Sugar Rush

23- It's Like High School in One House

23

“Beth!” my mom smiled as she engulfed me in a hug, shoving away Blake’s arm around my shoulder. I hugged her back, missing her hugs and kisses and cooking, and well, her. “I’m glad you made it here safe.”

“Hi mom.” I grinned. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too honey.” She retuned my grin and looked at me as a whole. “I love your dress dear. It looks good on you.”

“That’s what I said.” Blake whispered with a smirk, however my mom heard her.

She turned her attention to the handsome man beside me whose hand was on the small of my back. “Well, who’s this devilishly fine-looking man?” my mom asked, giving me a look telling me she wanted me to tell her all the details of Blake later like a high school girl.

“My name’s Blake Greene.” Blake shot his hand forward with his right hand, a charming smile on full display. “Nice to meet you.”

My mom returned the smile, obviously he charmed his way in my mom’s heart and accepted his outstretched hand. “Georgia Hawkes, my maiden name. Nice to meet you too Blake.”

“Pleasure is all mine, Ms. Hawkes.”

“It’s just Georgia.”

We stepped in. Most of my relatives were already here, busy talking with each other until my mom stepped aside to make way for us to enter. That’s when heads snapped to our direction, all the attention directed to us.

“Shit.” I silently cursed as my body stiffened at the sudden increase of the amount of attention. I did not like being the center of attention and right now I was.

“Relax.” Blake whispered in my ear, his hand wrapped around my shoulder and gave me a squeeze telling me to calm down.

“Beth?” I snapped my head to the direction where the voice came from. It was Andrea wearing her short and tight dress. Well look who decided to talk to me. “OMG! It is you!”

I wanted to vomit over her fake attitude. I knew she only talked to me because of Blake. How is her husband okay with this? More importantly, I thought she wasn’t coming? Great, now I have to deal with her and April.

“Yeah it’s me.” I mutter nonchalantly. She engulfed me in a hug, like we’ve been friends forever.

“How are you doing?” she smiled deviously, her tone sickly sweet. “How’s work?”

“I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” I answered, not returning her smile. I didn’t want to act like I liked her. And I was terrible at acting.

She continued smiling, making me want to rip out all of her extensions. She turned her attention to Blake, her smile growing even wider if possible as she batted her seven layered mascara clad eyelashes. “And who’s this?”

I could feel Blake’s grip on me tighten as he pulled me closer to him. He hesitated for a bit and answered the wannabe Barbie doll in front of me in an uninterested tone. “Blake.”

“I’m Andrea Lopez.” She batted her eyelashes again, sticking her hand out with her long and sharp red nails glowing from her spray tan.

 “Dude!” a very familiar voice came from the kitchen, stealing everyone’s attention. Unfortunately, ‘dude caller Marcus’ headed our way, reverting the attention back to us. He engulfed me in a hug, cutting of my air circulation. He brought Dorothy with him too. She was beside him with a warm smile wearing a simple coral turtleneck dress, yet she looked like she just stepped out of a magazine photo shoot. “Reese wasn’t lying when she told me! I can’t believe my little cousin is all grown up.”