frowned.

“That's a lie” I rushed out. “You're lyi_”

“You should just preserve your dignity by shutting it. You sent your parents over to our house to grovel.” He laughed. “Aren't you full of surprises Vienne Reyes? I couldn't believe my ears when my mom told me.”

Another laughter harshly cut through the classroom. Amelia's.

She cackled out with her friend as they mocked. Again

Even seated on the chair, I felt like the floor could swallow me. The world tilted and I watched as the other students’ attention sucked on the juicy information.

“No. That's not true…”

“Tell that to yourself till you'd believe it…” his voice which drew out in mirth drifted from my hearing. So as other noises.

I want to go home…