6| The Kings

Amelia pov

"I'll pick you at six, sharp. Okay?"

"Yeah, but I still think you should drive with Dean. I can come on my own, it's not an issue." I said again.

"Nonsense." I imagined her waving her hand. "What are best friends for?"

"You're the best Bri." 

"I know I am." I could hear her grinning ear to ear from the other side. I smiled and hung up, glancing on my bed, at the dress I'd chosen. Red had always been one of my favorite colors, so finding something red hadn't been a problem. The problem had been choosing one dress out of all of them. But after a lot of decision making, I'd come across one I knew I liked, and I knew he would like.

I jumped into the shower, letting the warm water soothe my muscles, massaging my scalp and rubbing my body with the vanilla scented body wash. When I came out it was already 5:30. So I threw on the dress, letting it fall down till the mid of my thighs, the lace full sleeves reaching up till my wrist. I kept my makeup simple, a thin layer of eyeliner and light red lipstick. I was strapping my heels when I heard the honk. 

I hurried outside, knowing how impatient Bridget could be, bidding my goodbye to Uncle Mason. She honked again and I huffed. I got in the passenger seat, glancing at her.

"Ready?" She asked, looking ahead, a grin on her face.

"As I'll ever be." I winked.

We sped off the roads, zooming past the trees and bushes on either side. I hadn't spoken to Theo since yesterday when he invited me, and I didn't know how I felt about that. I also didn't know how I felt about going to his house tonight in this gathering thing. He had said he invited all his friends, so were we friends now?

More importantly, did I really want to be his friend?

"So what was that yesterday?" Bridget glanced at me from the corner of her eye. "Is something going on between Theo and you that you aren't telling me?"

"No Bri," I sighed. "He invited me yesterday when we went out of the canteen. Why do you think there's something going on?"

"Because I know Theo. And Theo doesn't invite girls who he's barely known for a few days to this family gathering thing."

"We just-" I tried to find the right words to explain her. "We just bonded the other day."

"What the fuck does bonded mean? Theo doesn't bond with girls. He sleeps with them."

I glared, "Well he didn't sleep with me, if that's what you're saying."

"That's not what I'm saying." She sighed. "I'm just confused. I don't know what he's doing. He's never behaved like this before."

"I don't know if that's a bad thing or a good thing." I replied.

She didn't say anything after that; I didn't know what she could. I had no idea what she meant by what she said, and I had no intention of knowing. I didn't know why Theo was behaving the way he was, or how he used to behave, but I tried not to over think the issue. No, the new Amelia lives in the moment, enjoys it, and doesn't over think. So if I was enjoying the company of Theo, then I wasn't complaining if he was behaving differently than before. 

"Do you," She cleared her throat, almost seeming hesitant to ask. "Do you like him?"

I choked on my own spit. "What the fuck?"

"Do you?" She asked more forcefully now.

Was I attracted to Theo? Did I feel he was stunningly, gorgeously hot? Yes, fuck yes.

Did I have feelings for him? 

"No." I replied. "I do not like him."

She nodded. We didn't talk after that. I looked out of the car towards the zooming roads, my mind wandering off to another dimension. I had never really thought of Theo that way, but now that she'd mentioned it, I couldn't help thinking that way. 

Did I like him?

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't realize the car had already stopped and Bridget was climbing out. I cleared my head, grabbing my phone and getting out of the car. I adjusted my dress, fixing my hair, looking up.

And then I gasped.

The house in front of my wasn't a house. No, it was a castle. A fucking huge one. It looked royal, elegant, and just so beautiful that I couldn't blink, I couldn't stop looking. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. The lights were a bright golden colored, the exterior was painted a shining white and blue. There were plants everywhere, red roses, pink dahlias. 

"Look at it the same way for about ten minutes and you might surpass my reaction." Bridget said. "He's fucking loaded."

I gulped, "I can see that."

"Wait till you see the interior." Her heels clicked as she made her way to the entrance. The main gate was big, though not iron like a castle. Bri knocked on the gate a few times, then rung the bell when no one opened.

"No, not that one, no-" I heard groaning and then the gate opened, my eyes meeting familiar green ones, though it wasn't the guy who had been confusing me the whole ride.

This was a different guy, a complete stranger who I felt I'd seen somewhere. When I looked closely, I realized the eye color wasn't really same. No, Theo's eyes were vividly, lively deep green. This one had light apple green eyes. He had broad shoulders, a muscular body. 

"Bridget." He nodded at her, a familiar smile appearing on his lips.

Then his eyes swept over me, his smile turning into a flirty smirk. "Why do I feel I have seen you somewhere, beautiful?"

"Move over, asshole." The guy was roughly pushed to the other side, thus making the person behind him visible.

"Mia." My name rolled off his tongue silky smooth as his mouth turned up to give that kind of a smile which left me dazed. In that dazed state I saw the small dimple in his left cheek. Bridget had disappeared somewhere inside. I hadn't even realized when she'd left.

"Mia?"

"Oh, uh, hi." I stuttered.

Idiot. Idiot. Idiot. 

"Come in, come in." Theo gestured, moving to the side to give me space. I stepped inside the house.

Then I gasped again.

The interior was much more beautiful than the outside. The hallway was long, either side of the walls covered my paintings of all kinds. A huge chandelier was hung in the middle, the lights seeming to dance with joy. A soft, light music was playing in the background, the atmosphere around me cool, but not chilly.

"You dumb motherfucking piece of shit." The fallen guy muttered under his breath, then looked at me again. He stared for two seconds, then gave me heart whelming smile, his eyes turning mischievous. "I'm Tobias, nice to meet you beautiful stranger."

"Amelia." I smiled politely at him.

"Ah! What a perfect name for a perfect girl. But if you don't mind can I call you sweetheart? Or maybe-"

"She minds." Theo grabbed my hand and pulled me with him. "Ignore my stupid brother. He flirts with anyone and everyone." 

I chuckled, "Like you, then."

He glanced at me, surprise evident in his eyes, "I don't-well, I don't now. You look beautiful, by the way."

For some unknown reason, my heart beat increased when he said that.

"Dean's already here. Scott and Sav will be here in a few. And I could introduce you to some of my cousins if you want." He rubbed the back of his neck as if he were nervous. We'd stopped in the middle, I could hear several people from the hall.

"Sure, yeah, I'd like that." I replied.

We walked in together as I absorbed my surroundings, still mesmerized by everything. When we reached the hall, my eyes swept over the many people sitting and standing all across, talking, laughing, drinking. I blinked to adjust my eyes to the scenario, I'd never really seen such a big family gathering.

Then something jumped on me.

My hands came up to shield my body, my fingers coming in contact with the softest fur I'd ever touched. I looked down to see a caramel colored dog looking up at me with big eyes, wagging its tail behind. It stared, then barked and licked my face. I giggled, holding it in my arms and tickling behind its ear. 

"Oscar, get down." Theo said from behind me. "He loves meeting new people."

"He's so cute." Oscar blinked his eyes a couple of times, then barked again and jumped out of my arms, trotting to the other side, getting lost in the crowd.

Theo grabbed my hand again, oblivious to the tingles erupting down my arm. I looked down at our joined hands as he pulled me with him, his big hand engulfing my small one. Then I looked up, a smile appearing on my face as we made our way down the tables, into the garden. The garden was lit with silver lights all around, roses and daisies everywhere for as long as the eye could see. A huge bonfire was lit in the middle. A group of people was seated around, some standing, some drinking.

As we made our way over there, I spotted Dean. He arms were around a woman and due to the height difference, I couldn't make out the face. He was laughing as if he's known her for a long time. When they moved apart, I saw Theo's mother for the first time. 

"Mom." He said from beside me, and with a jolt I realized we'd already reached them. "Mia, this is my mother. Ma this is Amelia-" 

I was engulfed into a hug. "It's so good to meet you Amelia."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs King, you have a beautiful house."

"Call me Anna, okay? God, Theo, when you told me she was beautiful you hadn't mentioned she was this beautiful."

I blushed, Theo cleared his throat and looked down while Dean laughed.

"He hasn't stopped talking about you since-"

"And that's enough." Theo grabbed my arm again and hauled me to the other side.

"Hey!" I protested, I enjoyed watching him squirm, but I also wanted to know what his mother had been saying. "I was talking to her."

He ignored me, seemingly determinant to get us out of there. We walked to the other side of the garden, this one having more people who were drinking from their glasses, laughing. There was chattering all around me. I hadn't been to such a lively place for a long time.

Then when we rounded down the corner, I saw what Theo would look like thirty years from now. There was an astonishing similarity between the father and the son.  Theo's father appeared to be fit, with a flat stomach and muscles at the right places. His eyes were green like Tobias's, not like the vivid ones of Theo. They were sparkling with mischief just like his son. He had a glass of champagne in his hand, his eyes crinkled as he smiled.

When his eyes met mine, they swept to my side to look at Theo. Then as if he knew me, his eyes filled with recognition, his already smiling mouth turning up more. He met us halfway, the mischief in his eyes increasing, "Hello Amelia."

That surprised me. "Mr King."

"Ah no, it's William for you pretty girl." Then he glanced at his son. "You were right. She is beautiful."

Theo groaned, "Why do you and mom always have to do that?"

"Teasing our son? No dear, we're just telling her the truth. She deserves to know, don't you?"

I nodded, grinning.

"Theo talks non stop about you. One day I asked him if he was obsessed-"

He pulled my arm, yet again, and dragged me away. I chuckled, complaining again. He ignored me, again. 

From the corner of my eye I saw Tobias smirking. When our eyes met, his smirk widened and he winked at me. 

Theo groaned.

Damn, I love his family.

*