Page 123 of Encounter

“I know Blake’s father and grandfather well. I highly doubt—”

“Well, you don’t know shit about Blake,” I interrupted him. The words rolled out of my mouth before I had the chance to weigh the dangers. When they all fixated their widened eyes at me, my heart sank.Shit.

“I always thought you were the quiet, mild one. Looks like we have some delayed teenage rebellion on our hands,” Grandpa murmured, acting like I was some kid throwing a tantrum.

“Enough of this,” Dad finally snapped, barely stopping himself from hitting his closed fist on the table.

“I suppose you take after your father.” Grandma joined in with that airy, conversational tone, as if she was talking about planting flowers and not delivering metaphorical stabs to the gut.

Theyreallydid their best to push Dad to the brink. Why the hell did they enjoy it so much?! Sensing his volatile, intense emotions seeping into me like I was a sponge, I glanced at Dad, who looked like a statue, hard and cold, refusing to even acknowledge me.

Everyone stayed quiet when the waitress came back to take my order. Even though I was nearly throwing up in my mouth over the mere idea of food, I asked for some fish dish and sparkling water.

When Henry and Jean came back, my cramped, twisted stomach eased up a little. Hopefully, they were going to start talking about something else, or Uncle was going to take some of the heat off us. It never seemed like he reallysawhow much their words hurt Dad, but he was naturally charismatic and could steer the conversation in a more pleasant direction, and Grandpalovedlistening to him talk.

“What have we missed?” He asked as he pulled the chair out for his wife before sitting down himself. Holding my breath, I tensed up and prayed for them to change the subject.

“Oh, we were only talking about how similar Galen is to your brother when he was younger,” Grandma noted, smiling pleasantly at Henry as if nothing was happening.

Chuckling, he adjusted his tie and gave me an understanding smirk. “Don’t tell me you’re still pestering him about being late. Don’t be so harsh on him.”

“Maximilian arrived from his conference last night—he still arrived on time, didn't he?”

Not this comparison bullshit again.

“Drop it, Mother,” Dad spoke again, voice tense like a flexed string, words barely audible as he pushed them through his teeth.

Arching her brows, Aunt Jean sipped from her Merlot and shared a look with Henry, who pressed his lips into an awkward smile. “I’m sure he had his reasons.”

Even though my heart rate was going through the roof, I couldn’t hold back anymore. “I did,” I blurted out, placing my palms on the table. “I was— I had a talent competition yesterday. I played piano and I won.”

“Well, congratulations!” Henry lifted his arm up with a cheerful smile, but no one else seemed as pleased.

Something I didn’t like sat at the back of Grandpa’s gaze, something dark. I was still shaky, and barely believed I managed to keep my voice firm and loud enough to speak, but like I got the taste of power, I kept going. “Too bad none of you were there to see it,” I said, glaring at Dad.They want to be spiteful and mean? Fine.

I didn’t even get to enjoy their reaction before Dad got up from the table, nearly pushing it away, and grabbed me by the arm. “Excuse us,” he mumbled, burning me with his stare before I got up and followed him toward the toilets.

Stopping in the hallway, separated from the restaurant by a wall, he pulled me until I stood in front of him, arm still pulsing from his grip.

“What the—”

“I’ve had it with you!” The only thing keeping Dad from screaming at me was the fact we were in public, though he was awfully close to full volume anyway.

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna lash out atmefor what they said to piss you off!” I spat the words out, shaking my head. When was he going to open his damn eyes and listen to me?!

“Shut your mouth and listen to me! You’ve been reckless, foul, and out of control!” He kept getting closer and closer in my face, making me twitch every time he waved his hands. “I gave you lenience after the incident—but enough isenough.”

Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me! Lenience? In what fucking world?There was nothing he could have given me that would’ve made what happened to me right. The only damn light in all of it was that it allowed me to meet Chast!

“I’m only standing up for myself! Finally!” Same as the moment with Blake, everything inside me screamed for me to break the cycle, to fight. When Dad opened his mouth again, I couldn’t let him get his word in. “Do you haveanyidea how much work—how much of this exhausting fucking effort it takes to be polished all the time?! To be the person you want me to be? Someone I am not! Why can’t you see that?!”

Taken back momentarily, he gasped for air, brows drawn together.“You— Get over yourself and this emotional outburst right now and get back to the table to apologize!” It was futile. Whatever I said, no matter how much emotion I put in, or how much I opened up to him, he wasnevergoing to listen to me.

“No,” I said firmly.

I could see in his eyes that Dad was reaching his limit. “Galen...”

“No. I’m not going back there to be berated and insulted. I’m leaving.”My body didn’t feel like it was mine anymore. There was this fire numbing me to everything that might have bothered me usually. Even if my hands were trembling and my cheeks burned, there was no stopping, no doubts to hold me back. I rushed to the table, stopping a few steps away from it, and waited for them to notice me.

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