Page 252 of The Rebel Billionaire

He straightens his shirt. “That’s not what I’m saying at all. I know you’re responsible. You’ve never given your mother or me a moment of trouble, but, Harper…”

I don’t wait to hear what else he has to say. I storm up the stairs. How am I going to live this down? Everyone who is anyone in our year group will be there… Jasper Peregrine himself, invited me.

“She’s been looking forward to that party,” Mum says as I round the corner.

“I know,” Dad replies. “But Fran, there’ll be other parties.”

Mum and Dad never usually say no, not without good reason. Does he fear I’m going to get drunk, have sex… trash the rest of my life?

I pull out my phone and message Carolyn and Becca.

ME:

I have to cancel. Dad won’t let me go.

CAROLYN:

Are you kidding?

BECCA:

But it’s Jasper’s party. He invited you. This is your chance.

ME:

I know. You’d think I was seven, not seventeen, the way he’s treating me. I’ll be eighteen in a few weeks.

The word gutted doesn’t even come close. I throw myself back on my bed and stare at the canopy of my four-poster. I’ve had a crush on Jasper Peregrine since year eight, and he personally invited me to his party. He’s barely said two words to me the whole time we’ve been at school together, me being a bit of a nerd and him being… well, Jasper.

BECCA:

Can you sneak out? Tell them you’re going to bed early. I can pick you up at the end of the road.

CAROLYN:

Please, H. We’ve been planning our outfits for what seems like forever. It’s going to be the party everyone talks about when we’re in our eighties. And Jasper. You know Bernice has been desperate to sink her claws into him.

BECCA:

Bernice is a slag.

CAROLYN:

And Jasper is a hormonal teenage boy. I don’t think he’ll care.

My stomach drops. I’ve never gone against Mum and Dad’s wishes, but I’m not a baby. Even Dad said I’ve never given them a moment of trouble, unlike Caleb, who was always getting up to mischief with his friends when he was my age.

ME:

Okay, message me when you are nearby, and I’ll get changed in the car.

CAROLYN:

Yay!

BECCA:

See you later.