|SEVEN| Dinner
Author's Note: I hope you are enjoying the story so far!!!!!
Twilight's POV
My heart was pounding in my chest as I waited for her reply. She chuckled, increasing my nervousness. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.
"Yes, I would love to go on a date with you, bunny," she said. My eyes widened in surprise, and my heartbeat raced even faster. I loved it when she called me that. I was just about to ask her if she meant it, but she spoke before I could.
"But before that, can we meet tomorrow morning?" she asked. I raised my eyebrows. "Why?"
"I need your help with something important," she said. My eyebrows furrowed as I asked, "What is it?"
"I can't tell you yet," she said cryptically.
"If it's important, why are you taking my help?" I inquired curiously. "Shouldn't you take help from someone who is close to you and someone you trust?"
"You are far too inquisitive at times, my dear," she said, her voice softening as she spoke. "I asked for your aid because you were the first one to believe anything I said without question. You have my trust."
"But..."
"Oh, look at the time," she said, her voice lowering to a gentle murmur. "It's getting increasingly late. Let us reserve your interrogation for tomorrow, hm?" she continued. "We shall have ample time to play our little game of questions then. Meet me at the café where we had our first encounter together at ten tomorrow morning, okay?"
I love how carefree she is, but I know there is a lot she has been hiding. A huge pain. But it takes a lot of strength to put on a carefree façade. I respect her for it.
"Okay, anything for you, my highness," I said, a small grin on my lips. She chuckled in response, and I was pleased to see her mood seemingly lift.
"See you tomorrow, Twilight," she said, her voice carrying warmth and sincerity. I grinned even wider as I replied, "Yeah, see you soon, Dove." We exchanged our goodbyes, and she hung up the call, leaving me smiling to myself.
This was my first time going out with a girl. Most people would probably assume that I've had girlfriends before due to my good looks, but the truth is, I've never dated anyone before. As the illegitimate son of a mistress of the Harris family, I have been largely ignored by my father's high-class acquaintances, who only see Vinter as the true successor to the family's legacy. I am not really interested in being the successor. I just want to get out of this family as soon as possible.
I stepped into the tattoo studio, rolling my eyes as I saw Luis grinning at me from the other side of a glass window. I could tell he was eager to hear about my date.
As I walked inside, he immediately asked, "So? Did you ask her out?"
"Yes, Luis, I did," I replied.
"And?" He inquired, clearly excited. I let out a deep sigh.
"Yes, she said yes," I confirmed.
"I knew it!" He exclaimed, unable to contain his enthusiasm. "She is definitely into you, my dude! I told you!"
Luis is my best friend, who encouraged me - more like forced me - to ask Dove out. At first, I was hesitant because I thought she would reject me, but I was proven wrong. It felt wonderful when she admitted that she trusted me. I could tell that she doesn't easily trust people, but I was grateful that she felt comfortable enough around me to say that.
I do feel guilty for asking the girl, who is my brother's soulmate, out on a date, but I am certain that Vinter will not be able to properly treat Dove. And I am ready to play the role of the best man that I can be in her life.
I do believe in love at first sight, even though "love" is still a strong word to use in this situation. But I still feel like, in the near future, Dove is going to be a very important part of my life.
Talking about my life, Luis raised me. He happens to be a better father figure in my life than my real father. Luis is 8 years older than me, and he found me all beaten up by delinquents in the rundown area of the city.
A fateful event in my early childhood left me abandoned by my father and wandering in the streets. I was just 9 years old when I rebelled against him, and in retaliation, he kicked me out of the house. I unwittingly strayed into an area notorious for its delinquents, and they beat me up. I was left unconscious on the streets, but thankfully, Luis found me. He brought me to his home, cleaned and tended to my wounds, and provided the compassion and guidance that my father failed to give me.
From then on, I frequently visited Luis after school. He not only became my mentor, but also my second father figure. He taught me kickboxing and tattoo art, helping me develop essential life skills that I lacked. Despite his youth, Luis took on the responsibility of being there for me, teaching me the lessons I needed to learn on how to lead a fulfilling life. In his humble abode, I found the support and encouragement that I longed for.
"Shane! Can you give me a good haircut?" I asked Shane. He is Luis's husband, and one of our regular customers back when our tattoo studio was pretty newly opened. I had no idea that there was a thing going on between Luis and Shane until they told me. Luis has always had a habit of calling me a dimwit, and while he might have a point.
"Why?" Shane said in a monotone. He has always been rather stoic, unlike Luis, who wears his heart on his sleeve.
"I feel like getting a haircut."
"Oh! You want to impress your soon-to-be girlfriend, don't you?" Luis joked. He always has a way of turning things into a lighthearted moment.
"Think whatever, you hulk," I responded, sticking out my tongue at him. Luis certainly has a towering physique, which is probably a result of his years of practicing kickboxing and playing sports.
Shane's eyes lit up, and he looked at me intently. "I've just realised something," he said. "Come here, and let me style your hair better."
Turning my head in confusion, I nodded and approached him as he directed me to sit down on a chair facing the mirror. Shane is an expert hairstylist, and I rely on him to style my hair. Right now, he is working on my locks, and I can see him in the reflection, but I haven't gathered the right vocabulary to describe his actions.
After a few minutes of carefully styling my hair, Shane was done with the appointment. And if I'm being honest, this is one of the best looks I've ever had. My side undercut had been eliminated, and my long hair had been cut short and now covered my forehead. The contrast between my dyed iceberg hair and my original hair color added to the appeal. I looked cooler, and my tough-guy aura dissipated a bit due to my hair on the forehead, which gave me a more innocent look.
With a wide grin, I exclaimed, "Shane! You're awesome!"
"Now, Dove won't be able to resist you, so you better make a move on her before your brother does," he advised with a sense of pride. Shane tends to speak in a straightforward manner, with no ill feelings towards Vinter. However, he is one of those individuals who believe that a soulmate bond is a holy thing, and Vinter attempted to taint it by dating someone who is not his soulmate.
The backstory behind my nickname "Light" is an interesting one. Luis, was a big fan of the anime "Death Note," and its lead character, "Light Yagami." He named me "Light" after the character. Shane, who has a more direct communication style, prefers to call me "Light" as he finds "Twilight" to be too long to pronounce. I am grateful to both of them for their love and support.
"You are wonderful, sweetheart!" Luis said, kissing his husband, and Shane immediately pushed Luis away.
"Luis, I've told you this before. No kissing in front of the kid," Shane said, referring to me.
"I'm an adult," I replied, amused by the two of them.
"You'll always be a kid in our hearts," shouted Shane, tousling my hair playfully. Annoyed, I swatted his hand away.
"I'm leaving," I snapped.
Luis' dark eyes gleamed with humor as he watched me with a slight curve to his lips. "Didn't you forget something, young man?" he inquired, his gaze fixed upon me relentlessly.
"Forgot what?" I asked.
"You date, Light. When is your date?" He asked.
"That is not decided yet, though she asked me to meet her at the café tomorrow morning," I replied.
"Are you going on a date tomorrow?" He inquired, his tone laced with interest. I shrugged noncommittally.
"It does not appear to be a date," I explained casually. "She mentioned that she had something vital to attend to and required my assistance." Luis nodded, his eyes focused intently on mine.
"Understood. Enjoy your work date then." I chuckled lightly, then proceeded to exit the studio. Donning my jacket, I retrieved my keys from my pocket. "Bye, Shane, and Luis," I said, waving as I made my way to my bike.
When I arrived home, I noticed Vinter's car was in the driveway. I pondered whether I should confront him about Dove or not. While Vinter and I shared everything, this was the first time I felt hesitant to talk to him about something.
As I entered the Harris Estate, which I am suppose to consider my home, but doesn't exactly feel like it. My mother's butler rushed towards me.
"Young master! Miss Adams has been searching all over for you!" the butler said, clearly distressed. I simply rolled my eyes. Although my mother's last name is Adams, she insisted I take my father's last name of Harris, which I resent deeply.
"I see," I replied in a flat tone. "Well, my mother must have known I was at the tattoo studio, so why was she looking for me?"
The butler then informed me, "young master Vinter has brought his girlfriend to meet your father and his mother."
"And what do I have to do with it?" I asked.
"Master has gathered the entire family for dinner," he explained, his demeanor reflecting the tense atmosphere. I let out a heavy sigh, for these family get-togethers were always uncomfortable.
"I'll be there soon," I replied before going to my room to change into more formal clothing, consisting of a shirt, blazer, and pants.
After giving myself a couple of minutes to gather myself, I made my way to face the uncomfortable family dinner.
"You're late, Twilight," my father scolded as I entered the dining area. I saw my mother seated alone on one side, while my father occupied the center seat, with Vinter, his girlfriend Nina, and his mother seated across from her.
"I was held up with work," I apologized, sitting beside my mother and giving her a small smile before the evening's chaos began.
"And what have you done to your hair?" My father asked, his voice full of disdain. "What a disgrace," he added with a shake of his head. It was nothing new to me, as I am accustomed to this type of abuse on a daily basis.
"This is Nina, your brother's girlfriend," my mother said, smiling. I looked at Nina and then at Vinter, who also offered me a smile. I frowned in response.
"What about your soulmate, Vinter?" I asked.
"Child, first learn to greet guests appropriately," my father scolded, his tone sharp. I let out an exasperated sigh and rolled my eyes.
"I'll save my question for my dear older brother, then," I said, refusing to be silenced. "What about your soulmate, Vinter?" I repeated.
"My soulmate does not exist," he said, turning his face away.
"Oh, but she does!" I exclaimed, confident in my knowledge.
"No, she does not," he retorted, continuing to stare into space. "I know better than you," he added, not facing me.
"That's not true, Vinter. I met your soulmate just a few hours ago." The sudden revelation left the table silent, with Vinter's stunned expression mirroring everyone else's.
I didn't want to tell him like this, but his denial of Dove's existence had hurt me deeply, and I knew I had to intervene. He was playing with fire, and Dove didn't deserve to be caught in the crossfire.
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