Connections | ✔️

Sixteen

Valerie P.O.V.

A soft ping came from my phone as I was lazing around home alone.

Carter

Hey Val, we're all going out to Olive Garden, would you like to come?

Me

Who do you mean by we?

Carter

The boys, Sommer, Ell plus whoever else turns up really 😂

I pondered over the text for a little while... I know I needed to get out there more and make friends... and I had been growing closer with everyone from the previous few times we hung out, but I was still a little hesitant- what if I do something foolish? On the other hand, Carter was also inviting me. Me. It felt good to know he wanted me to be there, even more so, because he was including me. I forced myself to type a reply, without any further analysis of the situation. It's no big deal, really.

Me

I could go for food 😏

       

Carter

Atta girl.

See you soooon 🚗

I hopped off the bed as I got ready to go out. This will be fun.

The delicious scent of fresh, baked bread alongside butter and herbs wafted right towards me as I stepped into the restaurant with Carter. Mmm, I can't wait for the bread sticks.

"Ayeee," Xavier hollered loudly from the table once he spotted us. Sommer rolled her eyes beside him, as I chuckled at her expression. She soon raised her head in our direction, shooting me a wave as we approached the booth.

"Hey best friend!" Ellana grinned and gave me a hug before sliding over so I could sit next to her. I glanced around briefly with a smile, seeing a few faces that perhaps I've seen from the parties, as well as an unfamiliar one. There was Xavier, Sommer, a girl named Katy I believe, a guy named James, someone I couldn't recognise, Alec & Kean, who both greeted me from their seats, then Ell and me.

Carter gave a bro handshake/hug to whoever he could reach, and nodded to the rest of the table in hello, before sliding in the booth next to me.

"Hi gorgeous, do I know you...?" A blonde guy with a blinding white smile grinned at me cheekily. Uh no? "...cause you look a lot like my next girlfriend," he finished with a wink, as the rest of the table shook their heads with a small chuckle.

I felt Carter tense up beside me and place a hand on my thigh, glaring daggers at the blonde. I literally didn't even register what the punchline was, all I could feel was Carter's presence. He was being dominant, with a smidgen of jealousy and protectiveness. Not gonna lie, that was kinda hot.

"Jay you're an idiot," Katy scoffed, "Please excuse him Valerie, he was dropped as a baby and has delusions."

"No worries," I said lightly with smile, placing my hand on Carter's soothingly. He relaxed against me, and shot me a small roll of his eyes, chuckling at the antics.

"You're just jealous I'm the superior twin," Jay smiled smugly and crossed his arms over his chest. Oh so they were fraternal twins. Huh, now that I think about it, they were both blonde and had similar facial features.

She turned her head with a devilish smirk at him before speaking her next words carefully and evenly. "Why don't you ask that girl you hooked up with last week, who's bed she liked better?"