Adler | The Aces of St.Sinclair BOOK 1.

Obscure | A EIGHTEEN

I gradually brought my feet to the Coeus clubhouse once lessons came to an end all too quickly. I could hardly recall the material the teachers spoke on as one face kept circling my mind, as much as I hated to admit.

I made the usual small talk with Callahan and let myself into the rec room for the supposed meeting.

Dark eyes met mine instantly. That was the first thing I regarded, followed by the vacancy. How had I somehow managed to come early when I'd taken four unnecessary detours on the way here? Someone should've gotten here before me.

"Come in and take a seat then." Garren urged from where he was propped by a round glass table.

I complied, trying to rid my mind off the weird feeling I was getting from this uncanny timing and aimed to sit by the seat furthest from him.

"Stevie, I'm not going to bite," he said, swiftly reading my mind.

That didn't mean I was going to abort. I settled down in the most distanced option available, earning me an eye roll. I had never been more glad to hear the door open, only to sink when it was simply two attendants. One carting muffins with those shiny state of the art coffee machines and mug filled to the brim. The other, a stack of varying board games.

"Would you like anything?" Garren asked as he collected his caffeinated brew.

"I'm not early, am I?" I gathered.

"No you're not and tardiness will not be overlooked next time so there better not be a next time."

"Where's everybody else, then?"

"Doing whatever they do after school. How would I know?" Garren sipped his coffee. Approval flashed across his features and he nodded to the attendant, issuing her in the clear of duty.

I wasn't liking what suspicion was formulating in my mind. "But, didn't you tell them about the meeting?"

"Their presence isn't required for this one."

Really wasn't liking it. "What about Will and Ben?" Heck, I didn't even care if it was Philip. Just anybody so I wasn't left in a room alone with him.

"Will said he was going to a place of some sort, I think? Wasn't really listening so I just said no when he invited me to come along." He shrugged. "And Ben is at the football club's drill runs. I told him to let coach know I wouldn't come, if he actually remembered this time. Though, maybe I should just quit the team. I might not have any time with all this real work I'll need to cope with."

I shifted in my seat at the reference to my earlier remark of him. It had solely left my mouth out of sheer spite... wait, spite? Did I actually feel nervous about coming here not out of fear, but because I felt bad?

Did I still care what he thought of me? Did it also mean my opinion mattered to him too? I'll admit, I was curious.

"Do you want to hear me say I'm sorry for what I said?" I questioned. "Is that what this meeting's for? For me to grovel?"

"I have no intention to make you apologise. You're entitled to your opinion and I know you didn't mean it."

I wasn't sure what got to me more. His vanity or that he was right more than most of the time. "Right, so why am I here?"

"Pick a game." He nodded to the remaining attendant with the collection. "I can play anything."

"What?"

"But if you do pick Monopoly, I call dibs on the red car."

"You... you called a meeting to play random boardgames?"