Family Forever ✔︎

Chapter #13 Dinner

I sit up and scoot over to sit by the window. The cool breeze makes me shiver and Liam slides in next to me.

"Gosh it's freezing" I say, my teeth chattering.

I get up from the bed and stroll over to Liam's closet. I open the door and search for what I'm looking for. Liam looks at me curiously. I push hanger by hanger to the side until I come across what I want. I snatch a big gray sweatshirt and put it on quickly. I pull the hood up and warmth flows through my body again.

"Looks cute on you" Liam points out, a grin spreading across his face.

I scramble over to him and sit behind him, wrapping my arms around his neck. We stay silent for a bit, letting the sound of birds chirping and cars driving by to fill the room.

Just as we get comfortable Mason pushes open the door so hard it slams into the wall and shakes the room. Liam and I jump with a start and stare at him in horror.

"Dinner time" Mason grumbles and saunters to the kitchen.

I catch my breath and sigh with relief. That scared the crap out of me.

"Maybe knocking next time would be a little better" Liam calls frowning.

Liam gets up and runs his fingers through his curly, brown, hair. Then he has to practically drag me off his bed. I would much rather just lay there with him than eat with three other boys right now.

"I don't want to" I whine puckering my lips.

Liam laughs, "Come on we'll have plenty of time together later"

"I'm not hungry though," I complain.

"You don't have to eat much,  just at least join us please. I want you to get to know them" he says.

I groan and nod standing up and snatching his hand, intertwining our fingers. He leads me out of his room and into the kitchen. Ethan is stirring something in a large pot on the stove while Henry and Mason are setting the table. Ethan glances up and grins when he sees us. I go stiff, whenever he did that look it felt like my skin was crawling.

"Don't just stand there sit down" Henry chirps pulling a chair out for me.

I thank him and plop onto the chair. Right when I feel the metal on my back I jump up from my chair.

"Something wrong?" Liam asks, eyebrow raised.

"I- It's nothing" I mutter sitting back down.

The metal reminds me of being in the warehouse with Justin. These chairs are the same ones he had Liam and I tied to. I look at the chair, staring at it for only a moment.

"Hey" Liam whispers.

I jerk to attention.

"Okay?" he asks.

I nod and look down at my plate. Ethan had gone around and gave everyone a heaping pile of noodles. There's spaghetti sauce in the middle along with chilli and cheese. I reach for the chilli but Mason smacks my hand. I yelp and he just rolls his eyes.

"We always pray before eating" he hisses, giving me a nasty look.

I retreat, sliding down in my seat. I wish I could just dissapear from the entire situation. Everyone begins to hold hands, I take Liam's and Mason's. Lucky my. As we pray Mason grips my hand with such force I feel it begin to go numb. His hand is absolutely freezing, like ice. We finally finish and my hand is purple and blue when he releases it. I clench my jaw and stay quiet. I don't want to make a scene.

We all start to grab toppings and sauces dumping them on our spaghetti. I snatch the chilli and some cheese pouring them on my noodles. Then everyone is quiet. We all shovel food into our mouths and take long drinks of our water. One might think we haven't eaten in days. The only sound that can be heard is the clinking of silverware.

"So" Ethan says swallowing his spaghetti, "Bailey"

I look up, "Yeah?"

"What's up with your brother?" he asks, intensely eyeing me.

I nearly choke on my food.

"Ethan," Liam says, glaring at him.

"What?" Ethan mutters innocently.

"No, it's fine," I answer.

I tell Ethan and the boys all about when I was little. I tell them about my dad leaving, and about Justin and our dog. All their faces go white and they give me sympathetic looks. I explain about the hospital and how I told our mother and what happened to her afterwards. No dares to interrupt.

"Then he took me, I was saved, and here we are" I add trying to finish talking about the topic.

"I'm so sorry about that," Henry says, giving me a soft smile.

"Thanks but you don't have to be" I point out.

I was sick of all the apologizing and people feeling sorry for me. I'm OK aren't I? I can take care of myself. But I guess I didn't really show that in the whole situation. Mason actually looked at me with caring eyes. But I didn't want that. I want people to know I'm strong. I will continue to stay strong even in these circumstances.

"Anyway" Liam interrupts my thoughts, "How have you guys been?"

The boys all look to one another.

"Fine" Mason snaps quickly.

"Henry here has a girl" Ethan coos raising and lowering his eyebrows.

"What's her name?" Liam asks, intrigued.

Henry rubs the back of his neck, "Charlotte"

Liam tenses and his smile vanishes.

"Not that Charlotte" Henry says quickly.

Liam relaxes once more tilting back his chair.

"What does she look like?" I ask.

"Well...she has black hair and beautiful green eyes-" Henry starts.

"A lot like the other Charlotte" Ethan states.

Liam looks around, anywhere but at me. What's going on with him?

"Who's the other Charlotte?" I question.

"She's Liam's ex-girlfriend" Ethan reveals.

Oooooo some drama and tension is yet to come! Who is this Charlotte and what happened with her and Liam? Stay posted to find out! :)))))))