Ronny

Chapter 2

I frown, then wonder why Avery is already dressed when it's only two in the afternoon. The dinner won't be for another few hours.

I choose to ignore my family, going upstairs to nap before I have to get ready for dinner.

5:30 comes far too soon, my alarm chiming relentlessly to wake me up.

I roll out of bed and pick out a simple black floor length dress from my closet.

I groan as I zip up the dress, dreading spending the next few hours in the tight fabric. My stomach feels like it's gonna pop the dress.

I brush my hair out and apply a little bit of makeup to make myself appear presentable. These dinners always put an extreme amount of pressure on me to look like my beautiful sister.

I like how I look, but when I'm at dinner dressed up beside my sister, I can't help but feel hideous.

Avery is perfect. She has rich shiny blonde hair that makes mine look dull. She is tall, with tanned legs that put me to shame. Her ocean blue eyes outshine my boring brown ones by far.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I let out a sigh.

Avery is pretty, but she isn't you.

I don't know why I even care. All of the business dinners Papa organizes are with older men, nobody I would care to impress.

For some reason though, tonight I want to look pretty.

I hear the front door open from downstairs, so I hurry and make my way to the dining room. At least every time we have a nice dinner Mama calls in professional chefs to make food. That's the only pro to these things.

"Welcome!" I hear Mama's voice from the other room. "It's a pleasure to have you in our home Aaron" she coos. "It's Mr. Hendrix." A deep voice corrects her sharply.

My eyes widen at Mama allowing someone to speak to her like that, something I've never seen before.

"Wow you almost look like a girl" A snarky voice giggles from behind me. "Too bad you don't have the chest to fill out that dress." Avery tells me.

She steps by me to look at the mirror propped up on the wall. I watch her as she flips her hair over her shoulder and does a weird thing with her mouth where she opens it slightly and pushes her lips out.

"Where is Nick?" I ask my sister. "He's coming later" she replies. Nick has been away at some big case in New York, but he's supposed to be home tonight.

"Girls!" Mama calls us.  Avery squeals, looking in the mirror one more time. I roll my eyes at her. She's always obsessive about her appearance, but never this much.

I follow Avery down the hall to the foyer, where Mama and Papa are standing. Whoever they're greeting is hidden behind the wall still.

"Mr. Hendrix, this is my lovely daughter Avery" Papa introduces Avery as I look to the floor with embarrassment.

This always happens at the business dinners. Papa paints Avery as the golden child, so I just sit and be quiet.

"You probably recognize her from magazines or billboards" Mama extends her bragging.

Even as I look to the floor, a familiar dark presence washes over me, begging me to lift my gaze to whoever is in front of me. So I do.

Holy cheese balls.

The absolutely gorgeous man from last week- the one who I've struggled to get out of my mind- is here.

That night it was dark out, and save for a few street lights I couldn't see too well. I had thought he was pretty then... but what would that make him now? In the bright lights of the foyer, you can see every bit of how attractive he is.

Why is he here?

I would say he is doing business with Papa, but Papa has never done business with someone like him before. Papa only seems to work with old middle aged creepy men. Not stunning young ones.

"Oh and Adelina is our other daughter." Papa adds as an afterthought to introducing Avery.

"Let us eat, shall we?" Mama claps her hands together, flashing the man-Aaron- a wide grin I've never seen before.

Even though Aaron-Mr. Hendrix- told Mama to call him Mr. Hendrix, I'm sure he wouldn't mind me calling him Aaron in my mind. I mean how would he know?

Normally Mama and Papa are nice to their company, but not this nice. Why are they kissing up to him?

We make our way to the dining room and sit down. Lucky me, I'm sitting directly across from Aaron, who Avery made sure she sits right next to. So that is why she was extra obsessive about her looks tonight.

"We got the best chef in California" Mama brags as caterers deliver food to the table.

The dinner goes on and I eat quietly, just listening as my family converses with Aaron.

He doesn't talk much. Like at all.

I think he's said about three words the entire dinner.

Papa and him discuss some business, which is interesting because I've never seen Papa not in the position of power. In all of the dinners I attend, Papa makes his demands and his company agrees. But tonight seems to be the reverse.

"Would you consider giving us six percent of the earnings from the account?" Papa offers.

I look to Aaron, who's face doesn't change. "Two" He says sternly, and it's obvious Aaron isn't going to negotiate any higher. Papa scoffs, "Two percent? Do you think I'm an idiot-

Papa started to get angry, but before he could Mama grabbed his arm, "Let's go to the kitchen to get the dessert, dear" she says, trying to stop things from escalating.

Aaron looks unfazed as Mama and Papa leave the room. "You look so good Aaron" Avery tries to flirt, turning and leaning closer to Aaron who doesn't move.

I frown at this, for it is just proof something is wrong with me.

I wasn't even that upfront with him last week, and he told me to F off, but when Avery does it he doesn't do anything.

When she puts her arm on his shoulder, though, he stands up abruptly and walks past the doors to the balcony.

Avery scoffs, "What the fuck!"

A smirk threatens to come on my face, but I'm able to hold it back. I watch as Avery stands up, fixing her hair before storming off into the kitchen to Mama and Papa.

I sigh and lean back in my seat, a million questions swirling in my mind.

What business is this strange pretty man doing with my dad? How important must he be to be rejecting Papa's offers? Why would he reject Avery's obvious advances on him? She is literally a super model, and he didn't blink an eye at her.

After a few minutes of just sitting at the empty table, I finish up my food and decide to go talk to Aaron.

Walking towards the balcony, my heart starts to race and I become unsure of my decision to speak with him.

What will I even say? I mean our last encounter wasn't exactly friendly. What if he still hates me?

I take a deep breath, and walk out on the balcony.

1870 words