Page 96 of Breakout
“You play hockey, correct?” Penny says.
“I do.”
“It’s just a silly little hobby of his,” my father says.
“A silly little hobby that I’m good at,” I point out, trying not to show my annoyance. Call me crazy, but I’m ninety-nine point nine percent sure we had this exact conversation the last time we met.
“It doesn’t matter because as soon as you graduate, you’ll hang up your skates,” Dad hisses.
“Time will tell,” I say as anger fills me.
It’s never about what I want with him. He has had my life mapped out since I was a swimmer in his balls, I’m sure. I fucking hate it, and I’m starting to think I hate him.
Why can’t you let me live my own life?I scream in my head as I look at him.
Penny looks between us before settling on me. “Are you part of a fraternity? I was part of a sorority.”
I’m grateful she changes the subject. I don’t want to cause a scene, but I’m close to doing it anyway.
“No, much to my father’s dismay, that was never my thing,” I tell her.
The server comes over and places food down in front of us.
“Since you were late, I ordered for you,” Father tells me.
“Thank you,” I say through gritted teeth when I see lamb on my plate.
I know it’s stupid, but it pisses me off that after twenty-two years, he can’t remember that I don’t like it. No, the only person Lawrence Hayes cares about is himself.
His phone rings, and he scoots his chair back. “I must take this, please eat without me,” he says as he gets up and leaves.
As soon as he’s out of view, I push my plate away.
“Is something wrong with your food?” Penny asks.
“Just not hungry. Can I ask you a question, Penny?”
She dabs the corners of her mouth with a napkin and nods. “Sure.”
“Why are you here?”
“I don’t understand…”
“Why did you say yes to this lunch?”
“To get to know you, of course.”
“Why do you want to get to know me, though?”
She looks at me with confusion. “I don’t think I understand.”
“See, I think you do. What’s in this for you?”
She sighs. “Our parents are friendly, and I’ve heard all about you for some time now. We run in the same circles. See each other at parties and events. So when your father gave mine your file, well, let’s just say I was intrigued by what I saw. It seems natural that we might work well together. I want to get to know you to see if we are compatible, so here I am.”
“You know that’s not normal, right? Learning about someone through a file?”
“I’m pretty sure you know things for people like us are different. It’s how the world works.”
