Like a model off duty, on a summer day, Quinn runs on her heels towards Leigh. How could I think she could be alone? Behind her is Suri, holding bags that bespoke girly shopping.
Until Suri shoved the bags to a muscular frame next to her, did I notice Harry, Jordan, and definitely one among those boys Lilith used to screw. Is it Quincy?
Of course, they brought along their boyfriends.
"Leigh, you are here." Suri shoved and squeezed a space between Leigh and me while Quinn took his other side, and just like that, they sandwiched the poor boy.
Dear goodness!
I rolled my eyes, and they landed on amused Princeton Claire. She seemed entertained at the inconvenient event.
"We saw each other at whatever you call the packed house gathering thing," Leigh confusedly reminds Suri, while the two girls jerk his head in directions that could cause dizziness, even for the audience.
"Rem's backyard camping? No." She opposed.
Leigh didn't respond. He only maintained a straight face.
Suri halts and lets Quinn have him in a highly complex embrace while her eyes share a challenging stare with Lilith's big brother. "No...." She awkwardly scoffs, but still, Leigh's expression remains serious.
Shocked, her hands hovered over her mouth. "fucking hell, he is serious."
"What happened to you?" Quinn's voice was accusing towards her friend as Leigh struggled to escape out of her hug. While Lilith burst into a pile of laughter, claiming: "Whore got memory loss or something."
"I must be probably drunk." Suri brushed her manicured nailed in the air as though that just washed the fact that she can not remember anything from the party? Then again, I don't think I remember anything from that night too.
She casually rolled her definitely fake eye contact lens since we both know her eyes weren't blue until now.
God, I can never understand Lilith and her friends.
Then again, I also am hiding behind a couple of fake things.
Only God will have mercy on me as to what Vegas had turned me into.
"Whatever, tell me something that's not weird because everything around here is weird." Lilith waves towards me.
I am not shocked at all.
So while the girls merrily discuss, Leigh and Julian, welcome the rest of the boys, and I, the outcast, begin typing my present situation to the girls group. Yes, in case you're wondering, Princeton Claire effortlessly enamoured all the boys attention.
I was reading Tori's feedback whilst trying to shelve the annoyance of having Lilith's girls break my previous cosy sitting arrangement when Suri leaned forward and asked Lilith something so rude that it got me choking in-between laughter.
"And that Miss transplant?" It is not only how she said it, but the scornful expression she flashes.
How can people be this freely wicked?
Smiling warmly, Lilith embarked on full-throated exaggeration. "That's Claire, from Princeton. She's Leigh's girlfriend." She emphasises that part very blasting. It immediately killed the smile on my face.
God, give me the strength to survive this summer without killing Lilith before she takes off to university.
"Be joking." "Is that supposed to be funny?" The two girls mumbled in a volume only Lilith, Leigh, and I could hear.
But of course, Lilith doesn't think this is some secret discussion. She audibly responded: "No! They're so in love, isn't it, Claire?"
Quinn pretends to scratch her neck and tilt her head a little, murmuring criticism: "Damn, even her name is ughhh."
"Hey, girls." That fruity voice that belongs to Princeton Claire came up, inciting Quinn to instantly carry her eyes from judgement to a fake smile that only a clever person can recognise.
Suri and Quinn sweetly sing in unison. "Aww, slut."
"Do not take offense. Vulgar language is our greeting code." Lilith told her imaginary Leigh's girlfriend.
"Really?" Princeton Claire amusedly asked with her brows arched at Lilith.
"Believe me, sometimes I wonder they could be into prostitution." I beat the girls to it, and they all shoot me that murderous glare that I've grown used to getting whenever I detect the flaw in their small squad. And trust me when I say they're so flawed.
"What?" I rolled my eyes and nonchalantly shrugged.
From the sofa, I heard Leigh chuckle softly.
"Congratulation, Leigh, you deserve to be happy; after Hailey, Sofia and Embry, it must be tough," Quinn told him, squeezing his broad shoulder with her tiny hand.
What a bitch.
Maybe I should squeeze her neck.
What kind of rubbish is she implying? How many times will they need to hear to understand Leigh didn't date any of those two girls? And Hailey? She's not worth mentioning around here, not this perfect summer when she was the one who robbed us of the entire past year.
"I hope it lasts this time." Suri smiles after her direct words that got Lilith fuming.
I could laugh, but I chose not to. I mean, I know there's nothing like Princeton Claire and Leigh. So honestly, my mind is at ease.
"If natural ended up changing schools, I can't begin to understand what's ahead for artificial," Quinn whispered to Suri.
They both explode into vicious laughter as though they weren't shoehorned next to the person they were freely gossiping.
"That's straightforward," Lilith grumbled. Apparently ready to lose her patience, that's if she even has it.
"Claire and I are friends." Leigh frustratedly clarified.
"Thank fuck." Suri mumbled under her breath, like her boyfriend Jordan isn't presently sitting around the lounging area.
While for me, I thought mentally, 'Mate, you have no idea.'
"Hopefully, you will be more." Lilith kept pressing. I didn't know I irritatingly retaliated with: "They are not interested in each other, Lilith. Get over it." Until she faces me, batting her healthy lashes and saying: "What is your problem, Ava? Be a good sister and hope for the best for your brother; that's what I've been doing since you got here."
I swallowed and looked away, having nothing to say.
"What's wrong with you?" Leigh practically yelled. His voice was constricted with anger.
"Go ahead and blame me." Lilith's eyes widen, reacting like Leigh just said something sinful. "Didn't you hear what she said?" Her hands stretch towards me.
What did I say wrong?
Ignoring her, he rose from the seat and announced: "I will go to the gym."
Great Lilith, perhaps we should applaud you for successfully annoying the poor man.
"I will go with you," Julian says and signal for Harry and co to follow.
Then Princeton Claire decided: "Me too." and stalked away with the boys.
Seeing as everyone was leaving and I could be left with the venomous stepsister who I made an enemy of, I started getting up: "Me three."
But she was quick to pull me back into the seat.
"Oh hypocrite, you will sit your ass here and let's have a real talk."
Oh fuck.
"I think I rather leave." I smiled and attempted to escape, but this time Suri held me.
"Don't be so scared little sister. I am not Edward Cullen. I don't bite." Lilith smirks, and the girls annoyingly giggles.
Okay.
"What do you want to talk about?" Robot like, I boldly asked.
"Chill, mate. Is it?" Lilith laughs just as a thousand years old witch who's still greedy for more time would. "About your birthday, Ava. What else could it be?"
I swear I didn't care for the relieving sigh I let out. I was hoping for anything but an interrogation about last night. Also, anything but the precious moments Leigh and I got caught up in some minutes ago when we forgot who could be watching.
"I heard Christ brown will be performing at Marquee." Quinn pats my thigh cheerfully.
"I don't even like him." And that's true.
"What? Who doesn't like Chris Brown? Did you see his moves, his body? And his voice? So easily to cum too." Suri dreamy proclaimed.
And not only me but the other girls scrunched their faces before asking Suri if she was kidding. But she shook her head rolled her eyes, clearly meaning it.
How are they so shameless?
"Okay. That's weird." Quinn nodded at Suri.
"Who wouldn't like him?" Suri defends herself.
"Apparently, my weird sister, who's living in Vegas but possess a heart of those who live under the rock." Lilith smiled wickedly at me.
Oh please, just tell me you hate me and get done with it.
"Look, I don't want anything big..." I started, but she cut me off. "Sorry, but that's what birthdays are all about."
"Come on, last year, you did nothing. We need to shake asses." Quinn pouts, flipping her silky straight hair to her back.
"Think of it as rebelling to Susan." Lilith suggestively shrugged and sat back on the sofa, smiling devilishly. It horrified me.
Yes, yes. So, in the end, she will hate me and take you.
Alright.
"What happened?"
"She got hot coal slap in the face while hangover." Lilith broadcasted, chuckling at the memory.
The way these days I don't even have my personal issues to myself is unbelievable. All that mom and Lilith do is disseminate my privacy freely as if they own it.
"That's not good."
"Thanks, Lilith." I painfully smiled at her, balling my fists to stop me from squeezing her throat.
"Pursuance works with motivation. I am only trying to trigger you here." She shrugs again and pops a berry in her mouth.
I was shooting delighted Lilith a fierce glare when Quinn thought stupidly: "Consider me in your shoes. I wouldn't be sitting in PJ eating puke." When I glanced at her, she was disgustingly scanning the porridge I left on the coffee table. "I will be striking back."
So judgemental.
"Positive." Suri agrees.
"First, I am not you. Second, this isn't a pyjama." It's a dress, though I didn't say it out loud because it's a waste of effort. These girls will denounce every action and anything they lay their eyes upon, and it's a fact, no matter the perfection of it, unless it's Leigh, whom they want only to themselves or maybe thought they could still save for Embry. "And third, that's porridge, not puke."
"Then girl, you're just creepy." Quinn sadly said, and the girls began to chuckle again.
I should just go to the boys.
"God, not today. I am leaving." I said and got on my feet, but yet again, I was pulled down.
What the bloody hell do they want from me?
"Could you just reconsider? You do know dad and Susan will do anything to earn your forgiveness." Lilith points. "If you're smart, you will bask in what life throws at you and later squeeze it and toss back the crust."
And that's not a bad idea, given the fact that mom hadn't talked to me despite the slap she landed on my poor face.
"So what do you suggest," I casually asked Lilith.
She raises her brows before blowing out an incredible idea; I almost pull her into a hug. "Take Susan back to what seventeen feels like."
"Dang, girl," I mumbled, amused.
That's fantastic.
So be it.
"I know, right." She laughs along.
"There is something you should know, though; she already had me at that age." I point out, my eyes shifting between the girls.
"Who gives a fuck? It is clear she didn't make logical decisions then." Suri asserted, her eyes flashing at me.
Excuse me?
"Seriously, Suri?" Lilith frowned at her best friend.
Suri's eyes wandered around every serious face in the patio lounging area before she rolled her eyes and claimed she was kidding.
"However, we have something to share with you." Suri started up at Lilith. Diverting the fact that she shamelessly asserted that my existence was among my mother's illogical teenage decisions.
"Yes, we do." Quinn vigorously shoots on her feet.
"Guess what?" Suri grins widely as if anticipating the last reveal to match her lottery number.
"You are beginning to scare me," Lilith told the two girls pouring a suspenseful gaze at her. "Tell me." She desperately demanded.
"She and I are going to...." Quinn paused and let Suri conclude the last part that is Cornell University.
What?
"Shut up?" Lilith let out an ear-piercing scream. Jumping from her sofa to ours, and pulled Suri into a wild hug as Christian helicopter arrived, landing in the spacious field.
"How? I don't understand. Weren't you all going to different schools?" Lilith shockingly asked her two friends.
"My dad worked it out," Quinn proudly explained.
"We couldn't let go of this, you know?" Suri emotionally started. "We already lose Embry. Worst could happen if we went to different colleges."
I, on the other hand, just quietly watched, admiring how strong their bond was. Despite how stupid they could be, they really love each other.
If only I had someone who could do that for me. To sacrifice their plan because they're afraid of losing me.
Well, that isn't a very nice thing to wish, since you must be really selfish to want that for someone, but hell yes, it's bloody cute. I just witnessed it.
Lilith wipes her wet face with her fingers and kisses Quinn and Suri's faces.
"I love youuuuuuu."
Carefree, she screamed while the two just laughed at her excitement.
"Having a good time?" Christian voice came up as he emerged from the patio sliding doors, looking dashingly in his sport blazer.
Lilith pulled out from the embrace while Suri and Quinn reasonably greeted Christian like they were some innocent kids who weren't talking about coming to Christ Brown voice just minutes ago.
"Good to hear."
"Dad, are you going out?"
"Susan and I are flying to LA, we have an appointment with an ophthalmologist, but we will be back for dinner." He explained as mom appeared behind him, holding a designer handbag worth thousands.
I bet that makes her more happier than having me.
Being the polite person she is to others, she welcomed the girls and asked them to feel at home.
"Also, make yourselves something for lunch and try not to burn the house down before Alfred and Alice come over," Christian instructed.
"Like Alfred and Alice from the famous brit chef tv?" Quinn asked him, waiting in anticipation for his response.
"Yes, dad. Them?" Lilith repeated boldly at delighted Christain and his slag wife, who could barely meet my eyes.
Bad mom! Bad.
"It's a warm-up for Ava's birthday. Susan thought of it," Christian announced, pulling her in his arms while the couple smiled at me.
She has to do better. Flying a famous cook for dinner wouldn't earn her my smile.
"No way." Quinn squeals and excitedly asks. "Can we stay over?"
"Of course, darling." Mom smiled at her.
Not surprising how everyone is her darling, except me, her actual daughter, who brings her nothing but disappointment, as she claimed.
"Christian, I am sorry I missed the gym this morning," I tell the man, who playfully tousled my hair after the pilot informed him the helicopter was ready.
"Is okay. We will talk later." He smiled down at me and held the hand of the very flushed woman, probably eager to disappear from her, and lead her to their ride.
"Stay safe, and know that your brother is in charge," Christian informed us from a distance.
It was then Lilith leaned into me and excitingly pointed the obvious: "See told you, they will do anything for forgiveness. Now let's get to the plan."
This should be interesting.