In the Mist of Chaos (Book 4 in the Original SOCIETY Series) ✔

დThirteen❧

  დ GRAY ❧  

I have no idea what I was thinking when I invited Eve over for breakfast. I really don't. 

Okay, maybe a part of me did know what it was thinking... and was wishful thinking that I could let go of my unrequited feelings for a certain someone and become interested in someone else entirely. I was trying to believe that I would be able to show interest in someone who I wouldn't have to feel guilty having romantic feelings for.

That was the point of me talking to Eve last night. 

When she approached me, I was by the snack table and letting myself scan the desserts everyone brought. I was struggling to avoid the Madeleines sitting in the blue glass container in the middle of the setup. My fingers curled at my sides to restrain myself.

If you're wondering why, it's because I know who made those Madeleines, and I know how amazing they were. Every Valentine's Day morning, I get a small baby blue box with a white lid and some fancy transparent blue ribbon wrapped around the lid, sitting outside my bedroom door. And inside the box were freshly made Madeleine cookies. 

The first time I got a box, I was sixteen. 

I had no clue who the box was from because it never had a tag on it and when I asked my parents about it they always replied they didn't know. Mom would tell me to ask my sister since her room was right across from mine. 

"Perhaps Oakley left it for you," she suggested.

My nose scrunched staring back at my mother and pointed out to her that my baby sister was not the best cook or baker. 

"She burned the cookies she wanted to take for class, Mom!" I raised my brows. "And made Eli and I test them out for her!"

I sighed, grumbling as I remembered the way Oak stared at my brother and I with hopeful eyes that her cookies would win the baking contest the next day. 

"Do you know how awful those tasted?" I told Mom who was lowering a brow while pursing her mouth to the side. "I had to convince Oakley that she couldn't take the cookies to class because I enjoyed them so much! I even had to scarf down the burnt cookies just to prove how much! Oak was so ecstatic and suggested that I could have them but that she'd just make more for her class!" 

Mom frowned, "Hm... How did that turn out anyway?"

I rolled my eyes, "It was alright. Eli saved my stomach and asked Cousin Kale to bake a tray of cookies for her. Oakley decorated them so it was like she contributed to---" I held up fingers from each hand as I air quoted, "Making them." 

Mom just stared at me, that small amused smile on her lips. I frowned back at her. 

"My point is," I emphasized with raised brows, "That my sister sucks---"

"Graaay..." Mom raised a brow.

"Fine. My sister lacks taste buds---" Mom gave me a look. "---So I know she couldn't have possibly made the Madeleine cookies! These are amazing!" 

My mom hummed to herself, brows furrowing as she looked upward in thought. Jutting out her bottom lip, Mom nodded to herself before turning to me that maybe they were from a family friend. 

Raising a brow, I waited for her to elaborate since the entire Alliance was technically a "family friend". 

"Your sister just left with her friends about ten minutes ago. Bobby and Faris were with your sister and Cleo."