Too Late to Love Me

4: 4

My birthday party was only a few days away, but Mom and Dad were still in England negotiating a project and probably wouldn't make it back.

So they'd booked me a five-star hotel ahead of time and told me to invite my friends and classmates to celebrate.

When they heard I planned to fly out right after my birthday to get a head start on adjusting to life abroad, Mom was thrilled. She said this way she could throw me one more party to make up for it.

I didn't tell them about Margot. I didn't want them to worry, or let it get in the way of their work.

But on the day itself, the moment I reached the doorway of the second-floor banquet hall,

I saw that my welcome poster had been swapped out for a glossy portrait of Chester.

Above it, in bold, curling script, it read: Chester's College Send-Off.

The hall was packed with his relatives and his little clique from class.

And the friends and close classmates I'd invited were all crowded uncertainly at the door.

There wasn't even anywhere for them to sit.

I found the manager I knew and asked, "Who gave you permission to change the theme?"

He blinked, startled. "You didn't know?"

"Your Miss Henson called last night and said you'd agreed to it. I figured the two of you were so close, I didn't want to disturb your rest…"

Because of my standing, they gave Margot the benefit of the doubt too.

I frowned. "Clear the room right now and change the theme back."

"Wait!"

Margot appeared with Chester and pulled me aside.

"Sebastian, don't make a scene. I'll explain everything when we get home. Chester saved you a seat, go sit down."

That was almost funny. They'd hijacked my venue and my banquet, and I was the one told not to make a scene?

"Margot, my family paid for all of this. What gives you the right to turn my birthday party into his send-off?"

Chester took my hand, feigning apology.

"Sebastian, don't blame her. My relatives heard I was going abroad to study and they all wanted to come celebrate, but business at the restaurant was bad last month and my mom couldn't afford to host this many people…"

"If we threw something too shabby, people would laugh at us. That's the only reason Margot wanted to help. We're classmates, and you've got money to spare. You wouldn't nickel-and-dime over this, right?"

It wasn't "goddess" anymore. Now it was "Margot."

I gave a cold laugh and pulled my hand free.

"So because I have money, I deserve to be the sucker? If you can't afford it, don't host it. What kind of thing is guilt-tripping someone else into paying? Are you a beggar?"

Chester's face went white in an instant, his eyes brimming with tears.

Seeing it, Margot shoved me hard.

"Sebastian, you've gone too far!"

The push sent me stumbling backward, and right behind me was the steep staircase.

If the deskmate hadn't been worried enough to follow me and caught me in time, I'd already have tumbled down and split my head open.

Margot was frightened too. A flash of panic crossed her eyes.

Then it hardened back into indifference.

"Your whole life, how many parties have your parents thrown for you? You really can't do without this one?"

"That day you smeared Chester's family's food and made him cry, you owed him an apology anyway. Call this making up for it."

"The guests are already seated. Changing the theme now won't do anything. Either you stay and eat, or you leave. Don't cause trouble on someone's big day!"

I looked at her face, so familiar and so strange.

Like I was meeting her for the first time.

"Margot, you're really set on doing this?"

She pressed her lips together and coaxed, "Sebastian, I'm begging you this once. Just give him this party, and I'll wear the couple's necklace with you and make us official."

Hah. She still thought she could use that to keep me in line.

But I didn't care anymore.

I nodded. "Fine. Enjoy your meal, everyone. We'll be heading out."

I booked another hotel and treated everyone to dinner.

The deskmate cursed, still bitter about it. "Shameless, all of them. Those decorations, the cake, the champagne, the dishes, one look and you can tell it's expensive. That's got to cost a lot of money."

"Seb, are you really letting them off that cheap?"

I laughed and popped a piece of steak into his mouth. "Yeah, it costs a lot. But they didn't necessarily come out ahead."

In the days that followed, Margot went off traveling to nearby cities with Chester again, calling it one last splurge before going abroad.

While I boarded my flight out of the country alone.

A week later, Margot and Chester were on their way back.

As if she'd finally remembered me, she sent a message.

*I got you a birthday present. I've been thinking, why don't we leave two weeks early? Chester needs time to adjust to life overseas.*

*He's worried he won't get along with a roommate. I remember you have an apartment out there. Let's just stay there for now, it's not far from school either.*

She waited a long time and got no reply.

Margot was getting a little angry.

*Still sulking after all these days?*

*Sebastian, if you're going to keep throwing your spoiled rich-boy tantrum, I'll have to rethink whether I go abroad with you at all.*

Three seconds later, both her phone and Chester's went off at the same time.

Margot felt a little smug.

Just as she'd figured, I was still the same Sebastian who backed down and apologized first whenever she was angry, terrified she'd stop speaking to me.

But when she opened her phone, she froze.

Because it wasn't a reply from me. It was an email in English.

From the university he'd been about to attend:

*As you did not complete tuition payment within the required deadline, your admission has been voided. Please be advised.*