Capítulo 20: She's evil!
The Prime Minister had left the table, while Lorelei and Alistair were still there.
Alistair was staring at the empty plate with a gloomy expression, while Lorelei would bite her nails if only it wasn't unrefined and inelegant.
May was silent, enjoying the last few sips of her coffee. It was already cold, but she didn't want to waste any gram of it.
«Dad, I think it's May's fault,» Lorelei said, at some point.
«Don't say unnecessary things, Lorelei. How can it be her fault?» Alistair sighed. His father's words, about her being spoiled, were still echoing in his mind.
«It happened soon after I pushed her into the pool. How can it not be her fault?»
«You did what? You pushed your cousin in the pool?» he exclaimed. «Apologise! Now!»
«I don't want to,» she pouted. «She earned it.»
May observed the show with her poker face. They didn't even wait for her to leave - it would have been a minute at most - before revealing their true faces and making fools of themselves.
«Be reasonable, Lorelei. Your cousin wouldn't expose your pictures for such a petty matter, even if she had taken them. She knows better than that.»
«You don't know her the way I do, dad! She's evil!»
«Lorelei!»
«She's evil,» Lorelei said, her eyes watery again. «She said I wouldn't even be a real granddaughter to our grandpa. When I heard her say that, I couldn't stop myself. How can she be so mean? Saying grandpa will never love me because I'm not his blood!»
Alistair stopped the scolding ready on his tongue, and he put a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
«Didn't your grandpa show you how much he loves you, already?» he said. «To him, we're his flesh and blood even if I'm not his real son. We're still family, and we do share more than strangers do. He loves you, Lorelei.»
The girl tapped under her eyes, wiping away the fake tears. She seemed to calm down a little, but she didn't waste the chance.
«Just you wait, May. I'll make you pay for all the suffering you've caused me,» she said.
To that, Alistair said nothing.
«Can't wait for your revenge,» May sighed, her eyes half closed. She leaned back on the chair, analysing the pair in front of her.
She even smiled when Lorelei glared. The latter was trembling, her face changing colour at a worrying speed. She was so different when their grandfather wasn't looking or listening.
«I hope you'll convince my cousin to avoid anything crazy, uncle,» May added. «I wouldn't like to see her grounded again. Nor to hear she ruins our family reputation... even more.»
Each word made Lorelei's nervous reaction worse. What concerned her the most was how May was calm, cold. She wasn't panicking. She wasn't worried.
Nothing could make her as much as look frightened, and Lorelei hated that part of her.
May left the empty cup on the table, displeased that her morning luxury had been ruined by idle chatting and lies.
«I'm heading back,» she said and left the room. She would return to the dormitory and rest for the day. The day after, she had a test.
«Have a good day, both of you.»
She had time to hear Lorelei's last word of greeting: «slut!»
May left the residence and reached the nearest subway station. She preferred using public transport to move. After all, she wasn't as famous as to have trouble because of that. Unlike Lorelei, who would seldom appear in fashion magazines and tabloids, May was too plain for the journalists. During the years, she had learnt how to pass unnoticed.
She received a message while the train was at one of the stops. The subway was so much under the ground that getting messages was impossible, except for the stops where there was some field. The WiFi was working perfectly, so she could browse the net, but phone calls and text messages didn't.
FS: Have you slept well? CL
The number was saved under the name Favourite Senator. May chuckled, in between amusement and embarrassment. How could that man be so sure of himself? What made him think he had a chance to become her favourite senator?
Oh, but it wasn't that far from the truth.
She hurried to reply so that she could send the text before the train left the station. She didn't use her fingers more than necessary, saving her energy and sending a simple «yes».
She had to wait for the next station to read the reply.
FS: I'm relieved.
Her curiosity took over, and she started an actual conversation with Chris.
YOU: Why didn't you contact me on social media? I left my account info on the desk. Haven't you seen it?
FS: Too weird of a username to be believable. It sounded like a trap. Btw, is your grandpa angry with you?
YOU: He is not my grandpa.
She bit her lower lip before sending another message.
YOU: My grandfather is angry, but not with me. It's a refreshing change.
By instinct, she had sent that first message as a natural response. She wouldn't react when people used that word, grandpa, in front of her. But, for some reason, keeping her urges and thoughts under control was harder when Chris Lindt was involved. Even when he wasn't physically close and they were communicating through text. She wasn't even hearing his voice, so why was she so affected?
FS: Busy next week?
YOU: I'm supposed to study for the midterms.
FS: Do your best!
YOU: I always do.
She got off the train with a rare smile on her lips. Her mood hadn't worsened since the morning. Sleeping really could make miracles.
She had the Prime Minister's card in her pockets, so she decided to spend more of his money before he remembered to block it. She would buy dresses to resell and raise dark funds, then eat at a high-end restaurant and even buy sweets for her roommates in the best patisserie in the city.
She was back by evening, with the package with the chef's name on it. Her roommates widened their eyes in surprise and awe, wondering what had made May so considerate of them.
«I was in a good mood,» she said, reading through their expressions.
Even though she wasn't good at understanding people, she knew what her roommates thought of her: that she was a gloomy and silent girl. And it was partially her fault for interacting the least possible with them. But social interactions were so tiring that she simply couldn't bear to talk too much.
«Is it to celebrate your uncle's umpteenth election?» one wondered.
«Hmm,» May hummed, not giving a clear answer. She didn't want to say no, but she didn't want to lie either.
«I would vote for him if I could vote!» the other exclaimed while nibbling on a pink macaron.
«Don't talk nonsense,» the other scoffed. «A woman voting? Where have you seen it?»
May pricked up her ears, but she didn't say anything just yet.
«I said IF. It's just daydreaming. Well, I can tell my future husband to vote for the Thornes.»
«IF he's rich enough to vote,» the second roommate replied, rolling her eyes. «Too many IFs, if you ask me.»
«You didn't have to ruin my dream. Who wouldn't want a voting husband? I'm studying so hard to become a good party...»
«You can be bought with a little food only,» she chuckled, pinching the other's cheek.
«Wouldn't it be nice, though?» May said, unable to keep her thoughts private anymore. «Voting, being elected... It wouldn't be so bad.»
«It would come with duties, though.»
«Of course, but what of it? We still pay taxes and obey the law,» May said. «And if voting is too much, wouldn't it be nice to administer our proprieties?»
«Keeping the money I earn for myself would be awesome! Even just a little of it.»
May nodded, feeling the truth behind those words. She knew too well what it meant to be unable to access her own money. She had several properties and company shares which would produce income every single year. Yet, she could use only what her grandfather approved since he was her legal tutor. And he would stay until she married.
Then, her properties would pass to her husband, which made her so unwilling to marry. She didn't want her father's hard work to become someone else's.
«I'm going out,» she said when the pastries were over. «I'll throw out the trash.»
Her mood was in fact ruined before the end of the day. Happy moments were indeed feeble.
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