After Rebecca introduced herself, his mother brought over a glass of tea and a plate of cookies for me and placed them on a side table, and motioned me to sit on the couch next to it so I could relax and enjoy my stay. "Please I insist, I want to learn more about you and how you got to meet my dear Jay." She said with a sweet and gentle voice before going back to the teapot and poured herself a cup as well and sat down in a lounge chair to face the four of us. Both Jason and I sat down on the couch and looked at her.
I pick up the delicate teacup and took a sip and let out a hum of delight. It was English black tea, my favorite. His family had a good taste in tea that was for sure. I picked up one of the cookies and took a bite and relished in the sweetness. Sugar cookies and English black tea, I was loving his mother more and more. Ever since I moved to London to attend school, their tea was my favorite thing here to drink.
"So please, Olivia, indulge me. Where are you from? How old are you? How did you two meet?" She asked seemingly interested but I felt confused, wouldn't Jason have already told her this from what she had said earlier? She had said he told her a lot about me but I would imagine those three questions would have been answered beforehand. It was interesting to me but I still answered her to not be rude.
"Well, I'm from Ithaca, New York. I'm 19 years old and we met on campus after I had gotten into an accident with another student. He had come to the nurse's office to make sure I was alright. It was sweet of him and then we exchanged numbers and continued to hang out." I answered then took another sip while looking between Jason and his mother to make sure I didn't say anything I shouldn't.
She nodded at my response and took a sip of her tea as well. She gave a glance at Jason before looking back at me, almost looked like they were having a small conversation in their heads. "Well, that is sweet indeed. I have a few matters to attend to before the banquet. I'm sure Jason can show you around the house so you can feel welcome. We will have a discussion later with the three of us before you've gotten dressed for the banquet. There are some topics that need to be brought up but for now, enjoy your time here." She said before finishing her tea and left it next to the teapot before leaving the room with Rebecca following in tow.
I wondered if the meaning behind the choker was what we had to talk about or if it was something else entirely. It most likely will be something else entirely but who knows at this point. Jason got up from the couch and offered his hand with a small smile but it seemed like something was troubling from the way his eyes looked. I grabbed his hand and stood up as well and turned to him.
"Is something wrong?" I asked while putting my hand up to his cheek and tilted my head to the side, seeming worried about his expression. He lifted his other hand to place it on top of mine and shook his head.
"Nothing's wrong just preparing myself for the talk with my mother later. Ready to see the rest of the house? I'm sure you're gonna love it." He leads me out of the parlor and guides me around the entire house. We pass by multiple maids and butlers on our little tour which all gave him a small head bow as we passed. It was strange seeing them make such a gesture but I figured it was appropriate for their position in my understanding of things.
He showed me the grand hall where the banquet was going to be held. Many people were decorating the room with long ribbons of fabric and fresh flowers. Most were rushing to get the finishing touches done so we decided to let them work and stay out of their way for the time being. Next was the pool room, yes, a pool room. An indoor pool. I knelt down beside it and tested the water with my hand and it was heated! I wish I brought my swimming suit so we could relax after the banquet was over but that was out of the question, this wasn't my home.
"I'm sure we have a spare swimming suit that you can use. I can see that you really want to go swimming huh?" He said teasingly as if he had read my mind in that split moment. I looked back up at him with an excited expression and nodded happily. He tugged on my arm gently so that I would stand back up and follow him through the rest of the house.
After the pool, Jason saved the best for last, the library. Once my foot stepped through the massive double doorway my eyes lit up like the fourth of July. I let go of Jason's hand unintentionally and ran around the room to look at all the spines of the books and have my eyes scale the walls that were painted with murals and historical portraits. There was a skylight that let sunlight shine down the middle of the library that lit up the entire room beautifully. I felt like Belle in Beauty in the Beast at that moment.
Once I had stopped moving frantically around the room I had stopped in the middle of the room to bask in the sunlight and closed my eyes happily. I wished I lived here, I never wanted to leave this place. It was too beautiful to ever leave.
Just as I was enjoying my moment in the library one of the maids walked into the doorway and bowed. "Excuse me your ma- eh I mean, M-Mr. Richards? You're mother wishes to see both of you now." She had announced with her head still down till she finished talking and quickly scurried out of the room. The same thing had happened recently with that girl at the store the other day.
I walked over to Jason and he turned to look at me and let out a defeated sigh. "Ready to talk with my mother some more?" He asked while holding out his hand once more. I took it in mine and nodded, worried from his reaction to having our time cut short and the talk with his mother approaching quickly.
We walked to the study which was on the third floor of the house and from the previous tour my legs were already getting tired. Jason knocked on the door then proceeded to open it not waiting for an answer and walked in. Why did he knock in the first place then?
"Glad you two could meet with me again. Please have a seat, we need to have a talk." She announced in not a very appealing tone. I felt my nerves start to tremble from the sudden worry of the talk we were about to have.
"Jason, tell me truthfully. Have you told Olivia about why she was invited to the Banquet?" She asked with a serious tone and a stoic expression on her face. Jason's hand clenched around mine tightly for a quick second before relaxing and shook his head. "No, I hadn't, mother." He admitted and I felt my heart clench for a second from his words. Had he lied to me or did he not choose to tell me everything?
"Olivia, sweetie. From what you told me earlier it seemed to me that Jason wasn't entirely truthful with you." My heart dropped from her accusation. I thought he had been truthful with me and that the reason why I was invited was that he wanted to impress his mother.
"Then what has he not told me then?" I asked feeling afraid of the truth if he chose not to tell me this entire time. Jason turned to me and hung his head which was a new expression I didn't think he would ever wear. Seeing him defenseless like this was entirely new to me.
"I wanted to protect you from this part of my family but it seems my mother will not tolerate you not knowing the truth if we do intend being serious in the future." He admitted and I let go of his hand and pulled it close to me.
"Jason, we barely know each other. How can you talk about our future like it's tomorrow?" I asked wondering why everything was going so fast. I didn't want anything to pass me by and wanted to enjoy getting to know him and trust him.
"Olivia, you are the first person that I've ever felt drawn to in years. You may have not known me at all before you met me that day but I've been on the search for the perfect person for me, for my heart. And once I laid eyes on you in the cafeteria I had to keep an eye on you so I didn't lose you." He reasoned and grabbed my hand once more but with both of his hands with a desperate look of reassurance toward me.
"What I am is nothing I'm proud of and I wanted to shield you from it but because of my meddling mother, I'm forced to show it to you." He added and I heard a pound on the desk from his mother's direction. She looked furious from his choice of words and I felt her wrath drafted our direction but pointed his way.
"I'm a beast of the night. You felt like Belle in the library earlier did you not? Well, I'm the beast in that story. In our story. I just wanted a normal life with you but because of my responsibilities, I can't escape and have that blissful reality with you." His voice sounded broken as he was admitting all these things to me and before I knew it his eyes were turning from their normal golden brown to a burgundy red. Then realization finally hit me like a brick and I fully understood the predicament I was in. I felt like I was in one of the stories I love to read but this time I was living it.
I reached up with my spare hand and caressed his cheek. He looked at me with complete and utter trust and love despite his vicious display before me. I loved him. I loved him when we met and I love him now. Nothing will ever change what I think of him as long as I know his complete personality and cherish his love. It will never change.
"I'm not afraid of you if that's what you're worried about Jason. I love you and this doesn't change that. I'm here to support you and you promised you would support me as well right? There is no problem we can't overcome as long as we trust each other. From now on tell me everything alright? I don't want anything to come between us because we didn't tell each other." I reassured and after the last syllable left my lips his arms were instantly around me, hugging me softly but firmly.
"Thank you, Olivia."