Listen to Now or Never by Halsey
Chapter 23
Here I was sitting in a large oak chair with a plate of cookies and a glass of milk placed infront of me wondering what I did to deserve this form of incoherent torture.
My definition of the current torture: Being inspected by Mrs Haynes. Ryder's living grandmother and sole inheritor of the mansion.
Apparently, the stories were true. But the home was previously known as the Haynesworth Manor. I'd read about them so many times in the local library but it never hit me that the Haynes were The Haynesworth Family!
And the plot thickens my Nancy Drew self was shook and still trying to process the new information.
"You have a beautiful home," I complimented while she sat opposite me her eyes drawn to slits.
"Hmph," she scoffed with extra annoyance like she was rejecting the compliment.
Well, I don't regret what I said about her. Not one bit.
"So tell me Sofie-"
"It's Shay, actually-" I interrupted as politely as I could.
Ignoring my remark she continued not bothering to correct herself. "You must be a Taylor, am I correct?"
Her chin perked up. The old tempo of a male Oprah singer blaring through an antique microphone thingy.
I was a vintage girl when it came to music but not something I'd enjoy listening to at night. In a creepy old mansion. Filled with candles. With a lady who looked like she just stepped out of her coffin. Yup. Definitely not.
I sat up straighter in my seat, "Yes, I believe we are both founding families." I poignantly munched on a cookie to break the tension.
She pursed her lips and nodded slowly like she was determining to agree with what I just told her.
"If you don't mind me asking, where would your husband be?" I couldn't help but prob further.
Taking a large long slurp of her tea she set it down shakily.
"He's very ill, part of the reason why we moved back to this inferior town." She picked her cup again looking to the distance while Ian just gave me more apologetic glances everytime he caught my eye.
Nuh-uh. No way was I forgiving him for blindsiding and getting me on bad terms with his grandmother.
"He's resting upstairs, not at his death bed yet... like you're family hoped,I'm afraid," her eyes lingered like she was expecting me to protest.
Although, I didn't have a clue as to what she was on about.
"I don't follow...my family?" I asked her confused at what she was implying.
Was she purposefully trying to start a fight?
"You wanna go wrinkly granny? LETS DO THIS RIGHT NOW. RIGHT HERE," I imagined myself standing up abruptly and pulling off my shoes to whack her face silly till she apologized.
But like the scaredy cat that I was I just sat there in awkward silence allowing the different scenarios of what I couldn't actually do unfold before me as I waited for her to answer the question.
"Hmph," she scoffed again her eyes lit with fury standing up and walking out of the dining hall in her monotone attire.
So much for an answer to the question.
Okay. Nothing was making sense. Family rivalry? Is that why my parents were so persistent in keeping me away from the Haynes? So I couldn't let a secret resurface?
Great. Coming to Haynesworth Manor just added more unanswered questions to the plate.
Following her lead I didn't bother acknowledging Ian whose hands were deep in his pocket tracing behind me. I found her at the front door holding my coat out towards me.
"I'm sorry to cut your visit short but it's past Ian's curfew so he should probably take you home now," her words coming out as more of an order towards him and harsher to my ears. Handing over my coat she gave a tight smile practically shoving us out the door.
"Thanks for your hospitality," I couldn't help but throw some sass since she was the rudest lady I'd ever met. She nodded her head with pursed lips as if she didn't detect the sarcasm.
"And remind your cousin, Amber to be back early as well," she grabbed Ian's arm making him nod reassuringly. That sentence made me swish round real quick to hear this conversation.
"We didn't take her in just so she could sightsee everyday," she mumbled to herself closing the door on us before Ian could respond.
Take her in? Well atleast I got a little info.
The car ride back was filled with one worded answers and mostly the radio which coincidently played a whole lot of depressing songs. So I wasn't complaining.
Cutting the engine he turned to face me. "Can I say something?" We both said in unison in an exaggerated tone.
"Jinx! Double Jinx! Triple Jinx!" We yelled out again pointing fingers at each other waiting for someone to crack and give in.
"You first," he chuckled sending me a loop sided smile.
"Okay," I breathed out watching a few lights in our house switch on.
"Um...thanks for tonight, it's been a while. If you must know it's actually been the first date that my parents haven't set up for me," I cringed back when he gave a blank face instead.
"I know, embarassing right." Shaking my head laughing nervously looking anywhere other than his roaming eyes that were trying to catch mine.
Grabbing my chin softly to face him we were both at eye level. His expression was serious.
"It's not embarassing, it's sweet. I'm glad it was with me though cause I got to know that you're different in so many ways that you don't even see."
Damn Ian. Back at it again with your cheesy ass but adorable lines.
"I also wanted to apologize for my grandmother, she can be a little-" he struggled to find the right words while we strolled up to my front door.
"Overbearing? Devious? Straight forward? Bad with first impressions? Downright scary?"
Eventhough I just met the lady I had a lot of vocabulary to describe her presumptuous figure.
"Pretty much," he sucked air in between his teeth like he was considering all those things at once.
"I know it's late and might seem out of the blue...but do you wanna meet the other half?" He asked doubtfully pointing back at Ryder's house that was strung round with Christmas lights for some reason along with an inflatable snowman placed on their roof. The flashing lights danced on our yard and across our windows.
Weird. Weird family indeed.
As appealing and inviting as that was I needed to turn him down. My parents tiny bit of trust towards me was all that I could think about because I had defied them enough over the past week. One more strike would've meant the return of more therapy sessions.
Yeah. No thanks.
Everyones helped me come this far and to take a giant step back would be selfish.
I watched the Nancy Drew inside me throw on a santa hat and float towards their door ushering me to follow. Reluctantly reeling her back in I told him.
"As tempting as that sounds, I think we should call it a night-"
His face fell like he was expecting the total opposite which was sorta my fault seeing as I was the one that recommended meeting his family in the first place. And boy, did I not want to seem like the clingy type to them.
"But! That doesn't mean I don't want to, maybe another time?" I suggested.
"I'd like that." He smiled back. Leaning in he placed a gentle kiss on my left cheek making me swoon.
"Goodnight," he bit his lip smiling before leaving the front porch, "She wants a second date!" He hollered out purposefully doing a fist pump in the air.
What a dork. An adorable one.
Still blushing I giggled upon entering the house before I heard scuttering of feet towards the kitchen. Turning to the side I saw Franny with the feather duster so focused on the window while she whistled outloud.
Wow. She really didn't understand the term act normal when caught spying.
"What are you doing?" I asked her slowly in a suspicious tone placing my things down by the door.
"Cleaning," she shrugged her shoulders moving on to adjusting the vases of flowers.
"At 10:00 in the night?" I asked her dryly placing my hands on my hips giving her a coy look.
Ignoring me she plucked out a fresh white hibiscus flower from the bouquet then proceeding to sit on the armchair placed near the staircase motioning for me to come join her.
Oh no. Here comes the talk that I've heard so many times. I could practically recite it in my sleep if I was told to.
"You see this flower Miha?" She touched it's soft petals before crushing it in her fist swiftly aware that I was watching her actions.
"NO FRANNY NO," groaning inwardly I made a mopy face and headed straight to the stairs shaking my head vigorously.
Opening her palm she revealed its crushed and bruised petals from where she was sitting.
"As a woman if you easily give up your purity to the wrong boy-"
"La la la la la la la la," I blocked my ears and sang in an off pitch tone so she couldn't continue until she extended her leg making me trip into the chair opposite her own. Straightening her posture she took it upon herself to begin.
"Just like this flower that used to be fully bloomed and new, you can't take it back to-"
"The way it was before," I finished for her with my hands resting on my chin while she looked on expectantly knowing that I'd actually remember.
Smoothing out the damaged petals she placed it in my hands, "So, Miha it's best to not regret your actions when the time comes and whenever you're in a tough situation you have to be strong and control your body and your feelings if it doesn't seem right from within," she extended her finger and touched where my heart was.
"Instead you must make a wise choice and save yourself for-" She waited for me to finish her sentence.
"Zac Efron," I huffed out dreamily sliding my butt of the seat. Franny cocked her head to the side waiting for a realistic answer and cause she probably didn't know who that was.
"To save myself for the right guy, I know, I know. But you have no need to worry, Ian is just a friend and I'm not planning on doing the 'hoohaa' anytime soon with anyone," I reassured her watching my mom slowly emerge from out of the kitchen in her night robe and a cup of tea in hand. I pecked her forehead and jogged hurriedly up the stairs hoping to avoid a confrontation from her.
Like mother like daughter definitely came to mind when she gave me the silent treatment as well.
Peeping from the corridor I saw her turn back to Franny.
"He might actually be a good one," she said aloud knowing very well that I would've been eavesdropping.
The first thing that came to my mind was his infamous family.
You should never speak too soon mother.