The Art of Unopulence

06 | foreboding

Dad's standing in the kitchen with his hands crossed in front of his chest when I enter, palm covering my mouth as I stifle a yawn.

"Morning." I mumble, grabbing the milk bottle from inside the refrigerator.

In a swift moment Dad hits my wrist with the edge of his hand making my fingers detach from the bottle, and he effortlessly catches it before it hits the floor.

"Oww!" I frown at him as I rotate my wrist, the sleep knocked out of my system completely.

"Good morning Ariya." He acknowledges me with a crooked grin before placing the milk bottle on the counter.

I open my mouth to give Dad a piece of my mind when Nathaniel strides into the kitchen cum dining area and nods respectfully at my father and me before drawing a seat for himself at the dining table.

He's dressed in a white formal shirt and pants of the darkest shade of blue with a small silver brooch pinned over his heart, that matches the three rings he wears on his fingers.

I'm about to comment about his attire- it seems rather abnormal for one's first day at the public high school but Dad begins his first-day-so-try-not-to-die pep talk.

"So it's your first day at the new school, Nathaniel. How do you feel?" he raises his brow.

"I've been home schooled before so I'm not quite certain what I must expect, sir." Nathaniel answers with a solemn expression.

"Fair enough." Dad hums in response, "Ariya will help you get your class schedule and find your homeroom. Stick together and blend in as best as you can. Disguised federal agents will be guarding the perimeter. Everything will be fine, ok."

"Yep." I quip, setting my glass if milk on the dining table, "By the way who's driving us to school?"

"Who said anything about driving?" Dad shakes his head, "The school is barely a ten minute walk from here. Both of you shall be going on foot."

I glance ruefully at my nude heeled pumps before stating, "Yeah, because no one's going to find it odd that a car follows us as we walk to school everyday. Especially, those who are hunting for our magnificent prince here. I agree, we should walk."

Dad ignores my whining as usual and continues, "Nathaniel, you're clearly the smarter one here. I trust you to consciously not attract unwanted attention. It's imperative that you lay low for your own safety."

I bite back a scoff at my father's underhanded insult, choosing instead to pour honey loops into a bowl for my breakfast.

"I am heading to work now. Both of you eat your breakfast and lock the front door before leaving. Act normal." Dad says, handing me the house key.

After hearing the front door shut, I turn m attention to the cereal in my bowl.

Nathaniel sits silently, fiddling with the old touch screen phone he's been given.