A/N: A picture of Keira's dress in the media.
JETT
I didn't know why having Bambi sleep next to me was calming. I woke up at five pm, staring at her face.
There were still tear streaks down her rosy cheeks, and with a hesitating finger I brushed away the golden strand that lay over her lips. She had been through a lot, we both had.
I breathed in slowly, I had been so used to being alone that sharing my bed with another being had become an alien idea. Nevertheless, as I looked at her, I felt that there was something bigger awaiting us. And that it would take us both, if we wished to make it through.
KEIRA
When my eyes finally managed to open lazily, the alarm clock on Jett's nightstand read a 22:34. I groaned slightly, before straightening up, wiping my mouth. Thankfully, it came away dry and when I finally got into a sitting position, I realised that I was alone in bed.
My hands touched the side of the bed where Jett had been lying, and my fingers came away with a disappointing cold.
A derisive giggle bursted from my lips, how could I think this way about Jett? Jett the grey eyed asshøle god?
His kisses and touches had been beyond sweet yesterday, and it had been the best night of sleep I had ever had since my parents' death. There was something about having someone hold you close.
I pressed my hands against my heated cheeks before swinging one leg out of bed.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
To my surprise, no one had come to annoy me.
Brianna nor Brandi had come fuss about how I looked, how my hair was in a messy bun and how I had dark circles under my eyes. I made a point to not look in the mirror that day, but the few times that I managed to catch a glimpse were horrifying.
No wonder Jett had left before I woke up.
As the day progressed quietly, I managed to take a bath - with extra bubbles - to make me feel better before washing my hair thoroughly.
When I had towelled my hair dry, I slung the wet towel over my head as I headed downstairs, wearing a long grey shirt, soft pink socks and of course - my white granny panties.
The moment I got into the kitchen, however, I stopped in my tracks.
Vincent looked up just on time, I felt his eyes scan me up and down before his handsome face broke into a grin, 'Sleeping beauty has awoken'.
I sent him a lifted brow, 'What are you doing here?'
'Edmund needs me for party preparations,' he grinned, folding his arms, 'I'm a much needed man, bella'.
'Of course you are,' I teased before moving towards the fridge, 'You just sitting here alone?'
A soft cough sounded, and peeking past the double fridge door, I felt my eyes narrow.
Nathaniel looked sheepish and guilty - as he should - with a file under his arm and a weak smile on his face, 'Keira'.
I huffed once before turning back to look for my yoghurt.
'I think we need to talk,' Nathaniel sounded once more and I watched as his fingers closed around the fridge door, inching it close gently but firmly.
'I don't want to talk,' I retorted, refusing to meet his green eyes before tucking a pack of milk under my arm, 'Now, if you'll excuse me'.
As I walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs, he caught me again. His hand on my arm, 'Keira, please'.
I turned to look at him, refusing to let my eyes water because of this stupid man, 'No'.
'You don't understand-'
'I understand perfectly,' I interjected, wrenching my arm from his grasp, 'You didn't bother telling me you were engaged. I feel sorry, for you and your fiancé'.
Nathaniel's face stormed over, 'You don't understand anything, you have to let me-'
'She already said she doesn't want to, brother,' a voice sounded, and without even having to glance up the stairs, I knew it was Jett.
I had never been so happy that he was interrupting a conversation between Nathaniel and I.
'I'd rather you butt out of my business, Jethriel. I made it clear last time,' Nathaniel growled at his younger sibling, and I watched his fingers tighten on the wooden bannister instead. His knuckles white.
'And I made it clear, that I would not,' Jett replied smoothly and when I looked up, his grey eyes met mine, 'Come on, Bambi'.
One glance back at Nathaniel and I had made up my mind.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
The moment we got to Jett's room, he plucked the yoghurt out of my hands and leapt onto his window seat.
'Hey!' I managed, making a weak grab for my breakfast/dinner but he grinned and held it away from me.
'See it as payment for saving you from Nate'
'I was doing fine on my own,' I pouted, crossing my arms before sitting opposite of him and opening my milk carton, 'I didn't need saving'.
'Doubt it,' he commented, wrinkling his nose once as he opened the yoghurt top, 'What is this? Vanilla?'
'It's just plain Greek yoghurt,' I replied, unable to hide the smile when he pulled a face and handed it back to me, 'You don't want?'
'I like things rich with taste,' he replied before he leaned back, 'I saved you because you were crumbling'.
'Crumbling?' I raised a brow before taking a sip from my carton.
'You were going to give in. Nate has a way to make women feel sorry for him,' he answered casually, looking out the window before one silver grey eye slid to me, 'And you better not put that carton back into the fridge'.
'Don't worry,' I replied, 'I don't share'.
Jett huffed once but I caught the tilt of his lips.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
'So when's the party going to be? I thought you said this weekend,' I muttered through my second apple.
Jett had gone down to grab me the basket of fruit from the kitchen counter after I had said I was scared to see Nathaniel again. I didn't know why I was acting like such a scaredy cat. But I had managed to fend off Nathaniel for the day, and I wasn't sure I could do it again if he confronted me like that once more .
'Probably tomorrow,' Jett muttered, watching me eat my apple with serious eyes, 'With Vincent helping the party might just happen next year'.
I smiled, 'He's your bestie isn't he?'
Jett lifted a brow, 'I thought you'd outgrown the part where teenage girls braid each other's hair and make BFF bracelets'
'I thought you were past the age of knowing what BFF bracelets are,' I retorted.
We stayed silent until a smile appeared on Jett's lips, and for some reason my knees weakened in response, 'Touché'.
'I don't know how I'm going to be able to get through that entire party without confronting Nathaniel... his fiancé will be there, won't she?'
Jett nodded stiffly, 'You might want to prepare yourself'.
'Why?'
He looked at me seriously, 'She's a really horrible person'.
I widened my eyes, 'What?'
Jett nodded, 'She's scary, even I'm scared of her'.
'Are you kidding me right now?' I growled under my breath but he shook his head morosely.
'You'll see tomorrow'
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
The lawn was mowed and the bushes trimmed. A beautiful white tent was set up with sashes that stretched from one pole to another decorated with shiny gems. Under the tent a massive chandelier hung with orchids and other flowers hanging from the crystals.
It was breathtaking.
Alike a wedding, there was a long table placed on one end of the tent, facing other circular tables. Each was decorated with soft cushioned white chairs and more flowers overloading it.
'Stinks like nature,' Jett commented from beside me as we watched them set up the small corral for the younger kids to ride the ponies on.
I looked to the side with a grin, watching him wrinkle his nose in disgust, 'You're such a Scrooge'.
'The hot version,' he offered me a lopsided grin before turning, ignoring my scowl, 'You should get ready, I can hear Briana coming to get you'.
Within ten seconds a knock on the door came and Jett flopped onto the bed, putting his hands behind his head before lifting a brow at me as if to say: See?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
The dress they had pulled on me was beautiful; a lacy floral top paired with a white skirt. The top was a mixture of pink roses and carefully embroidered green leaves, and the soft detailing on the rim of the skirt was enough to take my breath away.
The front of the top covered up everything up to my neck but the back was open and my skin felt cool under the breeze.
I spun once in the length sized mirror in my room, smiling as I watched my small silver heels shine, 'It's pretty'.
'You look beautiful,' Briana commented, smiling before she stepped forward and adjusted the dress one more time, 'Your uncle will be more than proud of you'.
At the mention of Uncle Edmund I felt my face fall. The man was keeping secrets from me... I glanced at the pendant lying on my nightstand, why had he said it belonged to my mother when it was Daniel's?
I closed my eyes momentarily, taking in a deep breath to expel the haunting images that Jett had given me when I had somehow gotten into his head. The only reason that I hadn't had a nightmare the past two nights was because Jett slept with me.
There was nothing romantic to his gestures, when I had asked him if this were appropriate he had lifted a brow and said, 'We need each other'. At the sight of my blush he had added, 'You think I actually like sharing my bed with you, Bambi?'
He was always a pro at ruining moments.
'I heard there will be a lot of people,' I tried, desperate to get the men in my life out of my mind.
Briana clapped her hands together, back to her happy self, 'Yes! Your Uncle has invited many people for this event'.
I smiled at her, though in the mirror, it looked sad, 'Great'.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Briana hadn't been lying when she said the party was big.
The back garden of the estate could fit one thousand people easier. Since the forests were closed for entry, three hundred guests lingered on the estate. Uncle Edmund had set up many small play things for the children as well as the adults. Random bars and small tents graced the green, and children laughed as they rode ponies and brushed the horses under the close eye of some hired babysitters.
When I arrived, it was Pixie who slung her skinny arms around my neck, 'Keira! Where have you been?'
'We thought you had fallen off the edge of the Earth or something,' Sorcha commented from the side before coming in to give me a side hug, 'What's been going on?'
I sighed, 'A lot... you two look amazing'.
They both grinned and Pixie twirled, her baby blue dress sparkled and had a fading effect so that the edges of her dress ended up look like a white puffy cloud. It fit her perfectly and her bare back was but shielded by a few strings, exposing just enough of her smooth milky skin. Her hair had been curled into soft waves till the top of her shoulder and her lips painted a soft pink.
Sorcha wasn't cute but embodied the curviness of a woman entirely. Lately, the golden team that was going to head out for the Games in Romania and Switzerland had been putting in extra training hours. And she had tanned slightly, the golden freckles on her nose and cheeks were more prominent now. Her flaming red hair was shiny, and her green eyes popped. The dress she had on was a dark green number that showed a side slit - showcasing how long her legs were. And the cut of her cleavage was classy yet alluring.
'You look amazing too,' Pixie cooed back, standing back to appraise me, 'Aren't you happy I saved you that first day from those disgusting loafers?'
'I did not choose them myself,' I defended with a laugh while Sorcha snickered on the side.
'Ladies,' a smooth voice sounded and we turned to see Vincent, who looked absolutely dashing in his black tux. His hair had been slicked back and his eyes were a piercing sapphire blue, that could melt any maiden's heart but mine.
He bowed before holding out a hand for me and I gave a small eye roll at my two friends before I put my hands in his. It wasn't the first time that Vincent had kissed my hands but this time he took his sweet time, kissing each knuckle before I pulled my hand away and he chuckled.
Pixie got a chaste kiss but Sorcha refused to hold out her hand.
'Come on,' Vincent teased, wriggling his fingers at her but she shook her head before turning, 'Bella!'
Pixie and I watched her and Vincent chase each other inside the house before we shared a look.
'How long has she had a crush on him?' I questioned out-loud and Pixie gave me a sheepish smile.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
It was when we were looking at the kids riding the horses in the corral when a small figure clamped itself onto my left leg. When I looked down, it turned out to be a little boy, with familiar green eyes and the most adorable blond locks.
'Tommy,' a woman's voice sounded and soon a blond appeared. She was young and her eyes were a warm doe like brown, her blond hair fell in waves down her back before she reached down and pulled the child into her arms, 'I'm sorry, he tends to latch onto people who he think is me'.
'It's alright,' I smiled, Pixie and I both turning before I took a better look at the child, 'He's adorable, your son?'
The woman smiled and nodded, laughing as Tommy closed his chubby fingers around her hair, 'Yes, he's two this year'.
'Your husband must be very lucky,' Pixie commented from the side.
The woman gave us a sad smile before holding out a hand, 'Leila, Leila Rosewater'.
'Keira van der Laine,' I smiled, shaking her hand but when the woman extended her hand once more to Pixie, my friend looked pale.
'What's wrong?' I asked, frowning as I turned to Pixie.
She shook her head before lifting one finger at the woman, 'She-she's-'
Before she could finish her sentence however, a familiar voice sounded that sent goosebumps down my back, 'Leila'.
Nathaniel appeared, and Leila's face lit up like a flower budding, 'Nate, long time no see'.
'Long time no see,' he replied gruffly before he turned towards me, his eyes slightly anxious.
I was still confused when Pixie lay a trembling hand on my shoulder, 'What is it?' I asked, 'What's wrong?'
It was then that small Tommy reached out for Nathaniel, his small chubby fingers closing and opening, 'Papa'.
It was when Nate took his son in his arms, looking sheepishly at me. It was when Leila looked at the father of her child, her eyes full of longing. When Tommy started to suck on his thumb in his father's embrace, that Pixie finally finished her sentence, 'She's Nathaniel's fiancé'.
A/N: Boom boom boom booooommmm. I hope that was a good enough chapter! Exams are over so the writing will resume once more. Thank you for all those that have hung around till now and been patient with me. Please vote and comment if you liked it and what you think thus far! Love, J.