FORCE | topper thornton

ONE

I smoothed the material of my dress over, it was a snug fit but loose towards the bottom, it was flattering, I must say. "McKenzie! Are you almost done?" My mom called knocking gently on my door, "you can come in." I called out, giving myself one last look in the full length mirror, "oh, honey! You look beautiful." My mom smiled, giving me a once over. "Come on, we need to get going." She added, checking the time on her dainty little watch. We were having dinner with Mrs. Thornton and her son, Topper. I thought Topper was very attractive, physically at least, his attitude towards my friends, the pogues, was very unattractive. "Okay." I answered her with a sigh, I'm not sure what Topper thought of me, we only spoke when it was required of us, Midsummers, events like that. "You look beautiful, sweetie." My dad gave me a smile when my mom and I started walking towards the car, why were they being so sweet to me? I mean, they're not normally mean to me, at all, but this was above and beyond, even for them. "Thanks, daddy." I gave him a quick peck on the cheek, I was his only daughter, he had a son with his ex wife, before him and my mom met. My half brother, Logan, was away for his last year of college, business school, he's going to take over dad's company one day. My dad dabbled in a bit of everything, real estate, restaurants, cars. Anything you could think, he probably had done it at one time or another.

I scanned Topper up and down through the tinted car window, he couldn't see me, but boy could I see him. He was dressed in khaki shorts, I'm sure his mother hated, and a coral polo, he looked good. I got a little self conscious when I climbed out of the car, feeling his eyes on me for a moment. I adjusted my dress as I shut the car door, following my parents like a lost puppy. We said our hello's to Mrs. Thornton, Topper shook my fathers hand, he gave my mother and I quick polite hugs. I gave him a smile when he pulled away, but he didn't match it, simply turning to walk back towards the house. "You'll have to excuse him, he's in a bit of a mood." His mother spoke to my parents, they waived it off, "he's still just a boy, it happens." My mother assured her, beginning to talk about some ridiculously over priced wine that we had brought for her. Dinner was delicious, of course, Mrs. Thornton always goes all out, well I should say whoever she hired to cook always goes out. Let's be real here, she's not getting her hands dirty to provide us with a meal. My mother on the other hand, she would do everything herself if my father let her, you see, my mom grew up on the cut, her and my dad ended up having quite the love story, she married up, financially. They went through a lot to get here, but I'm proud of them, and my mom has raised me with knowing nothing is just handed to you. Not to say I don't have nice things, because I do, I either worked hard for them, or the occasional hand out was given to me by my dad. But I knew that her life was hard, and I appreciated what she went through, which is probably why I find myself hanging out with more people from the cut. JJ, John B, Pope and Kie I actually met at our crazy kook school, but she introduced me to the boys, and ever since that we've been attached at the hip.

Topper's eyes went wide at our parents words, I began choking on the water I was drinking, "what?!" I dabbed at my lips with my napkin, my eyes getting larger than Topper's if possible. "It would be good for both of you, you could go to midsummers together, before you know it, you'll be thanking us for it." Mrs. Thornton gave me a look as she spoke, surely she was the instigator in this situation, there's no way my parents would suggest Topper and I date because it's good for us. "No offense, McKenzie," Topper paused looking at me, "but I'm not dating her." He gave his mother a glare before mumbling an 'excuse me' disappearing out of the dining room. I sat in shock, looking between the parents, my mother shot me pleading eyes, I was quite honestly disgusted that they would even ask me of this. "Are you serious?" I stared into my mothers eyes, "Yes." She answered without hesitation, I followed Topper's actions, standing up and leaving the table. "McKenzie! Get back here." My dad called but I didn't stop, "no, I need a minute!" I snapped, hearing Mrs. Thornton reprimand him for allowing me to talk to him like that. I groaned as I walked outside by the pool and saw Topper out there already, talking on his cellphone, looking distraught. "Yeah, man! She just expects me to date her, because it looks good." He snapped into his phone, turning when I cleared my throat. "Sorry, I didn't know I was so horrible." I shot him a glare, pushing passed him and walking out to the end of his dock.

"I didn't mean it like that, McKenzie, I swear." Topper mumbled walking up beside me, I turned giving him a pointed look, "whatever Topper, I'm the one who shouldn't want to date you. You and you're rude friends are always starting shit with my friends." I hissed, for a second he looked genuinely offended by the words, but then brushed it off, his glare returning. "And the wanna be pogue has a comeback, shocking." His words were smug, I couldn't keep myself from reaching up and slapping him. His head shot to the side, in total shock as the noise rang out in the dead of the night. "Fuck you, Topper." I whispered, a single tear running down my face as I stormed my way back to the house. I could hear him following me, I froze in my spot when he grabbed my wrist. "You know they're not going to let this go." He mumbled, walking around to be in front of me, "we just play along, but when they're not around we just be with who we want." Topper raised an eyebrow at me, waiting for me to agree. I glanced back at the house, seeing our parents watching, not so secretly. "Fine, they're looking. Just smile." I demanded him, grabbing his hand, walking slowly towards the house with him, forcing a fake laugh passed my lips. "Oh you're good, Holmes." Topper whispered, a small smile on his face. What he didn't know is I was secretly enjoying the feeling of his hand in mine. Maybe, one day, that's what I told myself as we reentered the giant house. "Fine, but you don't get to interfere after tonight." I bargained with my parents, they nodded eagerly. "Deal."