T W E N T Y- F O U R

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Seeing Jace in my living room, casually sitting on the couch, in between Bev and my Cousin Peter, engaged in a conversation about a youtuber they both watch, was a sight I never thought I would see. Never in a million years, did I ever expect for this to be happening, not when I barely knew Jace and he was just another face to pass in the halls, and especially not after I learned that he was not someone to mess with. 

I didn't like how much my family seemed to enjoy his company. Peter has not shut up since he's sat down next to Jace, finding something new to talk to him about every couple of seconds. His sister, Gracie, perched on the arm of the couch, to shy to insert herself, but still wanting to feel a part of the conversation. I sat next to Aunt Clarisa, who gave me two thumbs up and mouthed the word 'hot' once Jace turned his back after greeting her. She told me that he gave her good vibes and that he wasn't a loser like some of the other guys I had a history of being involved with. 

The last boy I brought home to meet my family was Conner, who played way too much video games, was an average student, and probably didn't shower as much as a teenage boy should. He asked me out at the beginning of my sophomore year, and I only said yes because he wasn't ugly and I wanted to know what it was like to have a boyfriend. We broke up a couple of months later after he told me that I wasn't 'interesting' or 'cool' enough to be his girlfriend. Which was rich coming from a guy who only left his house to go through the McDonald's drive through. Aunt Clarisa called it from the day they met during a family dinner where the only conversation he held was over the new anime series that had just come out; we broke up soon after that. 

Jace was a big step up from Conner. Jace was popular, well-dressed, and the last person I would describe as boring. He was the well-rounded, seemingly perfect person that my parents would love to have as a son—even if just as a son-in-law. If only they knew what I knew about him, then they would be very thankful that I am their child. 

Grandma Marie and Granpa Sam finally showed up, so we moved into the dinning room where we added one of those long plastic white tables that they use during club fairs at school, to the end of our regular dinning table. We someone managed to shove 13 chairs around the two tables and set 13 plates without it being too crowded. 

I took my seat first in the corner between the two tables pushed together because it was one of the only chairs that wouldn't be trapped in once everyone else took their seats. I liked the idea of having a quick exit in case things went south during the impending interrogation that was inevitable. The glint in my mother's eyes when I introduced Jace to her, spoke volumes as to how she was going to approach our dinner conversations. She was prepared and I was scared that Jace and I weren't going to pass her test. 

"You need to relax," whispered Jace, settling down into the chair on my right, landing a hand on my knee to stop it from shaking, which I hadn't realized I was doing. My leg stopped bouncing under his touch, but I couldn't help to notice Aunt Clarisa wiggling her eyebrows at us as she settled into the seat on Jace's right. She made it clear that she wanted to be close to us just to witness our 'cute puppy love' as she stated earlier. 

"I'm fine," I lied, gently removing his hand from my leg. I forced a neutral expression so that no one would notice that I was annoyed and uncomfortable being touched by my supposed boyfriend. I shifted my chair slightly away from Jace, hoping that no one would notice, and focused my attention on Olivia and Bev who sat down directly in front of us and were clearly flirting. 

I glared at Bev who only rolled his eyes once he saw me. He apologized the other day after I found out that he was dating my sister. He only found out that we were related during their first date when Olivia mentioned that she had a younger sister named Elliot, to which Bev internally cursed, trying to figure out the odds of another 17 year old girl in this town named Elliot. His suspicions were confirmed once he pulled up in front of Olivia's house at the end of their date and immediately recognized it as Elliot's house. That didn't stop him from sitting in front of our driveway to make out, letting all of those worries flow out of the window for a steamy session with my sister. 

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