Page 410 of Hell Hath No Fury
CHAPTER TWO
Owen
“Don't you look sharp as a tack,” Angela teases, fixing the stupid tie around my neck that is currently threatening to strangle me.
I offer my best friend a solemn smile since it’s not her fault I’m not in a festive mood. It’s my parents. They are the ones who insist on me going to this charade of a ball and participate in all things Asheville.
My shoulders instantly slump with guilt whenever I think ill of them.
Fuck.
It’s not like they’re feeding me to the dogs or anything. It’s just a stupid dance. I can stomach a night of endless empty chatter from the Northside socialites for them at least. They are only trying their best, praying I find some purpose in my life. They don’t want to see their son lost to them. Which is easy enough to do in our world, especially since everything is handed to you on a silver platter. It’s no surprise that most of Northside has lost their souls to such decadence. A fact that is not lost on my parents and something they are trying their best to ensure doesn’t happen to me.
Not that I’ve made it easy for them.
For years I played the part of entitled shitbag to perfection.
Until I met Angela, that is.
Once my best friend came into my life and showed me that not all of Asheville lived the same charmed life that I did, everything changed for me.
I changed.
Even if my parents and everyone around me doesn’t see it yet, I’ll never be that entitled prick who snapped his fingers anytime he wanted something. I know better now. I’ve seen the poverty, the misery, that lies beyond Northside’s walls. Angela made sure of it when she took me to the Southside to witness for myself how the real world lives.
My world…it’s just an elaborate illusion of grandeur.
It isn’t real. Nothing real exists on the Northside.
My mind instantly wanders to the girl in front of me, still trying to fix my stupid bow tie. If Angela only knew what was running rampant in my mind right now, she’d slap the back of my head and tell me to stop with that shit. She’s a big believer that all people are good deep down in their very core, no matter their upbringing. She still has faith that the Northside will do right by the Southside eventually.
I’m not as delusional.
Take this charity gala my parents are forcing me to go tonight. It’s supposedly to raise funds for the renovation of the Southside hospital, the same one that has been on its last leg for years now. If the Northside was really concerned about the level of medical care being given to the other half of Asheville, then all they would need to do is write a big fat check. No party needed. But no. That’s not how shit gets done in my part of town. Charity means nothing if other people don’t see you do it. It’s fucking sickening.
No.
It’s more than sickening.
It’s soul-crushing.
“Dude, stop fidgeting or I’ll never get this right,” Angela protests when she has to redo my tie.
“Fuck it,” I retort, pulling the damn thing off my neck. “I’ll just go without one.”
“Oh, going rogue, are we? Are you sure the country club will let you in without one?” she teases, taking a step back and sitting on the edge of my bed.
“What can they do? Turn me away? Doubtful.” I smirk.
“Your cockiness is showing, O.”
“Not being cocky. Just telling it how it is.” I shrug, walking to my full-length mirror to give myself a once-over. “Say what you will, but I look fucking good in this getup.”
“I see we still have a lot of work to do with you when it comes to being humble.” She sighs.
“Hey, I’ve been trying, haven’t I? But come on. Look at me. Tell me who else can pull off an Armani this good?” I wink at her through the reflection in my mirror.
“Yep. That’s my cue to leave. You don’t need me to give you an ego boost. The one you got is big enough to blind the sun already.”
