Hate You More

26

Ian smiled as he thought about Paisley. "I know! It's insane. I don't have it all planned out yet. Still working out the details, but I have the ring."

"Wow." You looked up at him. "Why isn't she here then? I would think if it's that serious she would attend family dinner. I brought Tom and we're just friends."

"Just friends?" Ian raised an eyebrow.

"Yep."

"Hmm okay. To answer your question, Paisley is at the hospital."

"Is she okay?"

Ian laughed. "Oh yeah. Yeah, she is a doctor there. That's actually how we met."

"You met at the hospital? I need more details here."

"I sliced my hand open on set and had to go get stitches. She was the one to do it." Ian showed you his hand that had a scar running across it. "She didn't do a bad job stitching me up, I just kept reopening it so I had a reason to go see her."

"I don't know if that's gross or romantic."

"Oh it was gross."

You and Ian started laughing, which caused your parents to break their conversation with Tom and look at you.

"What's so funny?" Your father asked.

"Nothing." "Nothing." You and Ian looked at each other after saying the exact same thing at the exact same time and laughed again.

"Oh god, not this again." Your father chuckled.

"What?" Tom asked.

"As kids these two shared the same brain. They always spoke at the same time saying the same thing. There was a straight week where they wouldn't speak because they were scared that their minds were connected."

"Oh I remember that!" You pointed a finger at your dad in excitement.

Ian leaned towards the table to face Tom. "It's true. The last straw was when we started singing the same song. From that moment we didn't speak until we were forced to."

"Forced to?" Tom asked in confusion.

Your mother rolled her eyes. "I said if they wouldn't speak then I was canceling the ski trip."

You looked at Tom a little embarrassed for that sounding like a spoiled rich kid problem. "Don't say anything."

Tom raised his hands in the air. "Wasn't going to."

"It's where (y/n) broke her arm." Ian tapped the arm that you broke on the ski trip.

"You broke your arm?" Tom was smiling as he was learning more about your past.

"I wanted to try to snowboard for the first time. Let's just say I wasn't the best."

Tom laughed and moved his head lower, close enough to your ear. "See, this isn't so bad. I don't know what you were so worried about."

You shrugged your shoulders, finally relaxing. It's been nice talking about old memories and seeing your brother again. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all.

Everyone ordered their food while still talking about old memories. Your mother stayed quiet during all of it. Even Tom joined in telling funny stories about growing up with three younger brothers. Your father was loving it since he also grew up with younger brothers.

"How is your show going son?" Your father asked as he cut into his steak.

"Good. I get to help direct the next episode again next week."

"You're doing so well. I'm so proud of you, Ian. (Y/f/n), did you know (y/n) is acting?" Your mother laid a hand on her husband's arm to get his attention.

You father looked at you surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah, I actually start filming another movie next mont-"

"But she's using the last name Jones instead of (y/l/n)." Your mother cut you off.

Your father's surprise seemed to grow even more. "Why? What's wrong with your last name?"

"I just wanted to see if I could make it on my own. When everyone knows your last name then you get special treatment a lot. I wanted to see if I was good enough without any help."

Your mother scuffed as she took a drink of her wine. "As a child you couldn't get anything even with your last name."

"That's because I didn't want to be a child star so I never tried. I purposely sucked so I could have a normal life."

"So you just wasted my time? All the effort and money I put into getting you auditions and classes, you just what? Threw it all away? Ungrateful."

You grabbed the sides of your chair tightly. "Did you ever ask if I wanted to be an actor back then?"

"You were a child. I didn't have to ask you. I am your mother, I obviously know what's best for you."

"But it's not what I wanted. I wanted to stay in school with my friends. I didn't want to be homeschooled like Ian and be gone all the time. I wanted to play sports without a contract restricting those rights just because they don't want me to get hurt."

"So what changed your mind now? If not then, why now?"

"Because I love acting. It's fun. I like playing people I know I am nothing like. I love getting dressed up in absurd costumes. I love meeting new people who I get to spend months with to where we become sorta like a family. But now it's on my time. I got to grow up and experience normalcy unlike Ian. I have friends who like me for me and not for my name and fame."

"We have friends, (y/n)."

"I didn't say you didn't, (y/m/n)."

Your mother rolled her eyes. "Why couldn't you have just been like Ian. He doesn't talk back, he isn't disrespectful, he is a good son."

"Are you calling me a bad daughter?"

"You're definitely not winning any daughter of the year awards."

You were about to speak when Tom stood up. All eyes were on him. He seemed angry, but he cleared his throat before looking at your mom. "I have heard enough. (Y/n) is extraordinarily and talented. You should be proud of her just like you are of Ian. Just because she didn't want something you were trying to pressure on her, doesn't make her a bad daughter. And I clearly see why she doesn't want to use her real last name."

You pulled on Tom's shirt to get him to stop talking and making a scene. "Tom."

Tom grabbed your hand. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be disrespectful or rude, but it needed to be said."

Tom pulled your arm so you would stand up with him. He grabbed his coat and started to walk towards the exit, not letting go of your hand. You looked back as you were getting pulled away to see your mother looking angrier than ever.

Tom opened the car door for you and got in on the driver's side. You both rode in silence as he was making his way back to his place. You laid your head on the cold window as tears pricked your eyes. You angrily swiped at them to try and make it stop. You knew tonight was going to be a nightmare, it's why you didn't want to go in the first place. But that tiny sliver of hope that it would be a nice time, especially since you got to see Ian for the first time in years, is what hurt.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I hope it's amazing and wonderful for every one of you. ❤️🎉