Being the Boss

20

So, I'm done with uni for the semester! Now that I'm on break I'll try to post more! I swear, anyway, I know this is short and I know 4 months is a long gap, but I will try my hardest to update more regularly. Promise

Mary sighed and tried not to fidget anymore. She let her eyes slide over to where Johnathan was a few inches away from her, but only for a second before she refocused them on the road ahead of her. Even though there was music playing, there was a layer of silence that was so obviously being ignored that it became the only thing that Mary could concentrate on.

"Do you think you could relax for once in your life?" Johnathan joked, the corners of his lips curled up coyly.

Mary frowned, "I am relaxed," she snapped. Realizing the harshness of her tone, Mary replied in a calmer manner, "I mean, what do you mean? I am perfectly relaxed."

Johnathan rolled his eyes, "Sure you are. C'mon it's just my sister's birthday party. We show up, give the brat her gift and leave."

Mary huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, only to be choked by her seatbelt. Once she recovered her breath she asked, "Why do I even need to come?"

"We went over this, all my aunts and my mom want me to get settled or whatever. If I come with someone," Johnathan started as he let his eyes scan over Mary's body, "They'll ask me less questions and I can get out faster."

Johnathan saw Mary roll her eyes, "And we're friends now, so you're doing me a favor," he said with a grin on his face.

Laughing softly to herself, Mary dissected Johnathan's plan and pointed out its many faults to herself. Unfortunately for her, Johnathan had an impeccable sense of hearing, and began to pester her about what she had said.

"If you can say it under your breath, you should brave enough to say it to my hearing," Johnathan pointed out. When that didn't work, he resorted to poking Mary in various places that were within his reach.

As Mary gasped between peals of laughter and screams of terror she tried to tell Johnathan to focus on the road. Of course he ignored her request until she agreed to tell him what she had said.

"I said, if your plan was to get in and out faster, you're going about it all wrong," Mary started.

"How so?" Johnathan asked.

"Well, first things first, I have to be introduced to everyone, then answer the question of how we met," Mary started, curling out her fingers as she counted the flaws, "Then the time to explain that I'm not your girlfriend but a girl that is unfortunate enough to be your friend, next thing you know we've expended an extra thirty minutes of time at the minimum. Also, if you wanted someone with a pretty face to come with you, why didn't you ask one of your model friends to tag along? I'm sure they'd be more than willing to spend time with you, at least more so than I am. "

Mary looked over at the man across from her to see how he had taken the breakdown of his plan. When Johnathan didn't say anything, Mary asked if he had even listened to a word she had said.

Johnathan placed a tender hand over his heart, "I can't believe that being my friend is unfortunate to you," he said with mock sadness.

"You're the one that basically seduced it out of me," Mary reminded him.

Johnathan shrugged his shoulders, "The details are debatable," he said with a wicked grin, "And anyway, you're more fun to be with."

Mary exhaled loudly through her mouth, "You're being childish, but it's too late now," she glanced at that dashboard, "How much longer until we get there?"

"Approximately five more seconds," Johnathan said before turning off the road and onto a gravel path.

As Mary's brain boggled within her head, they drew closer and closer to Johnathan's childhood home. Mary had never doubted the wealth that Johnathan had, but seeing the expansive green lawn in-front of her and the beautiful building growing closer from the background put her in awe.

"You lived here?" Mary stammered, her eyes enlarging to take in the view.

Johnathan merely shrugged, "It's more or less like the bane of my existence, but yes, I lived here."

Mary shook her head and tried not to think of how many times her childhood home would fit within Johnathan's. The gate crawled open and Mary was eye to eye with one of the most beautiful architecture that she had seen since she had last visited a museum.

"It's nice," she said, completely aware of the understatement.

Johnathan shrugged as he began to unbuckle. Before Mary had the chance to copy his movement, Johnathan was already holding the door open for her. Mary quipped her brow before saying, "I didn't know you could be a gentleman."

Mary heard him scoff, "No one likes a nice guy Mary," he said as he trekked ahead, leaving her to catch up.

Mary didn't say anything back until they had reached the doorstep. She paused, thinking that Johnathan would want to debrief her on what their "story" was and who was the crazy aunt that liked to give sloppy kisses and talk about babies.

Johnathan didn't stop to say anything as he slipped through the door. Almost immediately someone launched themselves at him. Acting upon reflex, Johnathan encircled his little sister in his arms.

"Happy birthday you brat," he said, resulting in a squeal.

Before, Mary thought the term brat showed Johnathan's lack of concern for his family ties. Now she could see that it was used as an endearment, she was taken aback at his ability to love anyone other than himself, but she kept that to herself.

A pair of similar green eyes peeped over Johnathan's shoulders and landed squarely on her. They narrowed briefly before the person who owned them walked towards her.

"Kat play nice," Mary heard Johnathan command to his sister, though it sounded like it wasn't a strong one.

Kat rolled her eyes with as much attitude as any teenager could. Mary noted that she was taller than her, so there was something in the Knightly genes that made them all attractive she thought to herself.

Not one to be intimidated, Mary straightened her skirt and reached out a hand, "Happy birthday Kat," she said with as much gusto as she could muster.

"It's Kathrine to you," Kat said, shaking her hand, "So what brings you here?" she asked, a slight ferocity laced her voice.

Mary didn't know where all of Kathrine's hostility came from. She seemed friendly only seconds ago. Then again, Mary remembered that she was related to Johnathan, so hostility must also be genetic.

"I beg your pardon?" Mary asked, "It's your birthday, your brother practically begged me to come. I came."

Kat tilted her head and glanced over Mary more, "Well, you seem more modest than the other one. I knew I didn't like her," Kat muttered as she evaluated Mary.

"The other one?" Mary asked, glaring directly at Johnathan with an upraised brow.

"Kat drop it," Johnathan ordered, the coldness in his voice left no room for discussion.

Kat merely grinned and chirped, "Doesn't matter, I like her," before skipping off into the crowd.

Mary could see the strain in Johnathan. There was something off in the way that he looked into the distance. Mary never thought that she would live to be the day where she was the other woman. But she could tell that something Kat had said bothered him. It wasn't rocket science, Mary could tell that Johnathan's heart had been broken by someone. That is, if he had a heart to begin with.

"So, are you going to introduce me to your folks or am I going that to do that myself?" Mary asked, walking up to Johnathan's side and giving him a friendly shove.

Surprisingly, Johnathan pulled Mary closer to him and said, "I'll do the talking. Who knows what atrocious lies you'll say about me?"

Mary was unaware of when she tucked her arm around Johnathan, but she didn't complain as he led her towards the backyard. As predicted, they were assaulted with different questions. Before she knew it, Mary had lost Johnathan and she was surrounded by curious family members that wanted answers.