CHAPTER 7
1462 Words
The invitation arrived three days later.
Richard was the one who received it.
A servant entered the study carrying a silver tray before placing a sealed envelope on the desk.
The Blackwood crest was stamped into dark wax.
Richard stared at it for a moment before breaking the seal.
Martha looked up from her book.
"Is it them?"
Richard nodded.
"They accepted."
Martha smiled slightly.
"That was fast."
Richard folded the letter carefully.
"They're inviting us to dinner."
Silence settled briefly.
Then Martha asked the question they were both thinking.
"And Nate?"
Richard sighed.
"Whether he likes it or not, he's coming."
---
Across the city, another letter was being placed in front of the Blackwood family.
Derrick's father read it once before sliding it across the table.
"The Carters have accepted."
Derrick glanced at it.
Dinner.
Formal introductions.
Expected attendance.
Nothing surprising.
His father continued eating.
"You will be present."
Derrick nodded once.
"I know."
His mother looked at him carefully.
"You seem calm."
"I am calm."
That wasn't entirely true.
Ever since the gala, something had been bothering him.
A scent.
A face.
A feeling he couldn't properly explain.
And every time he thought he was close to understanding it...
The memory became frustratingly blurry.
He hated that.
Derrick liked answers.
Not mysteries.
---
The day of the dinner arrived faster than Nate wanted.
By noon, Richard had already reminded him three times.
By two o'clock, Martha reminded him twice.
By three o'clock, Lily sent him a message that simply read:
Good luck.
Nate almost blocked her.
Instead, he shoved his phone into his pocket and continued working.
The café was busy.
Which was exactly how he liked it.
Busy meant distracted.
Distracted meant not thinking about dinner.
Daniel noticed immediately.
"You're avoiding it."
"I'm working."
"You're avoiding it while working."
Nate rolled his eyes.
Daniel grinned.
"You look nervous."
"I'm not nervous."
"You absolutely are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Nate threw a napkin at him.
Daniel laughed.
A customer walked in.
The argument ended there.
For now.
---
Later that evening, Nate carried a trash bag toward the back alley.
The sun was beginning to set.
The air felt cooler.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
For about ten seconds.
Then he saw them.
Five guys.
Smoking behind the café.
Nate stopped walking.
The smell hit him immediately.
His expression twisted.
"No."
One of them looked up.
"What?"
"You can't smoke here."
The tallest one blinked.
"...Excuse me?"
Nate pointed toward the building.
"This is a café."
"So?"
"So people come here for coffee."
The guy laughed.
"And?"
"And your cigarette smoke is getting inside."
The laughter disappeared.
"You own the place?"
"No."
"Then mind your business."
Nate should have walked away.
Really.
He should have.
Instead he said,
"You guys are idiots."
Daniel would later describe this as Nate choosing violence.
The man's expression darkened instantly.
"What did you say?"
Nate dropped the trash bag.
"...You heard me."
A shove came first.
Hard.
Nate stumbled back.
Then frowned.
Then shoved back.
Which was apparently the wrong decision.
Because suddenly all five of them were moving.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
The first punch missed.
The second almost connected.
Nate immediately made the smartest decision of his life.
He ran.
---
"GET BACK HERE!"
"No!"
Nate sprinted through the alley.
His heart hammered inside his chest.
Footsteps followed behind him.
Fast.
Too fast.
He turned a corner.
Then another.
Then another.
The problem was...
He had absolutely no idea where he was going.
"This is how people die in horror movies," he muttered.
The footsteps got closer.
Nate looked behind him.
Big mistake.
Because when he turned back around...
He slammed directly into someone.
Hard.
Both people staggered.
Nate looked up.
The other person looked down.
Silence.
Then simultaneously:
"You?"
Nate stared.
Bathroom guy.
The weird rich guy.
The one from the gala.
Derrick looked equally surprised.
"The Carter."
Nate blinked.
"The what?"
Derrick frowned slightly.
Never mind.
"Why are you here?"
Nate pointed behind himself.
"Long story."
The footsteps grew louder.
Then the five guys appeared.
"Oh thank God."
Derrick looked at him.
"...What?"
"Help me."
Derrick stared.
Then looked past him.
Then back at him.
Then sighed.
The sigh of a man whose evening had just become significantly more annoying.
The thugs slowed.
One pointed.
"There he is."
Derrick's expression became flat.
"Friends of yours?"
"No."
"Good."
The tallest one stepped forward.
"Move."
Derrick didn't.
The guy shoved him.
Or tried to.
The result was disappointing.
Derrick barely moved.
The thug, however, immediately looked like he'd made a terrible life choice.
The next few seconds happened very quickly.
One punch.
One kick.
One very unfortunate encounter with a dumpster.
A loud scream.
A lot of swearing.
Then silence.
Nate blinked.
"...That was fast."
The remaining guys looked at each other.
Then wisely decided they had somewhere else to be.
They ran.
Derrick dusted off his sleeve.
Like nothing had happened.
Nate stared.
"You know, most people would call the police."
"They touched me."
"...Fair."
Derrick glanced at him.
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Good."
Silence.
Awkward silence.
The kind neither of them seemed particularly good at handling.
Finally Nate cleared his throat.
"Thanks."
Derrick nodded once.
"You're welcome."
Another silence.
Then Nate checked the time.
His eyes widened.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"I'm late."
"Late for what?"
Nate was already backing away.
"Something important."
He turned.
Then paused.
"Thanks again."
And ran.
Derrick watched him disappear.
A strange feeling settled in his chest.
Then he shook it off.
He had somewhere to be too.
---
The Carter family had already arrived at the Blackwood estate.
The mansion was even larger than Nate remembered from the gala.
Richard was trying very hard not to look irritated.
Unfortunately, he was failing.
Martha checked her phone again.
"No answer."
Richard's jaw tightened.
"Call him again."
She did.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Again.
Straight to voicemail.
Richard pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Wonderful."
Martha sighed.
"What if something happened?"
Richard didn't answer.
Because that possibility had already crossed his mind.
Finally he pulled out his phone.
"Call Daniel."
---
Daniel answered on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Where is Nate?"
Silence.
Then:
"...Shouldn't you know?"
Richard closed his eyes.
"No."
Daniel immediately sat up.
"Wait."
"What?"
"Nate left the café almost two hours ago."
The room became quiet.
Martha looked worried.
Richard looked worse.
Daniel's voice lowered.
"Is everything okay?"
Nobody answered immediately.
---
Twenty minutes later, Nate arrived.
Out of breath.
Hair messy.
Shirt slightly wrinkled.
Richard looked at him.
Nate looked at Richard.
The atmosphere became dangerous.
"Nathan."
Uh-oh.
Full name.
Never a good sign.
"Hi?"
"Where have you been?"
Nate immediately lowered his voice.
"There was a situation."
"A situation."
"Yes."
Richard leaned closer.
The smile on his face didn't reach his eyes.
"You disappeared."
"I know."
"You ignored every call."
"I know."
"We have been waiting."
"I know."
"Nate."
"Yes?"
"Do not do this again."
The warning was quiet.
Controlled.
Somehow worse than shouting.
Nate immediately nodded.
"Understood."
"Good."
Martha sighed in relief.
Crisis temporarily avoided.
---
The dining room was already prepared.
Long table.
Formal setting.
Far too many forks.
Nate hated rich people.
A servant opened the doors.
The Carter family entered.
Blackwood family members were already seated.
Polite greetings were exchanged.
Everyone sat down.
The conversation began smoothly.
Politics.
Business.
Pack matters.
The usual things rich people apparently enjoyed discussing.
Then eventually...
The engagement came up.
Richard cleared his throat.
"We appreciate the Blackwoods accepting the adjustment."
Derrick's father nodded.
"The agreement remains unchanged."
Martha smiled politely.
"We are grateful."
Nate sat there quietly.
Trying not to die from boredom.
Then Derrick's mother spoke.
"Our son should be joining us shortly."
Richard nodded.
"Of course."
The doors opened.
Footsteps echoed across the room.
Nate looked up casually.
Then nearly choked.
No.
Absolutely not.
Derrick stopped walking.
Nate froze.
For one brief moment...
Neither moved.
Then both immediately acted like nothing happened.
Derrick recovered first.
Of course he did.
He was irritatingly composed.
Nate looked away so fast his neck almost snapped.
Derrick sat down.
Across from him.
Close enough to be annoying.
Silence.
Then Derrick glanced up.
Nate ignored him.
Derrick glanced again.
Still ignored.
A small part of him was strangely offended.
They had met three times.
Three.
Most people would acknowledge that.
Yet Nate was sitting there pretending he had never seen him before in his life.
Fine.
If that was the game.
He could play too.
The adults continued talking.
Completely unaware.
Finally Richard gestured toward Nate.
"This is Nathan Carter."
Derrick's father nodded.
Then looked at his son.
"Derrick Blackwood."
Silence.
A long silence.
Nate stared.
Derrick stared.
Then both thought the exact same thing.
You've got to be kidding me.
- Writer
