𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝 ⇝ 𝙆𝙞𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙧𝙖

𝙁𝙊𝙐𝙍 {𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙏 𝙏𝙊 𝙂𝙊 𝙃𝙊𝙈𝙀 }

"She thinks JJ is cuter" Sarah comments and I look at her in betrayal as my brother's grin widens.

"Who's JJ?" He asks me.

"Some Pogue from the cut" Sarah answers for me.

"A Pogue?" Thomas gasps dramatically "How scandalous"

"Enough Pogue talk, you three" Ward warns us firmly, overhearing our conversation.

"Do you kids have any plans for today?" My dad asks us, trying to lighten up the mood.

"I said I'd meet up with some friends from college later" Thomas shrugs.

"I've got plans with some school friends" Wheezie smiles.

"Alli and I are going to a party later" Sarah speaks up confidently and I look at her in confusion.

"We are?" I question.

"We are" She confirms.

"That sounds fun" My mom smiles encouragingly "Where is the party?"

"Just at Topper's house" Sarah replies "It's a small gathering"

Although I know that's a lie, our parents eat it up with satisfied smiles and nod along, not objecting nor complaining.

"Rafe, where have you been?!" Ward shouts, sounding fed up.

I turn my head to see Rafe approaching us with dishevelled hair and a lazy smile on his face, his hands in the pockets of this shorts.

"I was with my friends" He responds bluntly.

"You were supposed to be home for lunch" Rose scolds the boy.

"I'm here now" He retorts.

His eyes scan the table before falling onto me and I immediately get up out of my seat with a wide smile.

"Thanks, babe" He chirps, kissing my cheek and sitting down in my seat.

The boy yanks me down onto his lap roughly and wraps one of his arms around me, caressing my bare thigh with his free hand. The table falls into a conversation about planning a trip to Europe together, my mother and Rose arguing to go to France while my father and Ward counter with Spain.

My eyes turn to my boyfriend in adoration but his eyes are firmly set on the table in a dazed state. I wrap my arms around his neck and my smile immediately drops when I notice a purple mark staining his jugular.

"What is this?" I ask quietly, gently pulling down the collar of his polo shirt.

"It's just a bruise" He lies, swatting my hand away from his neck "Topper caught me with his golf club"

"Rafe" I mumble out in an unconvinced tone.

"Let it go, Allison" He warns me with a stern look and my heart drops.

"I'm sorry" I apologise "I don't mean to nag at you"

"That's my girl" He grins, giving my thigh a squeeze.