“Oh,” Bonham said, fake disappointment crossing his features. “I just realized, you’re leaving on Monday.”
I barely contained an eye roll.
My mama quickly perked up. “Oh, the boarding school called. They filled her spot, it seems. We’re on the waiting list for a while, so her overseas trip has been postponed.” Her words were rushed out, like she couldn’t spit the lie out fast enough. As expected, Bonham’s face twisted into a satisfied grin. He had my mama right where he wanted her.
“Well, that’s a relief. These invitations are very exclusive. I know lots of local girls dying to get their hands on them.”
I cringed. All the girls that would be in attendance were Heir Chasers. Debutante balls were all about showing off. It was about etiquette, yes, but it was also about presenting your pristine breeding for the world to see and selling your daughter to whatever trophy-wife-seeking schmuck had the thickest wallet.
Stephanie would be there, as well as her group of ladder climbing trolls. They’d spend the entire time talking about what they’d wear and what they’d do when it was their time to be debutantes once we were in college. It would be all about what they were wearing, who they were blowing, and what wealthy last name they were going to latch onto.
“No,” I said with a determined shake of my head. Bonham’s confident grin faltered.
“No?” Mama asked in disbelief. “What do you mean, no?” She was moments from grabbing my shoulders and shaking me, but I held my ground. I wasn’t going to do this. I wasn’t going to play their manipulative games. I was done.
“I’m not doing this. I don’t want to join the Junior Debutant’s League.”
At my words, my mother’s face went bright red with anger, but before she could berate me, Bonham interrupted.
“Mrs. Livingston, if I may?” Bonham asked, before pulling his phone out and typing something. “Maybe I could convince her?”
Mama looked between us for a moment, wondering if she should send Bonham away and make me run til I puked. But his boyish charm and influential last name won in the end. “Yes, of course. Please talk some sense into her,” she huffed before leaving the room.
Once she was out of sight, Bonham turned around and headed for the front door. “Where are you going? I thought you were going to convince me?” I asked in disbelief, but still, Bonham didn’t respond. Something wasn’t right.
Then, he opened the front door, revealing an angry Rogue waiting on my doorstep. “Her mom’s gone. Do your worst,” Bonham said with a grin before going outside.
I stood there with my arms crossed over my body as I stared at Rogue. It had been a long couple of days, but I liked knowing that I’d seen him more this weekend than I had for the past several months.
“You giving Bonham trouble, Scar?” he asked, before coming inside.
He looked around my house with the same familiarity on his face that I’d had when I walked into the Kelly Estate last night. I wondered if he was looking at the hutch in my mama’s sitting room and remembering how we used to hide behind it.
I replied with a shrug. “Not anymore than usual.”
Rogue walked into my kitchen and opened the fridge, cringing when he saw the various bottles of juice. Mama was doing a cleanse again, which meant I was suffering alongside her. “Do you have anything edible here?”
“Nothing you’d like,” I replied. “What are we doing Rogue? Why all the games? You have me where you want me. You have the…” I lowered my voice after watching to make sure Mama wasn’t listening. “...evidence you need. I know it was you. I know you told Bonham to get his mama to invite me to be a Junior Debutante. What I can’t figure out, is why? You should want me to leave.”
He just shrugged unapologetically. “I want you close. I want to make sure you don’t get any funny ideas,” he said, before pulling carrot juice from the fridge and unscrewing the cap. After sniffing it, he wrinkled up his nose and went to pour the orange liquid down the drain. Mama spent forty-five dollars on that shit. It felt kind of good to see it go to waste.
“And exactly how close do you want me, Rogue?” I asked, keeping my voice light, but giving him a look that meant more than my words could convey.