Humans or parasites

Xavier stared at the house he had spent half of his life in and it brought nothing but memories he had longed to forget. The house didn't bring him the tranquil it did some years ago. All he saw as he continued staring at the house was complete hollowness as if the people who once filled it with laughter had all decided on a whim to leave. Happiness, would be the biggest lie ever told if he said that was how he was feeling at the moment. Infact he was anything but willing to enter the house. If it hadn't been that hard headed grandfather of his, this house would have remained out of his peripheral vision for a very long time. He stepped out of the car, not bothering to wait for the chauffeur to open his side of the door. Putting his hands in his pockets, he strode elegantly into the vast mansion. The few maids who saw the young master couldn't help but gush over his looks, whispering amongst each other at his breathtaking perfection. A maid rushed in to inform the rest of the family about their young master's visit, almost tripping in the process at her excitement. It was a real blessing when this gorgeous man ever graced them with his presence. She bowed slightly after reaching the hall, gasping for air as she tried to stabilize her breathing. "And what has gotten you all sweaty and panting?", a woman asked, her perfectly shaped eyebrows lifting in question as she scrunched her nose. "Madam. Young master Xavier is home," she informed, managing to catch her breath, a smile playing on the corners of her lips. "Is that the reason you interrupted my reading," the woman raised the book in her hand to emphasize her point, staring blankly and objectively at the maid who was lost for words at her words. "Erhm... I... What is this talk about my grandson returning. I hope you're not bluffing," the maid's awkward moment was intervened by the old man as he carefully came down the stairs with watched steps. "Yes grandfather, the young master is here," the old man had allowed even the maid's and the servants to call him that, believing he was old enough to be their grandpa and more importantly, considering them as his own. This made the woman on the sofa roll her eyes at the ridiculous moment she just witnessed. "Well what are you waiting for? Call everyone down. My grandson is here," excitement colored the old man's eyes as he said, a big smile on his wrinkled face. The rest of the family members came out the moment Xavier also entered, his blue eyes scanning the lengths of the people in the room. Those he called family. He gritted his teeth in slight annoyance, already regretting his decision of coming here. These people made his blood boil except his grandfather ofcourse but even he had started getting on his nerves with his attempts at making him 'live' a little. He saw the contempt they didn't even try to hide and he was glad they saw eye to eye on something even if that thing was pure unadulterated hatred. Grandfather," he acknowledged with a slight head nod and the old man sighed at his lack of enthusiasm. The boy was meeting his own family and was still acting like a log of emotionless wood. He facepalmed in his mind. "If you're always going to come to this house with that air of arrogance around you and treat us like no less than humans then I don't think your presence is needed at all. It's not like anyone notices your absence anyway. Why bother," the woman tsked, looking directly at Xavier making him well aware he was the one being spoken to and she tilted her head, challenging him to refute. That's enough Freda. Nobody asked for your opinion," the old man stomped his walking stick, glaring at her. "That's rich coming from someone who's clearly the stranger here. I guess, you'd know how animals are treated since you've become a desperate leeching parasite yourself," Xavier said with indifference in a relaxed almost serene manner, his demeanor calm and collected as if he didn't just say something outrageous to someone. "How dare you talk to my mother like that...brother," the man who spoke intentionally brought the last word to spite him, his cunning and calculating gaze meeting Xavier's unbothered expression. Xavier smiled, the smile disappearing after a second as if it wasn't there. "Being related to you would retard my brain. I suppose I don't know what you speak of considering I'm much more smarter than you," his words cut so deep it made the man clench his fists in rage, making the ones who weren't the receiving end of it gasp in disbelief. Jeremy was about to reply his so called brother when their grandfather interrupted. That is enough. Enough all of you. Not another word of insult from you Xavier. This is a happy occasion where we dine together in peace as a family," grandpa Gary seemed tired of the bicker banter, wishing things would just be normal for once. "You forget which people drove away that peace and happiness from this family grandfather," Xavier didn't mince his words, knowing clearly everyone understood what he meant. "Xavier," it was a warning for him to not speak out of turn and it had him roll his eyes. "Since that has settled I'm sure all of you are hungry. Let's eat," the butler who had been like an invisible wall flower suddenly appeared to help the old man to the dining room. Jeremy stared at Xavier and he stared back with an unyielding gaze, his blue eyes burying daggers into his very soul making Jeremy break eye contact first. "Coward," Xavier mused and it had Jeremy's temper flaring. "Just wait and watch. You'll be the one crying and begging in the end," Jeremy vowed silently in his heart.