"WHAT WOULD YOU like to eat, Toni?" I ask once we sit down at our table.
Dad and Adrian follow along, flipping through their menus while I lean over to Antonio's side, showing him what there is to offer.
It's Saturday, so Dad, Adrian, and Antonio have all come down to the school to visit me.
It's just family this time, which I don't mind. I feel as though I haven't spoken to any of them in ages, and I'm quite happy to have a break from the craziness that is Caldwell Royal Academy.
And, because it's Saturday, it also means that today is the day Vaughn and I drive over to his family's Connecticut home. I'm excited, but also very nervous.
The girls have all given me a pep talk but, I still feel as anxious as before. I don't know why I am. I've been alone with a boy before, I've done most things that one can do when they're alone with a boy. So, I don't get why it has to be different with Vaughn.
Actually, scratch that. I do know why it's different.
I'm trying not to dwell over this weekend too much because otherwise, I would just start panicking, and I don't need to be doing that.
"I don't know." Antonio glumly states, huffing as his shoulders slump.
I glance over at Dad and Adrian to see if they know what's up with him, but Adrian hasn't noticed and is still looking down at his menu, while Dad looks just as confused as I do.
"What about..." Dad glances down, trying to find something a five-year-old child would find appealing. "Mac & Cheese."
"I guess."
I furrow my eyebrows as I look over to my Dad once more, to which he just shakes his head, silently telling me he doesn't know what's wrong either.
"What's up, bean?" I question him, rubbing his little back soothingly as he continues to sulk.
"Nothing."
"Well, it isn't nothing. What's got you all upset?"
"You know my friend, Skye?" I nod, "she's moving." Antonio pouts.
The last time they visited, while we were having lunch with all the girls, Antonio told me all about his new friend from school, a little girl called Skye.
He talked about their lunchtime adventures and small play dates that Dad and her parents would organize. What they would get up to and what they would talk about.
If I'm being honest, I think little Antonio has a crush.
However, he shut that down real quick, saying she was his best friend and he could never like a girl, even if it was Skye. Cooties and all that.
"I'm sure she can visit." I try and make light of the situation, but it doesn't help.
"She told me she can't."
"Why not?" He just shrugs.
"Her father's firm went under, and they had to cut a few people off. And he was one of them," Dad begins to tell me. "They're moving to Texas and want a fresh start, so they just want to settle down before making any decisions."
"See, you probably will get to visit." I look down at a sad-looking Antonio, "now. Do you want Mac & Cheese, or not?"
We get through the lunch without any further delay.
Dad talks about how he's been letting Adriano come to work with him more and more often after school since he is supposed to take over after college. I think it's great, and honestly, I see a big difference in their relationship now that they're spending time together.
They've gotten closer, which makes me really happy.
And Adrian began telling me all that I had been missing since I left because we didn't get a chance to talk the last time he was here.
Tiana has moved schools, something about her parents not wanting her to be in a 'toxic environment'. This is funny because she was the one who made that school toxic.
He's kept up with his modeling, as well as his side job at Dad's company. And he's told me that he's been talking to a girl since we last spoke, which has been a while since I haven't gotten the chance to call because I've been quite busy with school... and Vaughn.
Antonio is Antonio. He just blabbers on about random things that he's been thinking about, and somehow it's the cutest shit I've ever heard.
I've missed hanging out with them, but I know that I'd never want to leave the Academy. Not now anyway.
"Adina, I've been meaning to discuss something with you." Dad ominously states, placing his entwined hands on the table, as if this is some sort of business meeting.
"Okay," I drawl out, looking between him and a tense Adrian.
"You remember David King?"
"Obviously," I say in a 'duh' tone because I mean how could I forget about the father of my boyfriend? Where is this going?
"Well, I've heard from a few colleagues of mine that his children attend Caldwell. I didn't know that, and I was just wondering if you've ever come across them at some point."
Shit.
"No, I haven't." I lie through my teeth, hoping he can't see through my really bad poker face.
"You sure? 'Cause I know that his son is in the same grade as you and Adrian, so I just wondered."
"Dad, Caldwell is a big school. I haven't seen them." He seems hesitant to forget the conversation and move on, but he gives me the benefit of the doubt and nods his head.
"Just..." he begins, "stay away from them. I don't want you talking to anyone related to that man, got it?"
A little too late for that.
"Yeah, got it."
❀
Once they drop me back home, I'm running around my room, making sure I have everything I need for the long weekend.
I change into some grey sweats, a black tank, some plain Nike socks, and my uggs before I pick up my bag and head down to wait for Vaughn.
All the girls are either in their rooms or out with their own families, so I just plop myself down on one of the living room sofas and scroll through my phone.
I get a text notification and go onto my iMessages to see who it is.
I pick up my bag and walk to the kitchen, looking for Kat, who's busy cleaning the countertops as she watches over Gray, who is playing with a toy car.
"You heading out now?" She asks as soon as she notices me by the door. I nod.
"Yeah, I'll see you on Monday," I wave to both of them as they do the same to me before going to the front door.
Once I get outside, Vaughn is waiting for me by his car in front of the house.
❀
After a half-an-hour car ride, Vaughn and I pull up to a set of tall, black gates. Which, after Vaughn puts a code into a panel on the driver's side of the wall, opens.
He slowly rolls the car forward, and towards a modern house.
The windows are floor-to-ceiling and they take up most of the front of the house, revealing a bit of what I could expect when I would eventually enter. The bottom half is a dark-grey color, while the top is colored white.
He continues up the driveway before turning right, and into one of the garages beside the house.
Once he's put the car in park, Vaughn turns to me, a small smile playing on his lips.
"How'd you like it?" He asks, gesturing to the building.
"It's nice," I nod. "Definitely you."
"What do you mean?" Vaughn chuckles, resting his arm across the seat.
"I don't know... you just seem like the type of person to live in a house like this," I shrug.
"Fair enough." He unbuckles his belt, while I do the same, before getting out and heading toward the bed of the truck.
We grab our bags, which doesn't take that long considering we both only brought one each, and then walk up the small steps until we're at the front door, where Vaughn takes his keys out of his pocket before unlocking it.
Once he's gotten the door open, he takes my bag from me, to which I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.
"It's starting to get late, so why don't you go make us some popcorn and put on a movie while I take our stuff up?" He suggests, making me smile in contempt.
"Okay," I smile up at him before quickly kissing his cheek as I pass him, walking towards what looks to be the kitchen.
I promptly find where they keep the food, a big pantry with all sorts of shit. But, I keep to my word and don't stray from what I should be doing. I pick up the box and take out two packets, as well as a large, glass bowl.
A few minutes later, I have a full bowl of salted popcorn.
After going back to the front door and taking off my shoes, I find my way to the living room. Or what I assume is the living room.
It has three black, expensive-looking sofas, which are shaped in a u around the tv. The fluffy carpet runs between my toes as I walk towards the middle of the three, settling myself down in the center of it before grabbing one of the soft decorative pillows and placing it on my lap.
I hear the soft pitter-patter of footsteps come from the stairs, and not long after, Vaughn appears, a small smile on his lips as he walks over to me.
"So what are we watching?" He asks once he's settled beside me, taking a piece of popcorn and putting it into his mouth.
Vaughn lifts his arm, silently telling me to move closer to him, which I do. He wraps his arm over my shoulders while I lean onto his chest, my hand gripping his shirt.
"Prisoner of Azkaban," I sheepishly smile up at him, making him chuckle. "Hey! What's wrong with liking Harry Potter?"
"Nothing, nothing. It's just... cute," he looks down at me as the beginning credits roll onto the tv.
"Whatever," I shake my head, a small smile playing on my lips, making him let out a breathy laugh.
We continue to watch the movie until it's over, and by then the sun has gone down and it's now around ten at night.
"You tired, or do you wanna watch another?" He asks, playing with the ends of my hair.
"Nah, we can watch one more."
He grabs the remote from the arm of the sofa before flicking through Amazon Prime until we decide what we want to watch. I don't mind so he just picks one at random, and it ends up being the first Avengers film.
But as we stay on the couch, with the time getting later and later, I realize that I'm not going to get to sleep. This whole night I've been waiting for Vaughn to make some sort of move or do something, but he hasn't.
And I'm glad he's respecting me and what he probably thinks I want, but I know I don't want him to respect me. Well, not as much as he's trying to.
So, that's why about halfway through the movie, I look up to see him already smiling down at me. I place my hand on his chest before putting my chin on it.
"Do you want some attention?" Vaughn asks, raising his eyebrow while smirking at me, talking as if I'm a baby. I fake pout, nodding my head as I flutter my eyelashes.
This makes him laugh, but after that, he lays further down on the couch, so now I'm laying on top of him, in between his legs while my head stays on his chest. He continues to stroke my hair as I silently huff in annoyance.
This is not what I meant by 'attention'.
A few minutes later, while he's still staring at the screen, I lift my head and scoot further into him, so now my head is in the crook of his neck. Once his grip on me gets tighter, his arms hugging my waist, I begin to lightly peck along his jaw and neck, which seems to get his attention.
I keep kissing his soft skin until I reach the corner of his lips after I proceeded to nip his lips quickly, he grabs my chin in a firm hold, making me look right into those emerald green eyes.
"You sure you wanna play this game, Adina?" Vaughn questions, his voice soft, yet commanding.
"Very sure, " I smirk down at him, to which his lips tilt up into a boyish grin.
With that, his grip on my chin slightly loosens, allowing me to meet him in the middle, our lips crashing into each other as we block the loud noises of the tv and focus on each other.
I lift my hand and grab the back of his neck, making the kiss rough and dominating. Vaughn lets go of my chin, his hands now trailing down my body until they reach my hips. Where he squeezes them roughly, but I don't notice, I only care about how good his touch feels on my body.
He wraps an arm around my torso before lifting himself off the sofa and turning us around, so he's now on top while I lay underneath him.
My fingers journey their way up, underneath his t-shirt, and trail across his defined abs. With his lips still on mine, I can hear the effect I have on him, my touch making his breathing hitch while his muscles contract.
I pull at the fabric, to which Vaughn breaks away from my lips to take off, suddenly showcasing his perfectly sculpted body for me. He tosses it somewhere before grabbing my hands and slowly guiding them toward his muscles along his abdomen.
He helps me move my fingers over every part of his god-like torso, his eyes protruding into me as I try my best to not meet his eyes.
Leaving my hands where they sit on his body, Vaughn lightly lifts my chin, guiding my eye line to meet his.
"Look at me, baby." He softly whispers, making me look up to meet his stare.
Once I do, he leans down so now his face is a few inches away from mine.
"You're driving me insane, " Vaughn grunts as his hands continue to travel up my torso.
I grip his hair as his lips brush against the side of my neck, his mouth leaving soft kisses, making me shiver in pleasure and excitement.
I feel the warmth of my body against his as Vaughn continues to suck on my neck, creating the most intoxicating feeling that rolls through me. I let out a small moan, which makes him smirk down at me before he leaves a small peck on the hickey he made.
Vaughn lifts his body off of mine before gripping onto me and pulling me into his embrace. He carries me, bridesmaid style, up the stairs.
This is gonna be fun.
❀❀❀