Chapter 42:

"Shut the hell up."

Jesse was taken back. "Excuse me?"

I was pale and looked at him dead in the eyes. "I-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean too."

"Better not." James commented.

Audrey glared at him. He returned the glare and neither of them backed down. It wasn't until Jesse waved his hand in between their stare-off that they broke eye contact.

I heard James  mumble something that I don't feel comfortable repeating. If my past hasn't scarred me, his comment definitely did. Yikes.

"Better watch your mouth little girl." James told me.

"Don't try and run little girl." My worst nightmare snarled.

"Woo! Lidia! Hey, where'd you go?" Jesse waved his hand in front of me.

I gently shook my head and smiled. "Nowhere. You guys are just boring."

"What did I say?" James scolded.

Audrey gave a knowing look and said, "If you don't stop talking I'll backhand you again."

"Okay how about we don't hit?" Zack finally said.

James stalked off as Sasha came through the doorway. "Hey Pretty Girl. Hey Twinsie. Are you ready to come upstairs?"

I totally forgot all about that. It's today? I-I'm too young. I'm only fourteen! Okay well I'll be fifteen in January but that doesn't matter, I'm still technically fourteen!

"Y-Yeah. Umm Audrey, are you ready?" I asked her.

She slyly smiled and said, "Yep. Now c'mon my dear, dear friend."

I gulped and walked upstairs regardless. Is it too late to back out? Surely not. I could just say I'm sick and have a disease or something. Or I could possibly fake pass out.

"Now I have the perfect thing for you Little Lady." Sasha said and held up a baggy tan shirt with a weird smiley face on it and jeans with holes in them. I sighed and reluctantly put them on. I walked to the bathroom and Sasha curled my hair while Audrey was doing my nails.

Multitasking at its finest.

I told them I would do my own makeup. Never in the entire world will I trust anyone with my makeup that isn't me. They don't know my shades, how to perfect my eyeshadow. They don't know how I specifically want my eyeliner.

After I was done I felt pretty. It was different than the gala pretty. It was like I was comfortable in my own skin. That I didn't think twice about what people say. I felt comfy and relaxed.

Is it normal to feel this way?

On the way downstairs and Sasha and Audrey were telling me all I needed to do and what not to do and all that jazz.

"Okay get whatever you want because you want to be yourself. If he comments on how much you're eating then it's time to just be friends. Understand?"

"Don't be pressured to kiss or have physical contact."

"If you want to leave early just text me 'do you know when the paper is due'. Got it?"

"It's okay to talk, knowing him he'll want you to talk but you don't have to. Again, knowing him, he'll be comfortable sitting there  and listening or talking."

"I know why Sasha knows this, but Audrey how do you know all this? Aren't you like goth?" I asked her.

"I have my ways." She replied as we entered the kitchen.

"Are you ready Curly?" Luke asked.

I raised my eyebrows in confusion. "Are you driving me?"

"Yes. I need to go over some rules with you." He told me. I physically gulped and nodded my head. He gave me a look and I thought back to his 'rules'. It seems like yesterday Manny had told me how they were so flashy and need to be more humble. Now I'm going to lunch with a boy in shoes I could never dream of affording.

Who would've thought?

"Where's the Twins? And who's gonna drive Audrey home?"

"Jesse will once he gets back from his friends house." Luke answered.

"And when will that be?" I pressed further.

"When he gets back."

I deadpanned. "It's okay Lidia, me and Sasha will just hang out until then." She imputed.

I smiled. I'm so glad the most important women in my life are getting along. That wouldn't be good if they didn't. I couldn't survive as long as I had without them. And let's be honest, the Twins were most likely threatening Ian.

Luke steered me away and we got into his expensive black car. We were riding for a minute then he broke the silence and started on his second pair of rules since I had been there.

"So firstly and probably the most obvious one, no kissing. Second, don't make any promises. That's just advice." He went on but I really didn't listen after his 'advice'. I wonder how he knows that. Is it because he promised someone something? Or maybe because of the promises our father always made, assuming he did.

We arrived just outside of the diner and Luke puts the car in park. "You ready?"

I breathed out and nodded my head. "Yes."

He nodded and got out. "I'll be in town so just call if you need to leave or something."

I said a quick 'mk' and gazed at the sign above to entrance doors. Braunch. I wonder why they call it that. Luke helped me get seated. He placed a kiss on my forehead and for once, I think I could tell what he was thinking. It was like a longing look. Like his biggest mistake is leaving me in this diner.

I gave him a convincing reassuring smile. He obviously thought it was a real one since no one could out-lie me. And then he left. Earlier I was nervous, now I'm petrified. What if my brothers scared him so bad that he doesn't want to come? No, they wouldn't do that. Would they?

My thinking was interrupted by a voice. "Are you stalking me?"

I snapped my head to the voice and saw Donavon. "Oh hello Donavon. What're you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing."

I scrunched up my nose. How could I ever think he was attractive. He's so selfish and doesn't know that everything is not about him. Sure he's cute but that can't be the only reason why I like him. Never would I admit it out loud but I was wrong.

"It's none of your concern." I replied sharply.

"So you are stalking me."

"Don't flatter yourself. Your ego is already high enough."

"Yeah and I bet yours is too."

"What?" I asked confused.

"Y'know, being apart of the White family. All of them think they're unstoppable and have this power over everyone that makes them invincible."

His words sparked a feeling inside of me. I couldn't place it but I think I had it before. All I know is I had a feeling deep in my stomach and I was getting kind of high off of it.

"Don't talk about my family like that. Talk about me all you want but never my family." I snarled.

"And why not?" He dragged out.

"Because if you do, I will slug you in your little chiseled jaw and break it." I threatened.

"See, all the same." He narrowed his eyes.

"Excuse me, I'm supposed to be sitting right there." I heard a friendly, comforting voice.

Ian was standing behind Donavon as he walked backwards. "So this is why you're here. Do your brothers know you're going out with their best friend?"

I narrowed my eyes but before I could reply Ian beat me to it. "Yes they do, now leave."

"Alright, just wanted to say hi. See you later littlest White."

"Hopefully not!" I called out.

After Ian sat down he asked what we were both thinking. "What did he want?"

"To be honest, I have no clue."

He chuckled and grabbed a straw out of the tin container. "So, how was your first sleepover?"

I smiled and said, "How'd you know it was my first one?"

"Your brothers came over and told me." He replied.

I gave a knowing look."Let me guess, they also threatened to kill your whole family?"

He chuckled again and responded. "I guess I'm not a good liar huh?"

I shook my head. "You weren't lying. Just withholding information. There's a small but fine difference."

"Yeah and what would that be?" He asked curiously. Carl and mom never wanted me to talk, but here, with him, he was encouraging me to talk.

"Lying is telling someone something that either alters the truth or is saying something did or didn't happen. Withholding information is just not bringing something up because in their mind it's not important enough to talk about." I explained.

"You say it like you do it a lot." He snorted.

I knew what he meant. He meant it as a joke. But that didn't stop my insides turn with dread. I smiled though, I played the part for my sake. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if he found out I was abused on the first date?

"Well what can I say, if you're a White you have to tell a decent lie." I said pretending to be joking. He doesn't know that though, he knows that I am joking.

"True. Have you ordered yet?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No, she hasn't come by yet."

Right as I said that a pretty blonde lady came over to our booth and asked to take our order. "I would like a potato soup please." Ian asked.

I smiled at her and asked, "May I have an avocado sandwich? With no mayo please."

"Sure thing! Aww look at you two. How long have you been together?" The waitress asked.

"What? Oh no, well uh," I looked over to Ian. He smiled and answered for me.

"We're just hanging out." He said.

"Whatever you say young man." The woman mumbled and took our order to the kitchen.

I glanced back from the retreating waitress to Ian. "Is it really just a hangout?"

He softly smiled. Why does he smile all the time? And why does it make butterflies flutter in my stomach? "It can be whatever you want Lidia Candice White. It can be a hangout, a study group, a date. Anything."

"Anything?"

"Anything." He said with finality.

"Well then, how about a date?" I said with more confidence then I had.

"Then it's a date." He repeated.

We smiled to each other. She hurriedly walked back to our booth saying she forgot to take our drink order. I think she just wanted an excuse to watch us 'in action'.

After about ten minutes of waiting, she brought out our food. We thanked her and she gushed at us. She told us how we reminded her of herself when she went on her first date with her first husband. Apparently she's had five. 'So far' she said while smirking.

Okay then.

After about five minutes of us getting our food, Ian flicked a bit of his soup at me playfully. I felt a little drop land on my arm and I snapped my head up. His head was turned away and looking at the ceiling mischievously.

"You little shit." I dragged out. I threw a bread crumb at him and he yelped.

"Hey! I don't know what you're talking about." He said with a boyish grin.

He looked at my blank stare and grinned even wider. "Oh you know exactly what I'm talking about. You flicked your soup on me!" I pointed my index finger at him.

He dramatically gasped. "Oh Lidia! I would never!"

I raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you sure about that?"

He nodded his head. "Yep. Totally sure."

I playfully scoffed and drank my water. "You sure are a turd, you know that?"

His grin never fell from his face as he replied. "Yep. You know, I never knew how someone could act so much like the Twins but at the same time, nothing like them."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Well you have Jesse's humor, and James' seriousness. But if you're around a lot of people you tend to grow this protective shell. But then again, so do your brothers."

"You really think I'm like them? Personality wise?" I asked, somewhat hopeful. Hope that I didn't mess up their reputation with my babyish ways and personality.

"Well, if you think about it, all of you guys inherited a part of your father's personality." He replied, shrugging.

"Luke told me that once. I didn't know if he was just trying to make me feel better." I said, copying his previous gesture.

"Nope. Everyone inherited something. Your father's seriousness, Luke. Your father's love and care for family, Zack. His want for true love, Caden. His joking and playful attitude, Jesse." He explained.

"Well what about James? He's also my brother. Shouldn't he'd have inherited something?" I asked curiously. Maybe he's not my brother and an imposter! Nah, from the photos of my father that I've seen he looks like a younger version of him.

He gave a sad smile. "Most of his persona comes from your mother I'm afraid."

I scrunched my eyebrows. "Um that's not true. He is nothing like her. Nothing."

"I've never met your mother, but he said he got it from her."

I shook my head. Never, ever could anyone be like that despicable woman. "Well I have. I spent my whole life until a year ago living and breathing the same air as her and he is nothing, and I mean nothing like her."

He softly smiled. "So I take it you and your mother didn't get along?" He said, changing the subject. I wasn't ready for that.

Time for another impeccable lie.

"Well I was like any teen girl, mad at my mom. For reasons unknown but I was. I still loved her though," lie, "and I knew she loved me," lie, "we didn't have a perfect relationship but we were still family, and you know what they say about blood being thicker than water." Lie.

"I guess so. How about we get away from a depressing topic. What's your favorite thing about being a White?" He tilted his head.

I huffed. "Way to ask me an easy question," he grinned, "well I guess it has to be my brothers. Or the money. Honestly I can't decide." I playfully shrugged my shoulders.

"I know! Such a hard thing to decide!" He played along. We both bursted into laughter. He laughed so hard some of the soup flew onto the table's counter. When that happened we laughed even harder.

We ate the rest of the time and joked. Dessert was a chocolate chip cookie in a mini pan with vanilla ice cream. It was so freakin' delicious. I was about to order more when Luke called me and said it was time for me to leave.

He insisted on paying even though I was about to snatch the debit card out of his hands. He argued saying that I can pay for the next one. I agreed but realized soon after what I just did. I gasped and he laughed.

I heard a horn honking. "Who would've thought that Luke White would ever honk a horn?" I quizzed.

"Jesse and James are probably in the car with him." He reasoned.

I nodded in agreement. "I think you're probably right."

We walked out together and we stopped just outside the entrance. "Thanks for not standing me up." He chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I softly smiled. "No problem. I don't Sasha would let me even if I wanted to." I responded light heartedly.

He chuckled again. "Yeah, she wouldn't would she?"

I lightly laughed and shook my head. "Nope. And thanks, for actually asking me on the date. I had a really good time." I said and this time, I wasn't lying.

"Really?"

"Really."

His face was pink and it didn't help what was to come next. "I'll see you at school tomorrow. Bye!" I said and quickly kissed his cheek.

I hurriedly turned around and ran to Luke's car. I quickly got in and buckled and saw his face, and when I say it was as red as a Debby Ryan's hair, it was as red as Debby Ryan's hair.

I looked back and saw Jesse, James, Caden, and Zack all staring back at me with Luke driving. How the hell does his car fit all these people?

"Um what was that?"

"You said she wasn't going to kiss him!"

"Lidia, you broke one of the rules I laid out for you."

"I'm going to murder him. Literally murder him."

"I think I just had a heart attack!"

I decided to answer Luke's first. "You said to not kiss, not a peck on the cheek."

They were all flabbergasted. "It doesn't flipping matter! You still kissed him!" Jesse yelled.

"Yeah? And what else did I do? Since you were all watching the whole damn thing." I crossed my arms.

"Language Lidia Candice White. Since this attitude has appeared after you went on your date then you are no longer allowed to go on dates." James concluded.

"Luke!" I yelled, throwing my arms in the air.

He pulled into the nearest parking lot and parked the car. "Okay! No more yelling unless you all want to clean the house. The whole house." He threatened.

"Tell her she can't go on anymore dates!" Jesse argued.

"Luke!" I yelled.

I saw him rub his eyes while he said, "Kill me now."

Early update! Happy Valentine's Day!!! Even though this is set like 2 months behind bc of my laziness lol. If ur alone like me then we can be alone together! And for those lucky few who have dates, may they go swimmingly. I hope you liked it and don't forget to vote, comment and obviously like:)