𝐋𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐃ミᵒʳⁱᵍⁱⁿᵃˡ ˢᵗᵒʳʸ

𝐢𝐢𝐢.

"Wait, Veronica, do you want to have dinner with us?" Jaxson's father asked from behind the siblings.

"Sure, my parents wouldn't mind." the girl told them.

"Jax, can you please show your friend around, while Jaime and I bring out the food?" The Adamson man quirked.

"Yeah, sure." The brown-haired boy sighed as his father and sister disappeared into the kitchen.

"I am sorry if they are being weird," Jaxson muttered.

"It's fine, they are pretty welcoming," The brunette replied, shrugging her coat off.

"So why did you invite me, did Ace put you up to this or something?" Jaxson asked.

"None of them knows that I invited you, for all they know I am supposed to be out with a friend," Veronica answered.

"Food's on the table," Jaime called out o them.

Jaxson led the girl to the dining room before they took their seats around the table.

"So Veronica, what are you planning to do after high school?" Derek asked.

"Uh, I had plans to join the fashion industry or do the modelling or even acting." the brunette replied as she took a seat beside Jaxson.

"My wife was in the fashion business for a while before her death." the man sighed.

"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss." Veronica sympathized.

"It's fine, let us say a prayer before we eat," Derek said holding his hand out for Jaime to take and Jaxson did the same to Veronica.

She took his hand hesitantly and bowed her head.

"Bless us, O God. Bless our food and our drink. Since you redeemed us so dearly and delivered us from evil, as you gave us a share in this food so may you give us a share in eternal life, Amen." the man prayed.

"Amen." the three said simultaneously.

· · ── ·𖥸· ── · ·

Fifteen minutes had passed when the group of four had finished their meals.

"I can take the dishes to the kitchen if you'd like," Veronica spoke, standing from her chair.

"No, it's fine, I can take them," Derek argued.

"Okay." the brunette said, sinking back into her seat as Derek took the plate from in front of her.

"I need to get some air, you coming Ronnie?" Jaxson queried.

"Yeah, sure, why not." the girl muttered, rising from her seat for a second time.

"I'm sorry if that wasn't one of those fancy meals you usually eat." the Adamson boy said, closing the front door.

"You think that because my parents have money I eat fancy foods? At this point all I eat is pizza rolls." the brunette laughed.

"My family doesn't even eat dinner together anymore." she continued.

"Why?" Jaxson questioned.

"They're never home, my siblings and I were raised by the butler and maid." Veronica
explained.

"That's horrible," Jaxson said.

"It has always been that way, they have always put their work before their children." the Ferrero girl stated.

"Before my mom died, my dad never paid attention to my sister and me. He never came to my football games, he didn't come to school meetings, he never went to Jaime's ballet recitals, he was never there for us. But now he tries, well at least I think he does." the boy told Veronica.

"What happened to your mom?" Veronica inquired.

"When I was sixteen, she got into a car accident, she died on the spot," Jaxson muttered.

"I am sorry if my question upset you." the girl whispered.

"No, no, it's okay." the Adamson boy shrugged.

"Is it weird that something bad happened to us when we were both sixteen?" Veronica chuckled sadly.

"What happened to you?" Jaxson asked, already knowing what she was speaking about from his earlier conversation with Kai

"I was raped when I was sixteen." She confided, causing Jaxson's eyes to widen in fake shock.

"I told my parents that I didn't want to play tennis anymore, and we got into a huge argument. They told me I was ungrateful because I had them purchase all my equipment and just wanted to quit. The thing is though, they made me play tennis just to impress their friends." Veronica laughed nervously.

"I was fed up with them, so I decided to go on a walk through Phoenix Forest, and after a while, I was getting tired so I sat down at the foot of one of the trees to rest for a bit. And these two guys had followed me and I didn't realize and then they started doing things to me and I tried to stop them but that just made it worst and when they were done, they beat me and left me to die." The girl continued tears now skittering down her cheeks.

Jaxson gave the girl a sympathetic look before pulling her into I tight embrace. I'm sorry, I'm sorry you had to go through that." he mumbled into her hair.

Before the two could exchange any more words, the shrill ringing of Veronica's phone cut through the air.

Jaxson released the girl from his hold.

"Hey, mom, yeah I am going to be home soon." The girl said into the phone before hanging up.

"Well, I have to go, before they send out a search party for me." Veronica joked.

"Yeah, we have school tomorrow," Jaxson said, shaking his head.

"Thanks for dinner, see you tomorrow." The girl said before walking across the street to her.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." The boy called out.

· · ── ·𖥸· ── · ·

"Where were you?" Kaleb de Romano asked as his daughter walked inside the kitchen.

"I was at a friend's house," Veronica retorted.

"Which friend?" Naomi, her mother questioned.

"Why do you guys care, you're never home, and when you are you only stay for a week or so before you are off again to go put your jobs before your children." The girl snapped.

"That's where you are wrong, we both decided to take a few weeks off to spend some time with you." Naomi corrected.

Veronica smiled sarcastically, "It's nice to know that you have finally come to your senses to realize that children need their parents." She started. "But anyway, it's late and I have school tomorrow, good night." She finished before jogging up the stairs.

· · ── ·𖥸· ── · ·

𝗼𝗼𝗼. ⁞ 𝐍𝐈𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒!

I was supposed to publish this yesterday, but I forgot to, hehe.