Chad's freaking out episode barely survives the weekend, and he's back in the pursuit by Monday. You know you should be proud at him not giving up; but, honestly? You are not. He actually came home from school visibly ecstatic at his last (and very secret, he obviously thinks) strategy, which, you are able to deduce, involves him being paired with his love's interest in a major English project. It actually doesn't work like that, you muse, as his name is now alongside the wrong twin. But he doesn't seem deterred from it, and already has formed what you grudgingly label a clever contingency plan.

Your son is confidently beaming while informing he's going to spend most of the rest of the week's evenings at the Evans' estate. It doesn't sit well with you, especially as now you know he'll be blatantly using Ryan to get to his sister. It's no wonder, then, that you answer to his words with a sour face and the accusation of him being ashamed of his home, so eager he is to leave it for a mansion. You are aware that he's never been interested in richness that much, but somehow it is easier to rant about this than saying what you really want.

He looks so taken aback that your resolution falters, but he leaves the table before you can apologize. He closes his bedroom's door with a soft click, instead of the loud slamming you were waiting for, and it scares you even more. You are not hungry now, but you stay in the same place while your daughter looks curiously at you. She says nothing, thankfully, although the silence is so deafening that you try to engage Charlotte in conversation twice, without success. Sound returns with your son, although he only opens his mouth to inform Ryan has no problem with changing the place, and would you mind if he came here to work in the project? You say no, no problem at all, and Chad nods and sits again. He smiles softly at you, but his grin is clearly forced, and he keeps throwing those by now familiar worried glances in your direction.

Nobody says a word for the rest of the dinner.


AN: It has come to my attention that I might be misleading my readers. Because of this fic's plot, I'd prefer to keep the background pairing secret, as there is a surprise reveal at the end (that is not completely a surprise, as it builds up as the story progresses). Nonetheless, I realize there are readers that came here expecting het, and that's not what I'm going to deliver. No relationship will be ultimately shown in the remaining 3 chapters, but starting on the next part, which I'm going to post today as well, the possibility of m/m will start showing up.