Affluent [H.S]

Two

Warning: brief abuse right at the end of the chapter.

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16 June 2020
Emersyn Ripley

"Thank you for coming." I nod to people as they leave my home, keeping a fake smile on my lips as they nod back at me.

Koen remains at my side doing the same thing, nodding his head but remaining silent. Our parents are still deep in conversation with a few couples that'll leave later due to the friendship they have with our family, it means I can't sneak off until a lot later.

Getting rid of a few people whose names I don't care to find out or remember, them wishing me a happy birthday as they head out a little drunk makes me feel less stressed.

There's always an overwhelming amount of people here, it's unnecessary for something like this but my parents are go big or go home kind of people.

Koen and I nod to the last couple that leave, my eyes going to him beside me as he sighs a breath of relief. I smile as he looks up at me with wide eyes, "thank fuck that's over."

I try my hardest not to laugh, shaking my head slowly at him as he grins innocently. My eyes, however, go past him to my father who's ushering me over to him.

Brilliant.

Koen looks behind him when he notices my gaze over his shoulder, "I'm going to eat the leftover dessert, good luck." He gives me a knowing look, beaming at me before walking in the direction of the kitchen and I'm forced to go and speak with my parents.

My dad keeps a firm gaze on me as I walk towards him, he's probably scared if he looks away I'll disappear. He knows me so well.

I smile as I reach him but he wastes no time getting to the point, "Mr and Mrs Peters wanted to meet you properly." He explains before lowering his voice into a whisper, "be polite and don't you dare make me look bad."

"When would I ever?" I grin, making him scowl at me before my mother interrupts our little glaring match.

"Emersyn, darling." She ushers me to stand between her and my dad, her arm looping with mine gently as I smile up at the man and woman before me.

"It's lovely to finally get a proper introduction, Emersyn." The woman speaks to me first, I'm sure most of the conversation I have with them will be with her, that's just how it works around here.

"It is, Mrs Peters, it's a pleasure." No it's fucking not, I want to gauge my eyeballs out.

She smiles sweetly before her husband talks to me for the first time, "our son has already told us about the spat at the dinner table."

I attempt to play it off, of course he told his fucking parents. "I apologise, I'm very tired and there's been a lot of people here today. It's been hard to put names to faces."