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018. 𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋!
➶-͙˚ ༘✶ ─── 𝙰𝙲𝚃 𝚃𝚆𝙾, 𝙸𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙴
❝ people like us, don't deserve women like you. ❞
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𝖳𝖨𝖱𝖲𝖣𝖠𝖦, 19:35 pm
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LANI sat in her bedroom getting ready for the night to come. She had contemplated calling Chris and cancelling, which she was sure would make him relieved. She didn't understand why he and his father disliked one another, she assumed they drifted away after his mother's death. Which confused her, seeing as how her mother's death brought her father, Elías, and her closer then ever in a strange way. She had texted William earlier in the day asking if he had known why, and he simply said Chris would have to tell her, and that it wasn't his business to share. She wasn't upset with the boy she understood and he was right.
So here she sat putting in her diamond stud earrings through her ears. Nerves filling her body as she looked over her makeup and neatly curled hair. From what she had noticed, Erike Jensen took pride in his appearance, from what she could tell by the expensive suit he had worn to a simple coffee shop, not to mention the large black limo that he travelled in to get there. She didn't want to risk showing up in jeans and a shirt; so she resulted in a black-laced crop top, with a matching black-lace pencil skirt, accompanied by black stilettos.
Looking in her floor length mirror she sighed hoping this wasn't to much, she didn't want to be over dressed. She texted Chris asking what she was supposed to wear to which he said, 'Anything you like.' Which didn't help her anxiety in the slightest. She had already taken her daily dosage that morning and her afternoon intake. And it wasn't helping what so ever.
Roy knocked on his daughter's door, hearing a faint, 'come in' he opened the door coming to a stop as he looked at his daughter in awe.
Lani looked to her father with wide fearful eyes, "It's to much isn't it? I told Eva and Noora it was-" She rambled.
Roy shook his head with a smile, "You look beautiful, mi hija." He glanced at the photo on her desk.
Lani smiled faintly, "Thank you, papá."
Roy walked over, shoving his hand into his jean pocket pulling out a small squared velvet box handing it to his daughter, his gaze not moving from the black box.
Lani furrowed her brows in confusion as she opened it, her eyes widened. "This was-"
"Your mother's." He nodded with a smile, looking down at the ring. Lani parted her lips at the beautiful ring that laid in the box in her palms. A rose-gold ring, with a large-pink tarkus stone in the middle, followed by two grey quartz on the each side of the rock.
Roy took the box from her hands, removing the ring and placing it on her middle finger on her right hand. "Fits perfectly." He smiled, thinking of his wife. Lani smiled as tears breamed her eyes, also thinking of her mother. Roy looked down at his daughter, "I know it's just a dinner with a friend." He put emphasis on friend, "But I want you to have a part of her with you, seeing as I won't be there nor your brother."
Lani smiled, "I'll be fine." She assured the tall man.
"I know." He nodded, glancing at his watch seeing the time. "We better get going."
Lani nodded grabbing her black trench coat wrapping it around her body, following her father out the door. Elías came running behind the two stopping the door from closing, engulfing his sister in a tight hug.
"Love you." He sang out. Lani giggled into her brother's curly hair and kissed his cheek letting her red lipstick stain his cheeks. "Eek. Gross, Li!" He rubbed his cheek frantically.
"Love you." She mocked and walked with her father to his car.
The two entered, Roy looked over to his daughter, "Be careful." He said. Lani furrowed her brows in confusion, "I know, Erike. Just be careful."
Lani nodded in confusion, "I will. I'll call if anything." She promised.
LANI stood in front of the mansion's large doors. Debating on calling an Uber and leaving. Nodding liking the idea she turned on her heel beginning to walk away from the door. Her plan's were ruined when a middle aged woman in maid's attire unlocked the door with a warm smile at the brunette. Lani widened her eyes, her mouth gaped like a goldfish.
"Madam Santiago?" She greeted questioningly. Her thick British accent ever on display.
Lani closed her mouth and nodded to the brunette woman. She smiled widely, "Right this way." She stepped aside letting the brunette enter the enormous home. Lani widened her eyes at her surroundings, ahead of her was a family portrait, but of only Erike and Chris; one with a smug smile, the other didn't look like he wanted to be there. "I'll take that for you." The woman pointed to her coat. Lani nodded and unhooked her belt from her coat and handed it to the woman. Feeling more exposed then she would have liked in that moment.
Lani gulped as she looked around her, the foyer was open to below displaying the wealth of the home with sculptures and treasures decorating the main level. "Right this way." The woman kindly stated.
"Tak.." Lani thanked.
"Brien." She answered with a smile to the green eyed beauty.
"Tak, Brien." Lani smiled to the woman.
Brien escorted Lani through the halls into what seemed to look like the living room. To Lani it looked like it was the size of the main level to her house. Chris and Erike stood by the windows in what looked like to be in a heated debate.
Brien looked to the nervous girl, and cleared her throat. The two suited males looked to the two women. "Madam Santiago." She announced stepping aside revealing the brunette to the two men. Lani stood shyly looking down at her midnight heels.
Chris parted his lips in shock. Looking down at her heeled covered feet, to her skirt which showed just the right amount of skin; not to little and not to much. It hugged her curves perfectly. Then to her chest which displayed her mother's infamous locket she never removed. Then to her emerald eyes. He knew she was beautiful, but he had never seen anyone look anywhere like this.
Erike looked at the two, then walked forwards to the brunette. Grasping her hand in his and kissing the back of it delicately. "Leilani." He greeted.
Chris snapped out of his gaze and walked over to the girl. "Lani." He nodded to the brunette who smiled faintly to the boy. Chris bit his lip, trying to put off the nerves and odd feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach. Not wanting to make a fool out of himself in front of her or his father.
The door bell rang, Erike's smile widened. "Ah, the guests have arrived." He announced nodding to Brien who walked to the front with the man to greet the people.
Lani looked with wide eyes to Chris who wore a look of confusion as well. Lani grasped his forearm, the boy ignoring the pink that tinted his cheeks. "I thought it was just us three." She whispered.
Chris parted his lips looking up from the girl in front of him then to his father who smirked to his son, tilting his wine glass to the hazel eyed boy. The guests entered the home greeting the tall man. Lani gulped, Chris placed his arm around her waist tightly. "So did I." He clenched his jaw.
LANI stood awkwardly beside Chris as a woman and a man conversed with the two. Lani had no desire to speak to these people, majority of them consisted of snobby rich people. She felt like she was indeed in a cliche TV show. If Eva were there she'd make jokes on how Lani is the female Dan Humphrey, and Chris is Serena Vanderwoodsen. Only their parents weren't in a drama filled relationship, and she didn't live in Brooklyn.
There had to have been over thirty guests. After one had asked her if she was doing International college, if she were to chose between Yale or Harvard; Lani looked to the blonde woman with a confused expression seeing as how the girl was only sixteen. Chris explained that she wasn't in the same year as him, the blonde gave the girl glances in disgust since then, the duo leaving the teens.
Lani sipped on her water, she had been offered wine numerous times. To which she denied every time seeing as that she was one underaged and two taking medicine. It had gotten to the point where Chris would glare at the waiters who'd walk by and offer the girl a glass. He noticed his father had been talking to the staff sending them over to the brunette. To make matters worse, Erike's new finacé; Anna. Had shown up as well, since the blonde showed up Chris had hid Lani to the side of him.
"So, Leilani. What do your parents do?" Christine a woman Lani had come to know was one of Erike's good friend's wife. She didn't seem to fond of the girl, Lani figured from her side glances and how she would speak to her as if she was six and not sixteen.
Chris tightened his grip on Lani's waist at the question knowing she wasn't fond of speaking about her personal life, especially to strangers.
"Um, my father works for Jensen Incorporated." Lani nodded, with a kind smile.
Christine nodded, "And your mother?" She raised a brow to the brunette. Her husband; Martin. Tilted his head to the side at the brunette giving her predator like eyes. Chris glared at the man pulling the brunette closer to him.
"Um, she--" She stumbled over her words.
"I think that's enough Christine." Erike's deep voice spoke up from the brunette, who smiled at the girl in front of her then to Erike.
"Just getting to know, Christoffer's girlfriend. Seeing as that when he takes over the company after high school, we'll be seeing one another often." She slyly smirked to the brunette.
Lani furrowed her brows glancing at Chris who clenched his jaw. She didn't know he was to take over his father's company, she should have guessed seeing he was an only child; logically he'd be next in line.
"We're not-" "We're not dating." The two teens spoke in unison.
"Ah, so it's like how do they say it, Friends with benefits?" Anna joked.
"Sluts." Christine piped up, glancing at the brunette.
Christoffer tightened his grip on Lani, who squirmed under his vice like grip. "She isn't a slut. In fact she'd have to be like you. You know sleeping around with other men, even though you're married. At least that's what Timothy Hansen said last week, or was it Rick Larsen?" Chris tilted his head in feigned confusion. "No, no. It was definitely Magnus Johanson." Christine paled as she glared at the hazel eyed boy then to the brunette who looked gobsmacked between the two.
Erike gritted his teeth, "Enough, Christoffer." Erike warned. "Martin, why don't you take your wife to the dinning hall. Dinner will start soon." He spoke with narrowed eyes at his son, who smirked at the couple. Erike nodded to Anna discreetly.
"Leilani, why don't I show you the way while our men talk." Anna piped up, not giving the girl a chance to speak she grasped her wrist in her's too tight for the brunette's liking, dragging her into the hall.
Erike clenched his jaw at his son, pulling the hazel eyed boy into his office shutting the door. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He gritted out. "Are you trying to ruin this family's reputation even more? I gave you the damn house, I let you have your own space, I give you everything you want!" He hissed at his son.
Chris glared at his father, "You don't even know what the fuck I want. What I go through, what I have gone through." He hissed. "Oh right, that's because you're never here. You're busy screwing that whore." Chris chuckled bitterly. "You don't think I know why you actually invited Lani over. It wasn't to get to know her, or introduce yourself. No it was to ruin the one fucking good think I have going good for me. Like you always do."
"You can't be with her!" He shouted at his son.
"I can do whatever the hell I want. Seeing as I have since mom died-" A loud smack was heard throughout the room. Chris held his now reddened cheek, with a glare at his father who parted his lips looking down at his son. "She's the one good thing I have. And I won't let you scare her way like you did with mom. I may have fucked up, but I would never treat her the way you treated her." Chris exited the room, and walked down the hall towards Lani.
Erike watched as his son spoke to the brunette, pulling her into an embrace, kissing her forehead. Erike gazed at the brunette, thinking of another.
Chris pulled the brunette with him into the foyer, Lani looked to the boy in confusion. "What are you doing? Dinner is about to start." Lani tilted her head up at the boy.
Chris pulled out a set of keys that were in a vintage glass bowl on a console table by the front door. "We are getting the fuck out of here." He smirked to the brunette grabbing her coat and handing it to her. Lani widened her eyes looking down at her coat.
Chris intertwined their hands with one another opening the front door and sprinting down the steps of the mansion to his drive way, displaying his Mercedes, and a sleek black Kawasaki. Lani widened her eyes at the bike and shook her head.
"Come on, princess. Live a little." He smiled his infamous smiles to the brunette. Lani inhaled sharply, as she watched Chris hop on effortlessly. Holding out his hand for her to take it. Looking back at the house nervously, then to Chris.
She smiled a wide smile and took his hand. Lani nodded taking a seat on the bike behind him, placing her helmet on he fixed her hair so it wouldn't be in her face. "Is it okay?" He asked softly.
Lani nodded, "Yes."
"Hold on, princess." He rasped out, turning back around riving up the engine. He grabbed her hands that hung loosely around his waist, tightening them around him, resulting in the brunette flushing red at the sudden contact. Chris smiled to himself, riving the engine up he kicked forward and took off with the brunette down the long driveway away from the Schistad house.
Erike watched the duo from his study window. He shut the door of the office locking it. Walking over to a vintage painting that hung across from his desk; removing the painting and placing it on the floor beside him revealing a safe. Punching in 02-14-97 the safe unlocked. With a deep breath he opened the case pulling out an old wooden box engraved with the initials KS; he placed it on his desk.
Pulling out a key he had in his desk drawer, he unlocked the box pulling out a photo of non other then Karoline Santiago and Erike Schistad. Running his thumb over her delicate features a tear streamed down his face, "People like us, don't deserve women like you." He mumbled as he stared at the photo.
CHRIS drove down the streets of Oslo, skimming through cars. Who honked at the two angrily. Lani giggled as the wind blew through her long hair. Chris looked back at the brunette with wide smile. Lani removed her arms hesitantly from Chris' waist. Chris widened his eyes looking back seeing her throwing her arms up in content. Chris shook his head, continuing down the road with a smile, occasionally looking through his side mirror on the bike making sure she didn't fall off or hurt herself.
He chuckled to himself watching the girl be carefree and enjoy herself for once. No stress, no worries, just enjoying herself. Placing her arms back around his waist she nuzzled her head into his shoulder as she watched the lights around her and the people walk the streets smiling to one another. She tightened her arms around him every so often assuring him she was okay.
"Where are we going?" She asked over the engine and the wind.
"It's a surprise." He simply said.
Adding onto her curiosity she nodded, even though she hated surprises. She trusted him; even if she wouldn't admit to it.
He was happy she was. After the dinner from hell that occurred at his house, he wanted nothing more then to take her and leave. He knew she felt uncomfortable, not just because they brought up her mother, but because she knew she didn't fit in. He always felt like he didn't fit in as well with his father's plans for him. He didn't want to go into the business, he wanted to do a year in the Army, see how it is then look into business. He understood that it fell onto his shoulders that he'd have to work with his father; eventually owning the company himself. But his father never took into consideration what his son wanted.
After the death of his mother, his father was a completely different person. Chris didn't blame him entirely, he changed to. But he didn't expect his father to leave him at the age of sixteen to travel for business leaving him alone with his haunted thoughts. William was the only one who knew who he actually was, resulting in the two practically being brothers. He wanted to tell Lani everything, and he was going to.
CHRIS drove up a narrow road towards Oslo's hill tops. Coming to a full stop, he turned the ignition off. Removing his helmet he got off, Lani looked around in awe at the view before the two. Chris smiled removing her helmet carefully, removing her hair that had gotten caught on the edge of the helmet. She smiled to the boy who helped her up gently. Intertwining his hand with her's the duo walked to the bench which had the view of the city.
Lani smiled looking at the city lights, "It's beautiful." She breathed out.
Chris smiled watching the brunette and nodded, "Yeah."
Lani looked over to the boy who averted his gaze back to the city. "How did you know about this place? Lemme guess..." She tilted her head to the side. "You bring all your hook ups here to woo them then sleep with them?" She raised a brow teasingly.
Chris shook his head, his smile turning into a frown. Swallowing a lump in his throat he looked up at the dark sky. "Uh, when my mom died. I'd come here sometimes." He began.
Lani's smile fell, "Chris you don't-" She shook her head.
"I want to." He nodded to himself, then looking to the brunette. "I want to tell you everything, I just don't know how to." He chuckled to himself.
Lani smiled faintly, "Well, you are right now. And I'll always be here for you. That's what friends are for right?" She smiled kindly to the boy placing her hand in his.
Chris frowned lightly, "Yeah." He nodded, hating the word she had used. But he couldn't blame her; they were indeed friends. He just hoped he could change her mind, even though he knew she deserved much better then him, he still couldn't stop the pull he felt towards the beautiful girl.
Clearing his throat he looked at the city, "Anyways, um. Growing up I guess you could say my child hood was normal. I mean my father was different. He actually was there." He chuckled bitterly.
"My mom was always there, she was a stay at home mom. My father made enough, well more than enough as you now know. So she'd stay home and watch over me. William and Amalie would often come over, wherever William would go Amalie would follow. Not that I minded, we were like the golden trio; yanno from Harry Potter, except no magic, and I wasn't into an eight year old." He chuckled remembering it all. Lani smiled as she watched Chris speak about his past, she liked this side of him. She felt honoured she was one of the only people other then William to see it. "After Amalie died, William sort of changed. As you know." He bit his bottom lip, watching the city below them.
"When we were thirteen, Nikolai invited us to our first real party. As you can imagine there was lots of alcohol, drugs, girls..." He trailed off, Lani scrunched up her nose in disgust. Chris chuckled at the brunette nodding in agreement. "Since then we partied more frequent, I mainly went for William at first; who wanted to get his mind off his sister. Eventually I began to enjoy it." He nodded recalling the nights.
"One night, it was summer vacation. Well the start of it. We were fifteen. Nikolai's friend; Finn. Was throwing a party in the woods for the Penetrators at the time. I drank; a lot. I had gotten into a fight with my dad. He was pissed that I was going out practically every night; parties and sometimes the occasional hookup." He bitterly spoke recalling the memory.
"So I drank more then I should have. Nikolai was hammered, and William couldn't drive. He was also drunk as fuck so it wouldn't even matter. So I called my mom to pick me up." He explained. "I forgot they had a date night." Lani smiled faintly at the thought of Chris' parents happy together. "So my dad and her came, I remember it was raining. Bad." He tilted his head looking up at the sky. "Roads were slippery." He added on. "All I remember was the car losing control. And then nothing. Just darkness." He explained, his lip quivered.
Lani reached over and grasped his hand in her's. "When I woke up they told me I was lucky. Except I wasn't." Chris squinted his eyes shaking his head. "They told me my father was in another room, awake. But they didn't mention my mother." Tears flowed down his pale cold cheeks, swallowing a lump in his throat he sniffled. "When I asked where she was, they looked at me with-with pity." He shook his head. "And the only thing I could think of, was that it was my fault." He nodded, Lani squeezed his hand, tears breaming her eyes. "It's my fault my mother is dead." He bitterly repeated.
Lani pulled him into her arms, embracing him tightly. Chris sobbed quietly into her shoulder, "It's not your fault. You hear me?" She mumbled, rubbing his back gently.
"I killed her. It's what he said." He hysterically sobbed. Lani squeezed him tighter shaking her head. "I ruin everything." He mumbled into her hair.
Lani pulled away cupping his cheeks in her hands, "It isn't your fault. You can't control what happens. It wasn't your fault, not your dad's, no ones." She assured, her thumbs wiping away his tears. "Okay?" She asked.
"Okay." He mumbled softly, his voice cracking. Lani kissed his forehead, embracing him. Chris inhaled her scent sighing in content, "I don't deserve you." He mumbled lowly, Lani barely heard. She frowned at his words, kissing his temple. No, she didn't deserve him, she thought to herself.
𝗼𝗼𝗼. ┊ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒 !
✎↷: ❪ 𝙰𝚄𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚁'𝚂 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙴 ❫ 🌸🌿
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lani's outfit ^
her ring ^
Erike and Karoline possibly had a thing... 👀
also I wasn't planning on writing Chris saying all that to her; like his back story. i wanted to make the ending fun and cute. but I felt like it was the perfect time for him to open up to her.
𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍, 𝟦𝟢𝟦𝟦