Page 41 of Chance

"It sounds like Tristan was just trying to protect Allie, or maybe even us. I can't think Arthur would be down with Elliot dating his daughter," Harley says, twisting a pen through his fingers in a neat trick.

"I don't know," I say,thinking about what he said. What if all this time Elliot had it wrong? That he was cruel to Allie for years for something she never even knew about.

We all go downstairs and play games on the Xbox for a bit until I go back home to Maisy. She spent the day catching up with Allie and asked for me to leave for a bit, and I'm glad for it. Allie has always been like a sister to her, so they needed time alone.

"I'm home," I say when I open the door.

I walk into our lounge to see Allie and Maisy asleep on the sofas. I click off the TV, which has some vampire crap on it. I need to remind myself to ask her how they actually found more vampire shows to watch.

I gently shake Allie awake by her shoulder. I put a finger to my lips as she looks up in confusion, and I point at Maisy before she gets up. She walks out of the room with me quietly.

"I wanted to show you something before you go home," I say while she puts on her shoes.

"All right then, if it’s anything to do with your girlfriend’s obsession with vampires, I don’t need to know. The next thing she is going to be telling me is about how she convinced you to wear fangs in bed." She laughs, and I nervously laugh, actually worrying about her telling Maisy that idea.

I pull out the ring to stop this conversation. I swear, Allie is in a world of her own.

She squeals before holding her hand over her mouth while she calms down.

"Fucking hell, Sebastian King! That’s a beautiful ring. She will say yes, or I’ll make her," Allie whispers loudly while she bends over the ring. When she pulls away, she smiles gently up at me as I put away the ring.

"So, I have your blessing?" I ask, a little nervous she will say no.

"Well, duh." Allie snorts as she whacks me on the shoulder.

"Good, I know she thinks of you like a sister. So, I wanted to see what you thought."She smiles at that, pulling on her coat.

"You can stay in the spare room if you want, it is late," I tell her, looking out at the night sky.

"No, thanks. Tristan and my dad are arguing a lot right now. I need to be there because they go quiet if I am. I think they are both protecting me from something, but I can't figure it out," she says more to herself than to me as she checks her phone.

She gets her keys out of her pocket, and I realize I want to ask her about her dad. I'm certain she doesn't know now, and I have told Elliot. He shouldn't hate her for something she doesn't know.

"All right, but if you ever need me, let me know," I say, walking her out to her car.

She drives through the gate, the gravel puffing into dust as she speeds away. After I've locked up, I pick up my girl from the sofa and take her to bed. Holding my beautiful Maisy in my arms is the most I've ever been at peace.

Chapter 13

Maisy

"Where are you going tonight?" My mother asks from her seat on the stiff, white sofa; she perches on the end of it looking like a queen in the silent lounge. I don't answer her truthfully because she would go ape shit if she knewwhere I am actually going tonight.

"Out with Allie to the local fair,"I answer, trying to keep my eyes on the white carpeted floor and not at her. From the corner of my eye, I see her hand tighten on her wine glass. I wait for her to shout at me, but it doesn’t happen.

"Be back by eleven," my dad answers from his seat next to her.

I didn’t notice him there because he is so quiet as he drinks an orange-looking drink from a tumbler. My mother goes to say something, but my dad puts his hand on her leg to stop her, and she turns to glare at him. I make my escape, while they are both not looking, and shout goodbye before I shut the front door.

I smooth down my purple skater-style dress and pull my denim jacket close around my chest as the cold wind blows. I should have worn jeans, but this is the first time in two years that I've dated Seb. He is taking me out on a real date. We kept our relationship a close secret from his dad and my parents. I don't know why he doesn't want his dad to know, but I know my parents would ground me for life if they knew. That wouldn't be the worst thing my mother would do either.

I walk slowly down my drive, and Seb is standing next to a taxi, waiting for me. I hug him quickly before getting into the waiting taxi, and the driver leaves rapidly for the fair.That’s the only truthful thing I told my mother, that I am actually going to the fair tonight.

"You look lovely, May," he whispers into my ear, and I giggle.

Seb is wearing a blue hoodie with dark jeans and expensive-looking trainers. His hair is styled to the side, where his fringe has grown out a little lately across his forehead. There's a small cut on his eyebrow, and a few weeks ago he broke his nose and it's still healing, looking various colours of purple and yellow. I don't believe for a second he fell out of bed and hit the bedside cabinet, somehow breaking his nose.

"What are you thinking so seriously about?" Seb asks as he entwines our fingers, and I smile up at him.

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