Saving Mia Read Free Page B

family.
    “She will be if you refuse our gift.” Marcus insisted.
    “I highly doubt it, but I will take it. It’s perfect.” Mia held her wrist out for him to attach the bracelet. He clasped it onto her wrist and smiled.
    Mia wished she could give him the credits that sat heavy in her pocket. A thousand credits that her aunt and uncle had given her weighed heavily on her as she looked up at him. She knew that he would be offended if she offered it to him. He had his pride, and he told her the last time that she offered him her allowance that he wasn’t her friend for her lousy credits and that if she ever offered them to him again he would never speak to her again.
    It was one of the only times he’d spoken harshly to her. He’d also not spoken to her for almost two weeks after that incident. Raven had told her he’d come around and thankfully he had. She’d never offered him another credit again. She did buy them gifts though. She brought them whenever she was invited to dinner. It was mostly food and sometimes clothing. She’d gotten both Marcus and Raven pocket watches once for their birthdays. They had both loved them.
    “Okay, I’ve kept you from your party long enough. Give us a hug, then I will be on my way.” He held his arms out to her enveloping her in a bear hug. His lips were barely touching her cheek when she heard a harsh voice from behind.
    “Hilmia, your dinner is getting cold and this boy needs to get back home I’m sure.” Her father said making her cringe.
    No matter how many times she’d told him she preferred Mia he insisted on calling her Hilmia.
    “He was just telling me goodbye, papa.” Mia told him as she pulled away from Marcus. She rolled her eyes up at him making him wink in return before he said a jaunty goodbye and headed home. When he was a few feet away her father began talking.
    “I have warned you about that boy. Did he try to get you to give him credits? You didn’t give him any did you?” Her father’s gruff voice grated on her nerves a bit. She didn’t understand why he always insisted in thinking that Raven and Marcus were only her friend for her credits. It wasn’t anywhere near the truth she knew.
    “He’d never ask that from me, papa.” Mia told him with a frown. How many times would she have to tell him that? She followed him into the entrance of the restaurant.
    “He’s a slum dweller. Of course, he’s like that Hilmia. He’s using you princess, you simply can’t see it.” He grumbled, standing in the hall looking at her.
    She wanted to argue with him, but she knew from past experience that it wouldn’t do any good. She’d had this conversation with him many times. He never listened. He didn’t know that Mia knew more about life in the Slum district than most of the Hill districts residents ever would. Including her father, which was sad. She’d been going to the Slums to visit Raven and Marcus since she was ten.
    “That’s not true…” Mia began, but was interrupted by her father.
    “Stop, I will not tolerate this…” Her father was interrupted then by her uncle.
    “Hilroy, let the girl be. It’s her birthday. They are just friends.” Her uncle tried to calm her father who was purple in the face and almost frothing at the mouth. She didn’t try again to reason with him. Arguing merely made him became angrier.
    “Tristen, you know that he is just using her. He likely wants to convince her to marry him so that he can move up to the hill and live off of me. You know how lazy those Slum dwellers are.” Her father was looking at his brother with narrowed eyes and a dark scowl.
    “Stop yelling at the girl. She will learn. You are not going to allow him to take advantage of her so it’s fine. We can protect her. Just let it be.” Tristen gazed at her with a sad sort of pity in his eyes. It made Mia angry that he would pity her for being friends with Raven and Marcus.
    “Come back in the family is looking for you.” Tristen told her