Peer Pressure

"The governor's son is throwing her another party for her 18th birthday." She heard her father tell Lucas Grayson—her future father-in-law, as she walked out of the room after being dismissed for the men to talk business. Her marriage is a business meeting. She shuddered with the thought but right now, she can't do anything about it. Her father was agitated all day long, hiding in his study, and screaming on the phone that she didn't have the courage to talk to him again about what the plan was for her supposed marriage. She wasn't able to tell him to marry her off after she finished university. Maybe she can talk to him again tomorrow. He had to discuss things with Mr. Grayson while she had a party to attend.

When she reached the parking lot, Pete was leaning against the car, smoking but the moment he saw her, he flicked his cigarette butt on the cement and stepped on it. She saw that his cigarette was still long, he must have just lit it when she arrived.

"Are we going now?" He asked and opened the backseat for her but she opened the passenger seat door instead and climbed in. He quickly walked to the driver's side for it appeared that Lilly was not in her best mood.

"Where to now?" He started the car engine and drove out of the parking lot. They had reached the street but Lilly still wasn't talking.

"It was the Grayson of the Gray Empire," she mumbled under her breath after being quiet for a few beats.

"Excuse me?" He was confused with what she said. The light was red, thus, he leaned forward, to the passenger seat and grabbed the paper bag under her seat, and gave it to Lilly. The paper bag has the clothes that were sent by her personal shopper when she asked to get something in the store for the party that her friends were throwing her.

"My father is talking to Lucas Grayson to marry me off to his son." Her head snapped to Pete, "oh, shit! I didn't ask which son I am going to get married off to." She scrambled to pull her phone out of her purse to check online how old the Grayson brothers are.

"Wait…wait…I'm not following you. Who is getting married?" He glanced at Lilly who folded her legs underneath her, biting her nails as she scrolled crazily on her mobile phone.

"I am! You dummy," she snapped at him without looking at him.

"I still don't understand," he mumbled under his breath. "We are almost at the venue and you haven't changed your clothes," he reminded her gently. But Lilly didn't bulge.

After a few more minutes of being quiet, she sighed loudly. "Why these business articles don't publish closed-up and cleared pictures?" She shoved the phone at Pete's face. "Look at these. It's the only clear photo of the Grayson family that I was able to get online."

Pete gave the screen of Lilly's phone a quick glance then returned his eyes to the road. The photo that she was showing him was a family photo of the Graysons. The photo was taken from a distance, more focused on the surroundings of the photo—which was a charity event, than the faces of the people in the said photo. He could see that the faces of the people in the photo were gorgeous since Mr. and Mrs. Grayson had been quite active in charity events. He was able to meet them once or twice and they were a beautiful couple, their sons must be a handsome lot.

Lily was still mumbling under her breath, checking her social media to find any photos of the Grayson brothers but she failed. Annoyed, she was about to toss her phone back in her purse when it rang.

"Tiffy," she crooned while rolling her eyes. Tiffany Miller, one of her best friends—the only daughter from a family of lawyers from a well-known law firm. Their other friend is Susan Wilson whose family was known in Real Estate. They are the three that are considered as the most beautiful, rich, and popular in their school.

"Where are you!?" She screeched in the other line. "The party is already in full swing and your ass is nowhere to be found."

"Tiff, dear, I'm sorry I'm running late. My father took me to a business meeting with some…uhm…" she bit her lower lip and glanced at Pete who gave her a questioning look. "Business," she said and sighed in a bored tone. Indicating that it was something that has to be done and she has no control over it. "The main person at the party hasn't arrived, basically, the party won't start until I show my face." She laughed lightly.

"Well, that's the truth! But, Reagan was being so obnoxious. I understand that he's throwing this party for you, but why did he invite such people!" She said with obvious disdain.

Lilly put the call on speaker then crawled to the backseat of the Escalade to change. She half-listened to Tiffany's yapping while she took off her dress and changed into a dress more appropriate for the party that she was going to. She didn't worry that other motorists on the road would be able to see her, getting naked since the windows of the SUV were heavily tinted and Pete was already used to seeing her half-naked.

"How far are you from the club?" Tiffany asked, halting her from tying her hair. She glanced at Pete in the rearview mirror and watched him mouth "fifteen minutes."

"In less than twenty minutes, I'll be there! See yeah!" She made kisses sounds on the phone before she cut the call.

"What's that?"

She averted her eyes and asked. "What's what?"

"Litle Rosé, you just lied to your friend," he said, gently.

"I didn't!" Her voice rose higher because of guilt. When her gaze locked with Pete, she sighed. "Fine," she said in a small voice. "I lied but it wasn't really a lie, you know?" She tilted her head to the side, trying to convince Pete. "I don't want them to know that my father is marrying me off because our business is going bankrupt." Her eyes watered. She gazed at Pete, her eyes were begging for understanding. "I don't want them to avoid me because I no longer belong in their crowd."