I stared out my window for about 5 minutes looking across the street where I could see the assholes house. He only lived a few houses down from mine and since my room was upstairs I had a view of his house.
Most girls at our school would die to live where I do, at one point I also fancied it because I got to rub it in other girls faces that I only lived a few houses away from West's, and I could just walk down there whenever I wanted (which had been done multiple times on both ends).
I looked over at his house and couldn't help but realise that he was probably getting ready for the dinner. Though I'd been to his house 100 times, I still didn't know exactly where his room was, he never took me there and I never asked to be there, but I'm guessing it somewhere in the house where it couldn't be seen from my perspective.
Then I realised I was probably being a creep looking out my window at West's house, and thinking about him getting ready, and where his room was.
I sighed.
It was 5:35pm and I still had 25 minutes. I should probably be getting ready right now but honestly I really doubt the Wests would show up anytime before 7pm. That thought was right when my mum yelled at me from downstairs.
"Madi, I need you to be ready by 7:00pm, alright I just got a message from Linda that they will be late, okay honey?" Spoke mum.
Linda was West's mum, she was a second mother to me honestly, there had been so many times where West was a bitch to me but Linda always helped me get through it.
Sometimes when we were younger she'd even let me chose what punishment West should face for messing with me. That was another reason why he hated me so much, to him I was making his mum go against him, in a way he was right but it was all when we were younger and didn't matter much now.
"Don't worry mum, I'll be ready by then." I yell back getting out my sketchbook out of my bag, since I had so much time it would be productive to get on with the designs.
I started sketching out a dress I'd thought of weeks ago. It was a backless dress that scrunched at the waist, and ended right at the thighs. Personally I sketched this dress for Lia because she liked dresses like that, but now I think a lot of girls would wear it as well. With feedback and some trials with the final design I could really make this work.
About 30 minutes later I decided to put down the sketch and get ready before I got yelled at by my mum. I went for a long pink dress that fit snatched at my waist. I put on some dangly gold earrings and other jewellery that put together the outfit. I let my hair down in its natural curls and did some light makeup to compliment the pink dress.
I finally went downstairs it was 6:50pm and started helping my mum with the food for dinner. It was lasagne and for dessert we had chocolate fudge cake. My favourite.
Just as I put the food on trays, the doorbell rang. Aiden, my brother ran to open the door.
Though Aiden could be annoying a lot of the time, surprisingly we were actually very close. He was in year ten being sixteen years old and I was in year twelve, eighteen years old. We were really close and had a strong sibling bond.
"Welcome." My mum greeted Linda first. Simon, West's dad walked in right after, saying his hello's mainly to my dad.
I never really got to know West's dad, he was very distant from the family and to me what seemed harsh and cold. Personally I didn't like him very much, same with West.
One thing we had in common.
Then West's younger brother Alex walked in, heading straight to Aiden to do their bro handshake.
And then finally West walked in.
He was wearing a black sweater with grey/green cargo pants, his natural brown wavy hair fell perfectly in front of his eyes. Though you could see the ocean blue peaking through. He came in and and greeted everyone around. When I was the next person standing at the door, he just gave me a smirk and nudged my shoulder walking into the dinner room.
I followed everyone behind. Mum and Linda started working and preparing food and drinks in the kitchen, Aiden and Alex sat in front of the TV watching the basketball game that was already playing. The dads started talking about "business". West was in some corner of the house, god knows where.
This was going to be a long night
Now I was regretting not inviting on of the girls over. We all went to the living room and sat there joining the conversation the dads were already having. I sat down and looked across the room to see West staring down at his phone looking frustrated. I'm guessing it was Zora and their date night since he had cancelled his plans.
"Guys dinner is ready." Mum yelled from the kitchen after a while.
We are started walking to the kitchen, everyone took their seats and we started eating. God I loved lasagne, but the good part was this night was nearly over.
I was full, after the food, luckily I didn't interact with West that much since he'd spent a lot of time on his phone in a far corner. Linda was about to bring out dessert when the doorbell rang. Who could it be now?
I went to answer the door after no one got up. I swung open the door and my jaw fell to the floor. I could have thrown hands right there.
************
On the other side of the door stood Zora. And she looked like she just came back from preforming at a strip club. She was wearing short booty shorts and a black tube top that covered her tits just enough so they wouldn't fall out of her bra.
She gave me a disgusted look and then smirked looking over me. I suddenly felt a tall, big body with similar manly cologne that smelt like cinnamon and peppermint stand right up behind me. It was West. I turned back to see he looked at Zora with confusion written all over his face , but then switched to a face with no emotion on it when he realised I was staring.
"I'm sorry but what the fuck." I spoke "West I know you hate me and stuff but why is she here, it's a family friend dinner. You yourself said that it was a family thing and she wasn't invited."
I could deal with Zora at school but seeing her at MY house was making my blood boil, how does she even know where I live? It had to be West who told her my address.
God I hate him so much.
"She is family Mads, now if you could please move out the way and let her in."
"Absolutely not, I'm not letting her walk into my house, and with what she's wearing I think she might give my mum a heart attack. Why did you bring her here, go do this elsewhere." I spit in West's face.
"Shut up Mads, now let her in." He snapped in a sudden harsh tone, pushed me out the way and tried grabbing her arm.
I pushed him away, which he didn't even budge too.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing, and you will not fucking speak to me like that." I say in a normal voice that wasn't harsh like his.
"What is going on here?" My mum made her way to the door. "Hi, and who may you be?"
"Hi" Zora starts putting out her hand for my mum to shake, I hated the fact that she was trying to act nice in-front her. "I'm Zora, umm Kaleb's girlfriend." She said with a smirk on her face. West just rolled his eyes.
"Oh umm in that case I guess you can come in." My mum said unsurely, looking at me for approval.
West grabbed Zora by the waist and pulled her into the house. If I could punch her right there I would.
When we went back to sit at the dinner table West purposely made Zora sit in the seat I was sitting in before and sat next to her. When everyone else sat down that left me with no more chairs to sit on.
I felt tears start to sting my eye's. The lump in my throat growing stronger and stronger with every second I stood there. Honestly I felt like crying, the asshole had already ruined my day at school and now this?
"Alright everyone let's have dessert." said Linda, "Oh sweetie you don't have a seat, umm come sit here." She pointed to the stool that was next to Zora. Honestly looking at her I nearly threw up. She was all over West, though he looked annoyed and didn't move or react to her seducing, it was still unsettling to look at her sit at my unassigned assigned seat. At my house.
"No I'm okay I think I'm actually going to head upstairs now, I'm pretty tired and full actually."
"Wait your going to skip dessert? It's chocolate fudge cake Madi, your favourite." Questioned Aiden, his head tilted.
It is my favourite but I don't think I could handle another second being in the same room as West and Zora, the two people I hated the most.
Everyone just went silent after that.
It stung me that no one said anything after Aiden, it didn't matter to them where I was going.
I made my way across the room, about to go upstairs when Zora very accidentally spills the chocolate fudge cake over my pink dress. What a cunt.
"Oh my god Alice, I'm so sorry, here let me help." Zora hands me a tissue with a smirk on her face facing away from the table so I was the only one who saw her expression.
Her addressing of using my real name felt so personal, I actually gaged in my throat.
West saw the whole thing happen, and chose to say nothing, he sat there and smirked at me slouching back.
"No it's fine, I'm going upstairs anyway, I'll change." I muttered quietly. Still taking the tissue from her hand trying not to seem rude.
That was my last hinge of the day, I ran upstairs and busted into tears. This dinner was supposed to make me forget everything that happened at school today, but things only got worse. I swear if I was there for even one more second I would have very accidentally pushed Zora out of her chair.
I took off my jewellery and put it all away. Still sobbing with tears. I went into the bathroom and took a shower. Taking off the dirty dress. I went under the heating water and let the tears burn on my cheeks.
I couldn't wait to leave next year.
I was wishing the girls were here now, at least I would have someone to talk to.
I put on a white tank top and some grey sweatpants. On my way to my room. I swung the door open to see someone laying on my bed, back faced to me.
**********
I walked into my room to see who it was and there Aiden sat on my bed.
"Madi, you good mate?" He said looking concerned. "I followed you up here because you left looking like you wanted her 6 feet under, and I thought I heard you crying. Which I'm guessing I was right there."
"What do you want Aiden just leave me alone, seriously I'm tired." I say sighing.
"I'm not here to for anything I just came here to give your this." He hands out the glass of wine and the chocolate cake on a plate.
"Thanks" I muttered.
"So your going to tell me what's wrong or what?"
"I seriously have a headache I can't right now I'll catch you up later." I spoke shoving my face in the pillow
After the girls, I knew I could trust my brother and I was thankful I could tell him anything I wanted. Mainly because he didn't really pay attention and forgot half the things I ever said but it still make me feel like I was being heard.
He gets up and leaves while I just flip onto my bed, I chugged the glass of wine down and eat the cake. I let out a big sigh.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
I felt myself tear up again, but stopped. I couldn't cry, I already balled my eye's out in the shower and now they were stinging.
Then someone knocked on my door, I considered shouting at them to leave me alone, but then thought otherwise since my dad wouldn't be proud of me causing a scene.
*****
I opened the door and it was the last person I'd ever want to see right now. If you couldn't guess it was West.
"Mads" he muttered lowly.
"West what do you want?" I shout "You've already ruined my night just leave."
"Mads I'm not here to fight with you about anything, I'm here to talk about the project, remember I even said it at school today." He spoke
Is he seriously going to act like he's done nothing right now?
"West you've done so many things to piss me off today, and what happened at dinner, do you really think you can just get away with it?" I spit.
"I didn't have anything to do with what happened at dinner." This guy really had no shame.
"Sure you didn't. West you think I'm stupid don't you? You brought Zora over just to piss me off and then act like you did nothing"
"Mads I seriously didn't have anything to do with Zora being here, trust me I'm just as surprised as you were when you opened the door and she was standing on the other side. You know I don't bring girls I sleep with into family matters."
"There's no way West , why would I ever invite her to a gathering at my house. I don't even like talking to her, I probably hate her more then I hate you. Your the only person I know who would give her my address."
I looked into his eyes, trying to look for the lies in what he was saying, but I found nothing. He actually looked innocent for once.
"It wasn't me, it was one of Zora's minions I could tell you that much."
"How would you know?"
"I have my ways, I got told by someone over the phone." He said scratching the back of his neck, one hand on my doorframe.
"So you knew this whole time, that she was going to show up?"
He nodded.
"So why did you let her in?" I asked carefully.
"If I said no it would make me look bad and give her a reason to start shit up with me."
He continued.
"But again it wasn't me who invited her, I didn't think she would actually be crazy enough to show up, I'm pretty sure she did it to piss you off."
"That dosen't give you a reason to let her in though." I argue.
He rolls his eye's, "What did you want me to do? Tell her to 'fuck off'?"
"Yes actually, that would have been better."
"I can't just do that," He half shouts shrugging.
I roll my eye's and start looking away from him.
"I'm trying so hard to see things from your perspective, but I just can't stick my head that far up my ass."
My temples were starting to ache, I gave him the 'continue what your saying' look.
"It was something to do with Jake at Beth's party last week, I don't really know what happens but CJ told me earlier today at the dinner over the phone." I just nodded "You can ask yourself, plus this conversation has been going on for too long now, can I get to the point?"
"In a second, how did she get my address?" I demand.
"It's Zora's doings or her sidekicks." He scoffed.
"Why are you still with that bitch then?"
"She was a bet me and the guys placed, a one night stand, but her clingy ass just wouldn't leave me alone after, so I had to act like it was something before her minion army came after me." He finished.
"Okay..."
"Can we seriously get to the point now? This conversation has been going on for way to long."
"Speak."
"I need to see you some time every week for the project thing, I need to be around you when your working on the project since Mr Winters has strictly told my dad that I need to be working with you on the paired task. Which I'm obviously not going to do but still need to be around you otherwise but dad would beat me up."
If there was one thing Kaleb West was scared of it was his dad. I didn't know much about it but I've heard he really got abused by his dad when he was younger. So obviously that leaves him to hate his dad.
"Ok whatever just see me on Monday's after school I guess I'm always free then?" I said, I just wanted this to be over already.
"Alright whatever, catch ya later Mads."
"WAIT." I shout uncontrollably. "I seriously need a real answer why you moved into marine biology, I'm not as easy to talk into as the others, so the excuse you used at school isn't enough to make me believe that you didn't join the class to piss me off."
"Why would I join a class that is worth 40 percent of my grade just to piss you off?"
"You've done a lot of things to piss me off."
"Okay whatever, I don't think you really need to know why, now please can we just end this conversation, it's been dragged out for too long."
"Ok you can leave now." I slam the door in his face, and jump onto my bed.
God I had so many thoughts all over the place. I needed to see both Jake and Cole tomorrow, I needed to know what happened at Beth's party between Jake and Zora's minions. I only knew what happened from Emma's perspective, I also needed to talk to Jake about that, and what he did to Em.
I had to fill in the girls on what happened today , and needed to tell Aiden to get things off my chest.
I always had some problems with Zora and her minions, but this was just seriously too much, and what she did today at the cafeteria and at dinner.
I hated Zora, but then remembered that non of this would have happened if West wasn't in between. Another reminder why I hated him.
My brain was running one million kilometres per hour, and it didn't look like I was going to get much sleep tonight. But I put down my head on my pillow anyway, trying to doze off.
Thank god tomorrow was the weekend.
*****
What are the thoughts? Is the dinner what you imagined and how it would go? Was Zora showing up surprising or did you expect it?
-J