“Rumor,” Brock says, appearing at my door.
“I’m going for a swim,” I tell him, hoping it’ll make him go away.
“Before you do, we need to talk about the rules regarding the help.”
“You mean Maria?” I say, going up to him. “She has a name. And if you’re going to yell at me for going out with her today you can save your breath. I don’t care if you don’t like it. I needed to get out of the house and she offered to—” I stop, realizing I just revealed my earlier lie.
“So itwasher idea,” he says.
“It was mine. I told her I wanted to see the school today.”
“And she offered to take you with her?”
“It wasn’t really an offer. I asked her if I could go.”
“Then why did you say she offered?”
“What difference does it make?” I say, going over to my dresser. “I wanted to go and she took me. What’s the big deal?”
He walks over to me. “Being seen with the help sends the wrong message. It implies she’s one of us, which she is not.”
I turn to him. “What are you trying to say? That Maria isn’t good enough for me to hang out with? Sorry, but I’m not a snob like you and your sons. Maria’s a nice person. I like her. And if I want to go places with her, I will.” I yank open a drawer, looking for a swimsuit.
Brock slams the drawer shut and steps in front of it. “You will do as I say for as long as you live here. While I agree that Maria is a nice person, she is not one of us. She has her own friends. Her own life. Just like we do. Our lives are to remain separate, which she understands. You’re new so she doesn’t see you like she sees the boys. Given how you act and how you dress, you’re more like her daughter, so I can see how she might’ve been confused. But we’ve discussed it and now she understands.”
“She can’t take me places?” I ask, folding my arms over my chest. “Is that what you’re saying?”
“She is not to be seen with you in public, especially at Twisted Pine where you need to establish yourself as a Halliway.”
“I’mnota Halliway,” I say, getting angry. “My name is Bennet. Rumor Bennet.”
He leans down to my face. “Your father is a Halliway. You should’ve had his name since the day you were born. If you had, you would’ve had opportunities children your age couldn’t even imagine.”
“I had plenty of opportunities,” I say, meeting his stare. “My mom and I had a good life. And I’m glad I have her name. Why would I want the last name of my drug addict dad who’s spent most of his life in rehab?”
“Nobody thinks of Devon when they hear the Halliway name. They think of me, and my success as an actor. That name comes with benefits.” He stands up straight. “You’ve been given a second chance. The opportunities you missed out on are now right in front of you. You just need to take them.”
“What opportunities? Living in a fancy house? Having money? Those aren’t opportunities. It’s just showing off to people like Maria who don’t have anything.”
“I’m talking aboutpeople. The opportunity to meet the right people is priceless. The right people with the right connections can change your life.”
“Like Miranda? The woman you only married because her dad was head of the studio?”
He chuckles. “You think you’re so smart. You have no fucking idea.” He leans closer to my face. “Coming here and going to Twisted Pine is your last chance to make something of yourself. Otherwise, you’ll end up like the rest of them. A nobody, struggling to pay your bills, living in some run-downapartment. Marrying some deadbeat who gets you pregnant, leaving you with even more bills you can’t pay. Is that the life you want?”
“If it makes me happy, then yeah. Money doesn’t guarantee happiness. Just look at your sons. And you.”
He slowly smiles as he backs away. “Go out and enjoy the pool. I’ll see you at dinner.”
“I’m skipping dinner. I’m not hungry.”
“You will be at dinner.” He walks to the door. “And you will not be going on any more outings with Maria.”
“I’ll do what I want,” I say, yanking open my dresser drawer.
“She’s already been instructed. She will not be driving you anywhere again.” He leaves and goes down the hall.
I race to the door and yell, “I’m not going to be a prisoner in this house!”
