Chapter 30 The Invitation
JAXON’S POV
"I didn't run," Nathan muttered weakly. "You know how it was, Nancy. I couldn't bear to remain under the same roof with our parents."
Nancy's lips parted, then closed again. For a couple of minutes, she didn't speak.
After what seemed like a long while, she exhaled. It sounded like defeat.
"Why are you here?"
Nathan's eyes lit up, knowing she hadn't forgiven him but was choosing to let it be for the moment. His tone turned lighter, "For school. I came to enrol for summer lessons."
That was a lie more believable than anything I had come up with, and I had to applaud him.
Nancy blinked a couple of times, then enunciated slowly, "You're enrolling here?"
"Yeah."
She shot a glance in my direction, as though seeking more information, then hurriedly looked away when she met my eyes.
Silence stretched for another minute, and then she asked, "Why didn't you contact me?"
"I threw out all of my Sims the moment I turned my back."
Her expression shifted, and hurt crept back in, "So you wouldn't have contacted me?"
Nathan hesitated, then mumbled, "I'm sorry."
A heavy silence settled between them. I cleared my throat a few minutes later, breaking the silence.
“Was there something you needed, Nancy?” I asked.
The instant the door closed behind Nancy, Nathan let out a deep breath I didn't notice he was holding.
"That was close," He sighed, turning to face me.
I, however, wasn't looking at him; my gaze was still trained on the door Nancy had walked out of.
Even though I could tell she had come in here to tell me something, when I asked, her response was- "Never mind, Mr. Landon."
Oddly, it wasn't her response that bothered me, but the tone with which she'd said it.
Afterwards, she had asked to take her leave, telling Nathan she would wait for him outside while he spoke to me.
Then, without another look back, she walked out of the room.
"Boss," Nathan cleared his throat hard, and I realised that I had zoned out while he was talking to me.
I dragged my gaze away from the door and returned my focus to him, giving him a wry smile, "You handled that well."
He shrugged, but despite the look he portrayed, I could tell that he still wasn't relaxed.
"It's not like I had a choice," He gave me a small smile which waned in seconds.
"Boss, you didn't tell me she would be here."
I paused, stared at him for a short while, then reverted gaze, "I didn't know she would walk in like that."
It was the truth; I hadn't expected it.
"I guess we have to be even more careful, that could have ended far differently."
I agreed with him, but I didn't respond to his statement.
Nathan studied me for a second, then looked over his shoulder, towards the door I had been staring at a couple of minutes back.
His gaze softened, and he muttered, "She's different."
I thought he was talking to himself until he turned to me. When I realised, my face deepened into a small frown, "How is she different?"
He lowered his head, pondering, then gestured vaguely, "I can't really say, she's just...different from what I expected."
I suppose it could be like that. People weren't made to remain stagnant; they were made to forever evolve, but it still didn't seem right for Nathan to say that.
"She's your sister," I muttered blandly.
He heaved a huge sigh, "I know that. I meant that she's not a kid anymore."
"Neither are you," I responded flatly.
Silence fell between us, then Nathan said, "Do you think it will be okay?"
"What?" I raised a brow questioningly.
"I told her I enrolled her. That means I actually have to stay back. Will it be okay for me to be here like this?"
It was good that he mentioned it; I hadn't really thought about it, not like there had been enough time to.
However, I didn't really think there was a way to remedy what he already said. If he suddenly took his words back, then Nancy would find it strange.
I leaned back in my seat then sighed as well, "You already told her."
That meant that there was no turning back. We had to stick to what he said.
Nathan's brows knotted together, his face drawing with anxiety, "I don't like this. It feels like a mess will erupt soon."
I didn't know about that, but I tried to reassure him, "It won't."
He didn’t look convinced, but he didn't say anything else.
Right then, a soft knock sounded at the door. We both went still, glanced at each other before I answered, "Come in."
The door opened slowly, and Nancy's head peeled in forest before she stepped inside.
She glanced between Nathan and me, and Nathan then gesticulated, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to check if he was still here..."
The 'he' she was referring to was Nathan.
Nathan’s expression softened immediately, and he smiled comfortingly at her, "I'm still here."
Instant relief crossed Nancy's face, "Okay...good."
Her gaze swept to me then, and she awkwardly looked away.
Silence fell between us again, and in that timeframe, nobody spoke, as if none of us knew how to break the silence.
I glanced at Nathan, then Nancy, who was now staring intensely at her toe as though it was something special, then broke the silence.
"You should invite him over."
He snapped his head up immediately, "What?"
Even Nathan glanced at me in surprise.
Like, none of us really knew what to say next.
"You should invite him over for dinner."
Nathan's gaze deepened on me, questioning, while Nancy's face pulled together in confusion.
"You're serious?"
I almost let out a laugh at that. Did I sound like I was joking?
It was an impulsive decision on my part, but I meant it.
She stared strangely at me for a minute, then nodded slowly, "Okay....I guess."
Nathan let out a small breath, like he was trying not to laugh.
“I mean...I wouldn’t mind,” he said. “If it’s okay.”
"Of course it is," I replied.
When neither of them said anything, I clasped my hands together over my desk, "I guess it's settled then."