chapter 25

Agatha Adamson couldn't take her gaze off of her son as he sat quietly in the back seat. It had taken him what felt like forever to get out of his room and in preparation for their lunch, but that wasn't the issue. She looked down at the rather bizarre fashion choice he went with for lunch with their friends, before turning her attention back to her husband.

Henry Adamson seemed to have noticed it too but continued to keep mute with his hands on the steering wheel. He shook his head as often as he could and looked through the center mirror intermittently. Vukan acted oblivious to his parents gawking at him because he just didn't care. He donned what he wanted and that was it.

The plain looking shirt with ripped holes and jeans wasn't appropriated for a lunch, but a beach event. In fact, he had gotten it in hopes of inviting Oliver to a beach party with him sometime in the fall before choosing it amongst other better wears for this particular function.

"Is this really what you're choosing to wear?" Henry Adamson finally spoke.

Vukan feigned interest in his father's complaint by looking at his top before replying, "I don't see anything wrong with it".

His mother cut in. "You have to see everything wrong with dressing this way to an important event with… ", she paused.

Vukan wondered if she meant to say potential in-law. He would have preferred if she said it and wondered if it would open a way for him to let the cat out of the bag, but sadly, she didn't. He refused to listen to their complaints and sat there in the backseat without an ounce of guilt showing on his face. He had his reasons and while they couldn't see it, he didn't care.

His plan was to make Oliver realize he bore no respect for either him or his folks. He needed a way to strike back and that was precisely how to get it done. It was the best way to show his anger and let his inner voice get heard. It came at a price though; provoking his parents. While his mother might act passive, there was little to no chance that his father would.

Henry yanked out the key from the key hole and tossed it on the dashboard. "We aren't going anywhere until you go back in and change into something proper!"

"I don't see anything wrong with what I am wearing", Vukan protested. "Why can't you accept me for who I am and what I want?"

The sentence didn't even make any sense as regards being related with the current situation. He knew they were simply asking him to dress appropriately, but he didn't want to and hence the hassle.

Agatha spotted her husband's face turning red already and she turned to look at her son in the back seat. "Please, son. Please go back in and wear something better".

Vukan never had to be begged or pleaded with to dress appropriately. He had way more than enough clothes than he could wear, but he would rather stick it to Oliver.

"Please, Vukan", his mother pleaded once again.

Vukan grumbled and stepped out of the car. It would take him half an hour but he finally returned in a simple shirt and chinos, before making a sarcastic gesture of pointing to his chest and what he was wearing as he got into the car.

"This is the best I can do", he said to his father as the man reluctantly ignited the car and drove off.

Vukan bobbed his head to nothing in the back seat, mocking people they drove past and letting off quite rude and gutter remarks about those he didn't quite fancy even though he did not know them on a personal level.

"Why didn't you put on the wristwatch we bought you?" his father asked upon noticing as he drove.

Vukan had not expected it to take that long for either of them to realize but he was glad they did. He was simply doing anything possible to have them cancel their lunch or not even stay there for long. He figured it would polish his anger and soothe him some way if he could have his way.

"Your father just spoke to you… why aren't you answering him?' his mother asked without looking back.

"I did not feel like it", he replied bluntly.

It was easy to spot just how unhappy the duo were. He didn't care much for his mother's dissatisfaction, but he felt gladdened about his father looking pissed. Everything he was doing was payback for being forced to go with them to an event he would rather avoid by being within the comfort of his room, brooding alone.

"You didn't feel like wearing your ten thousand dollar watch gift?" his father asked sarcastically.

"Yes", Vukan replied.

They finally arrived at their destination and Henry Adamson found them a secure place to park. They picked a spot beside a family vehicle with the kids and their folks inside the car.

"Here we are guys", Agatha Adamson said in an excited tone.

Vukan got out of the car last, and purposely did so without looking remorseful for any reason whatsoever.

"Hey! Fucking watch it!' he snapped at a kid getting out of his mother's car who had mistakenly stepped on his shoe. ��Are you retarded or something!?"

Agatha raced over to her son and managed to whisk him away from the scene before things escalated.

Upon getting to a rather safe distance from where the incident had occurred, she turned to scold Vukan. "Can you be on your best behavior and stop acting like a pregnant old lady? Your behavior has been below par since we left home".

Vukan lowered his head and held his hands across his chest as his mother spoke with worry in her tone.

"One moment you seem excited and happy and the next, you are doing all sorts of crazy things", she sounded exhausted. "What is going on with you? You can always share anything with me".

Vukan wished he could share his current pain with her but he would rather hold it within. There was no telling how the woman was going to react, and he would rather bear the grunt by himself, rather than bring her aboard. Her heart would sink to see he wasn't in good terms with Oliver. Everything he was trying to do was all for her and nobody else.

"I will be fine", he lied.

There was no way he was going to be able to hide how he felt. There was just no chance on earth for him to be able to sit on the same table and act as if nothing was going on with him when Oliver would most definitely be there too. Thinking of Oliver, he wondered if the boy felt the same way as he was. He wondered if his heart felt as if it had been torn out from his chest.

He could only wonder, but it wasn't about to be for long.

"Just be yourself and let's have some fun", his mother smiled while she nudged him ahead.

Henry Adamson, who was beginning to tire of his son's theatrics, decided to walk ahead before waiting for his wife. Vukan followed, but did his best to keep some distance between him and his folks.

"I should have flat out declined", he thought to himself as he watched his parents walk through the door.

"Welcome Sir", the man by the door greeted Vukan with a bow. "Have a wonderful time".

Vukan halted his steps, shot the man a rather demeaning look and replied, "Go screw yourself".

The petrified fellow with both eyebrows raised, looked gob smacked as he held the door open for Vukan to walk through. Vukan didn't see the need to accept the patronizing words when he knew he was about to have a rather shitty time. He spotted their designated table some distance away with everyone settled in except him.

The huge restaurant, rated as one of a kind, truly lived up to its hype as regards its grand design. Every table had a mini fountain not far from it, with specially crafted wooden tables to help give the users a homey feeling. The beautifully lit chandeliers hanging from the roof reflected off the glassy floors and seemed to bounce its lights across the room in what captured Vukan's heart and mind.

It was a place he would have loved to have Oliver in had they been on good terms. It was a place fitting for someone one loved. Sadly, that wasn't to be the case.

Vukan took his time to get to the table and simply sat down after cocking his head subtly towards Oliver's parents. Hiding how he felt became increasingly difficult and while his mother kept a close eye on him, he just couldn't do it. He wanted to be free. He wanted to be able to vent about how he felt and above all, get Oliver to apologize for being a douche to him for some days.

"Vukan", Oliver greeted with a subtly warm smile.

"Oliver", Vukan responded in a drab tone and without much effort to conceal his mood.

Everyone around the table took a moment to acknowledge the awkwardness before Henry Adamson sought to change the mood. "So, here we are".

"Yeah. Here we are", Peter Douglas seconded the man. "We were almost worried you guys weren't showing up anymore. Gemma here was about to attack the bottle without you".

Gemma Douglas, dressed in a wine colored gown, smiled at Vukan and then at Henry Adamson.

"Well, this is my first time here and their reviews online are just amazing��, she said. "When Pete told me about the plan to lunch here, I wasn't quite sure, but now I just want to keep talking so someone should step in and stop me".

Everyone laughed with the exception of Vukan who seemed rather interested in toying with his phone.

"We should get a toast done to the two important personalities for whom this is being made possible", Henry Adamson said.

Peter Douglas called out to one of the waiters who appeared promptly. It was the same one who had been standing by their table since they arrived before they asked him to leave them for some time until they were ready.

"Get us the most expensive wine you have to offer", Peter Douglas said.

The gesture definitely stunned everyone around the table. Oliver stared at his father with pride while his wife leaned closer to plant a peck on his cheek.

"I sincerely hope that's not your savings you're trying to burn out", Vukan mumbled underneath his breath.

The despicable words had been picked up by his mother, whose frown indicated her disappointment in their son. They were only hopeful that none of the Douglas family had heard him.

"Should we mix up and switch places to give a more united front?" Agatha Douglas asked.

Vukan had no idea what his mother was trying to do, but he hated it and cursed underneath his breath. He was about to get sandwiched between two Douglas and there was no escaping it.