"That was Parker. He is going to a famous school for music. He is so talented. I miss hearing him do concerts like he did at our school." Jo was going on about this guy and I could feel the irritation coming off of Vincent like a heat wave.

"Do you remember that one time when Maxwell and Janey went up on the top of the announcer's box at the stadium to do a cheer before the game and Mr. Smithson just about had a coronary?" Zoe was laughing as a guy I couldn't remember the name of told the story with a reminiscing look on his face.

"I remember! Oh and didn't Vincent score the winning goal that game?" Mo was sipping her drink in between. I sat back and listened, since I had no idea what or who they were talking about. It meant I got to drink my Fog though, and it was actually really good.

"This is fantastic. I wonder what's in it." I licked the whip off my lip and stared into the cup.

"Easy. Shot of pumpkin spice, shot of hazelnut, shot of vanilla, shot of caramel, two bags English Breakfast and a ton of steamed milk. I used to work here. If I could get my hands on the stuff they make it with I don't think I'd ever pay for another." Andy snorted and glared at the cup she was holding.

"Wow. You still remember how to make it? I am impressed." Zoe looked at her with an expression that was almost worshipping.

"Of course I remember. I had to make the damn things a gazillion times over the holidays." She snorted again, this time glaring at my cup.

"Parker doesn't drink those frilly kinds of drinks. He is much more mature." Jo commented. Zoe nodded with her and looked at her 'frilly drink' as though she regretted getting it.

"Or boring." I heard Vincent say under his breath. I didn't react because I didn't think he wanted anyone to hear.

"Could you let me out? I need the toilet." I tapped his side with my elbow gently and he shifted out of the way to let me by. I walked into the small room at the back with three urinals and a lone stall. I unzipped and hurriedly unloaded the liquids I had been drinking since that morning.

When I was done, I washed my hands and looked into the tired mirror above the sink. Someone had put superhero stickers along the bottom edge of it and I smiled at the sight.

"Jo thinks he should have stayed with Parker." I looked over my shoulder at Deck as he leaned next to the door, not looking at me but off at the wall with a blank face. My smile faded a little. I didn't pretend I didn't know what he was talking about though.

"Yeah? Guess he didn't agree with her." I replied with a nonchalance I wasn't entirely feeling. I dried my hands with a paper towel and tossed it in an overflowing trash before making my way to the door.

"Most of us are still good friends with him, Parker that is. Just so you know. And there are always two sides to every story." He glanced at me as I walked by.

"I wouldn't know. Vincent never mentioned him." I flashed a fake smile in his direction as I opened the door. "Guess he didn't think it was that important."

I walked back into the café to see Vincent standing next to the table with a frown on his face as Joe talked with her hands gesturing all over the place. He shook his head and looked over with a sudden relief on his face.

"Hey babe, any longer and I was going to come in after you. We are going to be late if we don't hurry." He wrapped his arm around to my hip and I caught the look in his eyes.

"Oh really? Sorry, I wasn't watching the time. It was such a pleasure to meet all of you." I smiled gently at the others at the table, most of whom wouldn't meet my eyes as they fake smiled and nodded to me. I could feel the tension in the air as we turned and walked out of the café.

"Thanks." He said in a low, serious and undeniably sexy voice. I should not have felt a flutter in my chest at that, but I couldn't help the way he made my heart skip.

"Of course. I am always on your side Vincent. I want you to know that." I replied with an equally serious look. He huffed and looked away.

"They told you what happened." He sounded gruff and annoyed. I reached out my hand to pull him towards me.

"No. You don't have to tell me either. It is up to you when or if you want to ever mention it. It doesn't matter anyways, as I will still be on your side. It is what a good boyfriend does." I pecked a quick kiss on his lips, grinned, and then walked over to the passenger side of the car to get in.

I glanced over to see his surprised face as I opened the door and got in. He slid into the driver's seat and looked over at me. He smiled back, finally.

"You are pretty amazing, you know that?" He said as he started the engine, still looking over at me.

"I know. I am dating The Vincent Wright after all." I let my smile turn smug and relished the sound of Vincent laughing.

*

"Thanks so much for my phone, Mom. I miss you guys so, so much." I said with a smile into the screen.

"I hope you are having a good time though?" My mother's worried look was comforting. It was really nice to feel the caring behind those words.

"Yes, it has been a lot of fun here at the Wright's house. Mrs. Wright is very nice and his brothers are rowdy, but a good bunch of guys." I told her. She seemed to relax and nodded to me on camera.

"Good. Your sisters want to talk to you as well if you are okay with it. They are waiting just off camera." She was looking off to the side, and I saw a couple of hands wave in the camera from the edge of the screen.

"Of course I am okay with it. How have you been, Mom?" I replied easily.

"Oh, you know me. I am always fine. I saw your school report. I am very proud of you, hun. I knew it wasn't your fault the marks started slipping." She looked a little guilty and I sighed.

"Thanks Mom. It is much more relaxing at the new school. I have made a bunch of friends there. You have nothing to worry about." I reassured her.

"So is Vincent one of these friends you made?" She asked with a bit of a grin. I grinned back and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Well, sort of. He's kind of... He's my boyfriend actually. But don't worry about... you know. I am in the guest room and all that. His parents are watching out for you." I licked my lips nervously. I had to look away as a bunch of screeches and giggling came through the screen while my Mom cringed.

"Sorry about them. They will grill you about him for me when they stop dancing around the room like lunatics." She was rolling her eyes at the girls' antics. I hesitated on my next words.

"And you're... you know, okay with it? Me dating Vincent?" I looked down because I almost couldn't watch her eyes and my fingers tapped my leg with nervous energy.

"Oh baby. I just want you to be happy. If Vincent makes you happy, then I am not against it." She said with a gentle voice. I looked up to the screen to see her guilty face and sighed with a bit of relief.

"Thanks Mom." I breathed. I thought I saw her tear up a little before she was snapping at the girls to calm down and get over to the computer if they wanted to talk to me.

"Hey Bro! I'd ask how you are... but it sounds like you are juuuust fiiine." My youngest sister smirked as she sat in the seat where my mother had just vacated.

"Alley baby! Tell me all about him. Is he tall? What colour are his eyes? What 'bout his hair? Does he have muscles? He has lots of muscles doesn't he..." My other sister ran off on a spew of questions as she leaned into the frame and practically pushed our sister off the bed she was sitting on. I laughed at her excitement.

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down there. One question at a time. Remember to breathe." I teased her as I didn't answer any of them and her cheeks puffed up in irritation.

"Ignore her. No wait. Don't ignore her entirely, because I want to know about him too." The younger pushed our older sister back and they got into a shoving fight as they tried to both squeeze into the centre spot in the camera. My mom yelled at them and they looked off to the side before begrudgingly sitting next to each other on the bed.

"So, his name is Vincent...?" My eldest sister leads me with an expectant face.

"Yep. He is a senior at the school. Taller than I am, but I am still growing you know." I may have sounded a bit defensive there. My younger sister giggled and they exchanged a glance.

"What about his looks?" She almost looked like she was begging. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't know... Tall, dark, and handsome I guess?" I winced as they squealed and bounced in their seat.

"Oh my god, this is so exciting!" The elder nearly shouted at me. I snapped my head around at the knock at my door and called out with some relief.

"Come in." My voice was loud enough that the door opened and Alan waltzed in.

"Hey. Oh sorry. Are you still on your call?" He wandered over and stared down at the screen in curiosity.

"Yeah, I am almost done though. What's up?" I looked up, way up, at the man standing over me now.

"Mom called for pizza and it just showed up. Should probably get downstairs while there is some left." He said calmly, waving to the girls on the screen while they stared at him like he was an alien.

"Okay, I will be right there." I replied, and then waited for the door to click shut before covering my ears. I saw the reaction more than I heard it, fortunately. They were acting like... well teenage girls. I laughed as they talked over themselves trying to ask me questions.

"Who was that!?"

"Ohmygodheissocuuuuute."

"Is he single?"

"Can I have him?" I shook my head at the two of them and coughed awkwardly as one of them was staring off into space looking like she was drooling.

"He is Vincent's older brother. No. No. And sooo no." I said with an exasperated voice.

"What? Why not?" The younger whined.

"That's not fair. You should share." The older shook her head at me in mock disappointment.

"I have to go. I don't want to miss pizza night. I'll talk to you next week." I didn't even listen to their protests as I shut off the feed and closed the app.

1944