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"𝐦𝐡𝐦."

EVERYTHING IS ACHING, my head pounding and my muscles aching. I feel what seems like the hard floor underneath me. I feel a heartbeat in every crevice of my body, my limbs paining and all.

As if instinct I prop myself onto my elbows, struggling as I attempt to sit up. I slipped back onto the floor hitting my back on hardwood floors muttering an 'Ow' in the process.

I push myself up so I am now sitting up straight, as I go to open my eyes my vision is immediately blurred and my eyes start burning the bright light shining straight into my eyes.

God, what did I do?

I let out an inaudible groan, squeezing my eyes shut as leaning back hoping to be met with a wall but instead my head gets a bump on the back. I let out a groan a little louder than the last, I turn my head to see a chair?

Why the hell am I on the floor?

My head is throbbing and my legs feel tingly, I hesitantly open my eyes wider and let my vision refocus as I glance at my surroundings, taking in the wall color, the stairs, am I sleeping in a hallway?

I look to my left where I see Selena asleep beside me, I narrow my eyes confusedly before I pause. I slowly turn, ignoring the throbbing and glance over the room once more, taking a closer look.

Everything seems too familiar. Too familiar.

Fuck.

My eyes widen in realization as I whip around towards Selena and shake her awake, muttering her name a few times.

"Selena." I whisper-shout, shaking her shoulders and Selena being the light sleeper she is, wakes up almost immediately.

She sits straight up immediately which makes me flinch slightly by her abruptness. It seemed to take her only a few seconds to adjust to our surroundings.

My heart is racing in my chest, and I squeeze my eyes shut feeling that headache getting worse by the second. I am panicking and all Selena does is glance towards the clock on the wall, raising her eyebrows.

She looks at me unamused – I narrow my eyes and my nostrils flare, "Just a little bit early, isn't it?" Selena says sarcastically and I scoff at her.

"Have you even realized where we are?!" I whisper-yell, unimpressed by her sarcasm. I have a panicked look in my eyes, I am not sure if I should just sneak out now or play dead.

Her eyes broaden when she finally realizes where we are.

The Beck summer house.

In a flash she seems to already grab ahold of my shoulder and rises to her feet, pulling me up with her. I feel what I could only imagine blood rushing to my head as I stumble a bit, feeling the throb and pain in my legs.

"Fucking hell, at least let me not faint, would you?" I scowl and let out a groan, clutching my head with my other hand as she moves at a fast pace. Fortunately, there is a bathroom just a meter away from us and she shoves me inside as well as herself, locking the door behind us.

I glare at her with a panicked look, she quickly spins around to face me, her back to the door as I stare at her like she's some maniac and I'm really starting to think she is one.

"What the hell?! Why are we here–." I whisper-shout as I start bombing her with questions but she ends up interrupting me almost immediately.She grits her teeth and shakes her head in response, she then brings her index finger to her lips and shush me.

"Sh!" She shushed me and I open my mouth to speak again, "Did I miss the reunion?! Why were we on the floor?" I ask her multiple questions at a time before I stumble back a bit and Selena catches me by my elbows, straightening me back up.

I ignore her attempts to shush me and ask her way more questions than this, and she starts jumping up and down on the spot, which makes her look a bit crazy so I roll my eyes.

"No, I'm not gonna shut up! Why are we here?!" I continue, and I want to cry out of panic and frustration. I don't remember anything, my legs feel weird and I have one hell of a hangover. She grips onto my shoulders and shakes me, the shushing sound slipping through her teeth begins to.

I just keep on asking and asking until eventually two knocks sound from behind the door Selena's back is facing. My eyes lift over Selena's shoulder in curiosity before I hear a familiar voice.

"Are you two lesbians or something? Why are you peeing together?"

My face scrunches up as I squint my eyes. "Shut the fuck up, Steven," I say. "Go back to checking your non-existent abs in the mirror or something, Lanky." Selena snorts at my comment.

"Sheesh," says Steven, taking a step back away from the door, "someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed—"

"Piss off!" I retort with a groggy tone.

"—oh yeah, that's right, you didn't sleep on a bed. You slept on our rock hard flooring because you can't control your alcohol."

"I swear to fucking God, Steven," I breathe out, controling my own annoyance or at least trying, "I will go to the kitchen, find the nearest knife, and gut you," I say in a slow, menacing tone, smiling sarcastically and devilishly.

He blows raspberries, "Yeah, as if." We hear him walk away from the door, except he stops as he calls out another thing to us. "Oh, and tell New Girl Susannah wants to meet her."

My brows furrow deeply, sharing a brief glance with my best friend as I lift my finger and open her mouth to speak. Selena shakes her head once more, whispering the next words loud enough for me to hear but not anyone else outside the door. "They don't recognize me. None of them do!"

Despite my mouth already being open to retort something to Steven, it hangs open. It is nothing but dead silence for a moment or two as we stare at each other. I blink and just stare at Selena with my eyebrows engraving into my forehead. "What?!"

Selena doesnt think twice to shush me as I stare at her in pure disbelief.

"The fuck you mean they don't recognize you?! What!" I look at her with my jaw dropped and I don't even care about my hangover at this point. I can't believe they can't even remember after four years, it's bullshit. I just realized how much I can't stand to face them all, even worse that they do not recognize Selena.

She shushes me ten times louder. "Shut up!" She hisses, shaking my violently but just groaning and stopping when I realize that I still have a major hangover.

"How do you expect me to remain calm?! They don't recognize you!" And apparently, this is now a war of whisper-shouts.

"Correct! But I have a plan!" She whispers swiftly to quiet me. It works too, because I eye her up and down as I cross my arms over my chest.

"A plan to murder I hope..." I mutter and massage my temples with my hand.

She lifts her brows shortly. "Uh, not quite."

"Boo," I say as if she's a shitty actor on a theater stage.

She sighs, a small grin playing at her lips. "I wanna play a game." I raise my eyebrows but I don't say anything in return, I just listen. "A mystery game where they have to figure out who I am. If they don't figure it out by the end of summer... Well, I'll just have to tell them. Jeremiah calls me Star because I was watching them last night at the bonfire."

I grow a smirk on my face and wink. "Cute." Selena rolls her eyes evidently as she whacks the side of my arm with the back of her hand. My smirk soon falters and I just huff and wipe my hand over my face. "God, I'm gonna go get some water," I carefully push past Selena, attempting to not fall over in the process, as I go to unlock the door. "Hope they have painkillers too because my head feels like it's going to explode. Lord help me if Steven enters the room— hey, you coming?"

She squints her eyes at me as she gestures to the mirror. "I went to sleep with makeup on and my hair has one-too-many tangles in it."

"Right, you're gonna prep yourself, got it," I acknowledge what she's suggesting as I leave the small bathroom, closing the door behind her and wink at her.

As soon as I exit the bathroom I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding, leaning my back against the door and resting my head against it to take a breather. I can't get rid of this stupid hangover fast enough, the conversation has been keeping my mind off of my terrible hangover but it all comes rushing back to me.

I just know I look like an absolute mess, as I push myself off the door, I walk over to the floor where I had claimed as my bed the night prior and look for my phone in my leather jacket pocket.

When I go to turn on my phone, I am met with a pitch black screen meaning it is dead. Can my morning get any worse?

I close my eyes for a second, massaging my temples as I let out a tiny groan. I grab my leather jacket and throw it on, I am planning on getting out of this forsaken house as soon as possible.

The rest of the house is quiet, silent. I glance around, dropping my hand from my temples and letting out a huff. I can't believe I actually decided to drink last night (I can absolutely believe it).

I take a few soft steps forward, legs shaking a bit yet I think nothing of it. I glance down and see my shoes are still on my feet and I raise my brows for a second, peeping my head around the corner. I look around to see if anyone is there and I'm met with the coast clear and Conrad lying on the couch, he must be hungover as well.

I walk into the kitchen, the light from the windows shining brightly in my eyes – making my headache a whole lot worse. I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before opening them again, blinking my eyes to adjust to the light.

I walk over to the counter, wiping my hand over the marble. It has been a while since I have been in this house, so whilst I look for painkillers I soak up the silence.

As I quietly walk over to one of the cabinets, skimming over them with my eyes – I can't remember which cabinet kept all of the cups. I reached my hand to one of the cabinet handles and open it.

The second I open it, I am met with cups. Finally, luck.

If anything I just need water, my mouth is dry so I go to grab a cup before I hear a voice behind me.

"What are you doing?" A familiar voice speaks from behind me, I whip myself around and my eyes broaden. I am met with Steven's eyes locking on mine and he is dressed in a uniform that I recognise from the country club.

I quickly close the cabinet and open my mouth but the words die on my tongue.

"Oh, hi!" My voice went slightly higher and I had a look of slight awkwardness on my face. I stand with my arms dropped at my sides and I hold my breath for a moment, either this headache is growing or I have one hell of a case of embarrassment.

"Huh? Didn't you just say four minutes ago that you were gonna gut me and now you wanna be on my good side?" Steven says sarcastically and I can't help but roll my eyes out of instinct. He knows how to push my buttons, that's right.

"What happened to you? You look dead." He is trying to spark conversation but I just stare at him awkwardly and nod.

"Well, I feel dead so I can only imagine what death feels like. Okay, real question here, painkillers? Ever heard of them?" I lean on the counter for support, returning his sarcasm with a groggy tone.

"Yikes you even sound bad, and no I have never heard of painkillers before." Steven gives me an extremely sarcastic answer and I roll my eyes.

"I'm not surprised based on the amount of gears that are turning up there, hint: not many." I reply and get a glass out of the cabinet, filling it with water.

He lets out a scoff and we both hear footsteps nearing the kitchen. I stand, leaning against the counter for support – drinking the water with my eyes half-closed. God I'm definitely feeling it now.

I keep my eyes closed for a moment, trying to suppress a groan at the throbbing pain in my head. Jeremiah walks in with Laurel not far behind him with her laptop in her hands.

"Good morning." Laurel greets us a sweet good morning with a tiny smile, to which I nod in response.

At least I was slightly prepared to speak to Steven, as I argued with him through a bathroom door. It just hit me that I have to now face everyone.

Jeremiah bids me a small smile and I nod in response flashing him an awkward tight lipped smile. I down the rest of my water and set it down the counter, looking down at it for a second before Laurel smiles, "Don't worry about it honey, I'll wash it."

I look at her with tired eyes and my jaw slightly dropped in shock in acknowledgment. I let out a nervous chuckle and furrow my eyebrows, "Are you sure? I can wash it is really not a big deal."

Laurel shakes her head, "Relax." I nod in response, awkwardly glancing around the room meeting everyone else's eyes, meaning: Steven and Jeremiah, and I just run a hand through my very tangled, curly locks.

I walk past Laurel and towards Conrad, trying to seek some comfort from the awkward aura of the house. "Scootch." I flick Conrad's head and he looks at me tiredly, clearly as out of it as I am and he sits up – moving out of the way and making room for me to sit.

Conrad made me feel comfortable, when Selena wasn't here, he and I would hang out last summer when we bumped into each other. Growing up, even though he is older than me, we were close. We have always shared similar interests and since he started smoking he and I would hang out whenever he was here.

I never tell anyone my secrets but I feel that I can confide in him. Last night when he greeted me it made me feel less tense in the dining room. I know I can count on him when I need a cigarette and maybe a stupid pep talk about boys being assholes.

I glance to Conrad who is holding his head in his hand, massaging his temples and I don't stop myself from leaning my head on his shoulder, slouching into the couch. I close my eyes as I feel the throbbing come back into my skull.

It is clear that the two of us, the very impulsive teenagers, are now regretting last night's actions.

"Feeling shit?" I lowered my voice so no one can really hear me. If anything I just want to get up and leave. Conrad groans in response and I huff, he is now acting as my headrest as I keep my head on his shoulder for the time being.

"Last night was shit." He grumbled and turned his head to look at me, he and I treat each other like siblings. I don't remember what happened last night but if I am here. It was definitely bad.

Conrad and I don't carry on our conversation, not feeling the need to fill the silence as Jeremiah and Steven conversed in the kitchen.

I close my eyes once more, hoping for the pain to fade away any second yet it never does.

"Do we really have to physically sit for our portraits?" I hear Jeremiah speak from the kitchen, "Can't she just, like, look at a picture on her phone or something? Okay, get out."

I then hear a familiar laugh come from the kitchen, although I cant see who it is, I can tell it is Steven. "What? Why?" The boy speaks through chuckles.

"She needs to see you in the flesh in order to capture your essence while you're still young and full of hope. Her words." Laurel speaks up, the sound of the two boys bursting into laughs.

Conrad and I open our eyes glancing at each other with unimpressed and tired looks before hearing Jeremiah speak once more making us both sigh in unison.

"Well, Conrad does not have hope, actually he's hopeless, but my hangover smoothie – it cures all." He speaks up and my ears perk up at his words.

"Can you please just hurry up?" Conrad raised his voice with a groggy tone and I hit his shoulder since he is practically yelling into my ear. "Ow," Conrad mutters and I roll my eyes, putting my head on the back of the couch, slouching even deeper into it.

"Just go back to bed, alright?" Jeremiah's voice pipes up from the kitchen and Conrad places his head in his hand once more.

After maybe a minute of drowning in the darkness of the back of my eyelids, I open my eyes and blink to regain clear vision. My eyes then land on Selena which causes my eyes to broaden a bit. I forgot she was still in the bathroom.

"Morning..." I acknowledge Selena with a raspy tone as I notice the others have now locked their eyes on me when I speak. I awkwardly glance around at everyone in the room and back at Selena.

I am not the biggest person for awkward situations and this has to be the most awkward situation by far, and last night coming in at a close second. Possibly the time I was caught stealing maybe four or five cigarettes from my mother's room...three times but who's counting?

I watch as Selena takes a step into the room, shifting her gaze to Laurel, Steven and Jeremiah. Everyone gives me a confused look and I cant help but feel like I am shrinking.

"Okay, great, you're both in here," Jeremiah speaks up, not taking his eyes off the pan in front of him. "Gwen, I don't think I even have to offer this magical hangover cure of a smoothie, right?"

"Not even a question," I answer instantaneously, not even thinking the question over, I just need this hangover gone.

My eyes land on Selena once more. I beckon her over to the seat I am sitting on with Conrad and pats it beside me. I nudge Conrad's side so he could move over and that is just what he does.

"And, Star, would you like some eggs? Perfectly made. The yolk never gets broken when I make them," Jeremiah offers eggs to Selena as I slouch into the couch, closing my eyes again.

"Sure, thank you." I hear Selena accept his offer from beside me as I keep my eyes closed.

"Alright, seriously, Steven, get out," I hear Jeremiah abruptly demand Steven to get out.

Steven rolls his eyes. "Oh, c'mon."

"This is a delicate science," I can't help but open my one eye, peering through the side of it to see what is happening, "and your heavy breathing is gonna break the yolk. Gotta make the guests happy, alright?"

I see Selena staring at the scene through the corner of my eye and I can't help but try and hold back a smirk however I just keep it on the downlow.

"Okay. Okay, okay," Steven walks away in defeat, a grin tugging at his lips.

Selena leans forward, cupping her hands around the sides of her face as her elbows lean on her thighs. I let my eyes drift around to see Steven walking away from Jeremiah with a stupid grin on his face. I forget how annoying he is.

"She hasn't painted you since you were little," Laurel speaks up, her eyes trained on the back of Jeremiah's head as he returns back to cooking. I assume that they are referring to Susannah as she always used to paint portraits of us when we were little.

One-on-one for three hours straight. When people think of sitting for a portrait they think of dead silence not with Susannah she always has something to talk about.

Susannah always treated Selena me as if we were her own, and I loved that about her. Sometimes my own mother doesn't really feel like my mother, if that makes sense? It just feels like Susannah is more of a mother than mine, Loretta, has ever been.

I see Laurel twist her head to our direction and she looks at me. "I'm sure Susannah would want you to have your portrait done too. You look different from how you were six years ago."

"Oh...uhm, yeah. Maybe because I had glasses and longer as well as straighter hair," I state, rubbing my eyes as I yawn after. "God, I do not miss my glasses. I've just noticed how none of us wear glasses anymore — even Belly. I mean, none of us do now... some of us. Maybe."

I forget that Selena has not been revealed to the rest yet and I see her eye me.

The air falls silent, and I don't know if it's because everyone's doing something or if they do not feel the need to fill this awful silence. That's until Laurel speaks up again, "I'd assume Selena still wears her glasses, honey. She never took them off ever and loved them. It's a shame we won't be able to get an updated portrait of her this year."

I discreetly eye Selena from the corner of my eyes. I see as her brows raise into the middle of her forehead as she faces me. I stay silent for a moment, not knowing what to say before I receive a nudge to my leg and I instantly reply to Laurel, "Uh— yeah, totally. She loved her glasses..."

"You okay, hon?" Laurel wonders, and all of the sudden, all the eyes are on both Selena and me.

I open my mouth to speak however I stammer for a second. "Uh... well, you know! Just miss her. Think we all do." I try to smile nonchalantly however I miserably fail.

"Well," Steven begins as he circles the kitchen island, "Selly has to come back, right? I mean, she can't forget about us. When she comes back, then Susannah can paint her."

Laurel clears her throat for a second and hesitantly agrees with her son. I see Selena frown in the corner of my eyes and scowl slightly as I watch them.

"Look, I think it'd be nice to have these portraits for when you're older," Laurel tells her son and Jeremiah. I watch as the youngest Fisher boy turns around and walks over to the blender.

"Old? No," Steven begins, glancing over at Conrad, Selena and I from the doorway. "When I'm older, I'm sure there'll be, like—" he rips his eyes away from us, "like, holograms or something I can watch myself, you know?"

"Oh, boy, don't you have high hopes for technology," I murmur, slowly beginning to drift back into unconsciousness as my head drops forward slowly. Just as I slowly slip into unconsciousness, the blender in the kitchen goes off and immediately makes Conrad and me flinch.

"Fuck me," I whispers under my breath, holding my head as both I and the older Fisher boy begin massaging their temples simultaneously.

The second the whirring comes to an end, Laurel looks up at her son with narrowed eyes. "Just sit for your portraits. I don't see Conrad or Gwen complaining."

Jeremiah has poured the avocado smoothie into two separate glasses and he's walking into the room where the three of us are. "Conrad will complain when he's conscious and Gwen's too polite for her own good." He offers me a glass, to which I groan and frown in disgust as I take it. With his free hand, he then lightly hits his brother's shoulder as he hands him the other glass.

He sends Selena a grin as he gestures to the pan. "Eggs will be ready shortly, m'lady."

"Got it," She chuckles as he turns around and walks back to the kitchen, I raise one of my eyebrows before examining the glass of smoothie in my hand. This looks nasty.

Steven watches with a particular look in his eyes. "C'mon, man. Hurry your ass up. Alright? I can't be late for my first day of work."

"We won't. We're good," Jeremiah says, entirely relaxed. He whacks Steven's hand as he steps past, to which Steven slaps his ass in return. I quietly snort from surprise.

"Mm, kinky," I comment sarcastically before groaning one last time as I chug down the avocado smoothie. "Good Lord, that is fucking disgusting. No offense, Jere." I shake my head in disgust and taste the leftover avocado in the smoothie. I absolutely hate avocados.

They ignore my small comments as Steven says the most outrageous things and does the most awful movements. I think I'd much rather claw my eyes out and eat avocados for the rest of my life. "Those old country club boomers are gonna tip me so hard, man, they won't know what hit 'em!"

My face immediately scrunches up in disgust and I groan – looking away feeling the awful feeling of second hand embarrassment and I see Selena groan and put her head in her hands.

"Steven, I do not ask anything from you but please for the love of God, never ever do that again," I practically plead from beside Selena, who is feeling the same emotion I currently have to deal with.

"Steven, I swear," his mom also cringed, and I don't blame her. I would never do something like that in front of my mother, like ever.

"What?" Steven laughed, his eyes dancing between Laurel, Selena and I.

"C'mon guys," Jeremiah defends. "My boy's got to get that bread." Selena and I both share disgusted glances as Steven thanks him. I hear lighter footsteps from the kitchen, and I don't pay attention until I hear Jeremiah speaks. "Good morning," Jeremiah greets as Belly steps into the kitchen with no ounce of happiness on her face.

"Belly, where have you been?" her mom demands without second thought, her eyes catching onto the bruise on her cheekbone that even I can see all the way from the couch. She gasps, "Is that a bruise?"

"Um—" Belly stutters as Laurel brushes her daughter's hair out of her face to have a better look at the forming bruise, "I— I bumped into someone."

"You bumped into someone?" Laurel asks as Belly focuses her attention on the three of us on the couch. Conrad is leaned forward, his eyes on Belly while I am leaning back, my head resting on the couch.

"Doesn't look that bad," Conrad voiced.

The youngest out of all of us turns forward and meets Jeremiah's eyes. "Um, cereal?" he offers.

"Yeah, hit me."

"Sure."

"Oh, my God!" an exclamation sounds from a familiar, joyful woman as she runs down the stairs excitedly. Susannah turns the corner and her attention is so focused on the piece of card in her hand that she doesn't even see Selena and I on the couch. "Belly is gonna be a debutante."

My eyebrows raise as I hear Susannah's exclamation.

Susannah rushes over to Belly and wraps her arms around her. Selena's mouth slightly falls open as she faces me, leaning into my ear to whisper, "They still do deb balls?"

I nod immediately, exaggeratingly rolling my eyes at the idea. Belly laughs, "It's really not that big of a deal."

"I'm sorry. Like, Belly?" Steven questions with widened eyes. "Like, my sister? Like, that thing right there?"

Belly stares at her brother, leaning forward to grab the milk Jeremiah had set down for her as he returns to the eggs. "Shut up, cretin."

Susannah suddenly gasps, her eyes landing on something in particular. It's my bag on one of the chairs around the table in the kitchen. She walks forward towards it and I watch her carefully with my eyebrows raised before she pulls out the same piece of card from my bag.

We watch her stare down at the card for a moment or two, a look of disappointment falling over her expression as she turns around to face the couch. "Gwen, sweetie, you never signed it?"

"Uh, I said I would think about it, I'm just not sure it's my thing y'know?" I shrug, and I can't help but feel bad for disappointing Susannah, she was so excited but I can't do this.

"Of course," Susannah sweetly smiles at me and I try to not show my guilt , her eyes then sliding over to Selena after a second. Her jaw drops. "Oh, my God, hi!" she greets me, now walking over to the couch. "Gwen, is this your surprise you said you had yesterday? Your new pretty friend?!"

My heart falls to my stomach and my breath hitches.

Shit.

Nevertheless, I see Selena put on a bright smile as she approaches us. I purse my lips tightly and awkwardly nod. "Uh, yeah." I was internally cringing at the situation.

"Honey, you are gorgeous," Susannah says to Selena as she inspects her face. "You remind me of someone, I just can't put my finger on it," she says mindlessly, lost in thought. From this, I sit up immediately and clear her throat. "What's your name, sweetie?"

Selena opens her mouth to mutter out a false answer before Jeremiah sounds from the kitchen, "Star, the eggs are nearly done!" My brows furrow a bit before sigh to myself.

Selena's rises to her feet from the couch and begins making her way to the kitchen. I feel the need to be on her heels as she follows her, Susannah doing the same as she gasps again. "What a beautiful name!"

"Oh, honey, I love your hair. You and Gwen could sign up for Vogue," Susannah smiles brightly. God, I love her. She's such a sweet woman. "Very random question, but what's your last name, sweetie?"

"Uh—"

"Star Savoy!" I blurt out, trying to come up with a lie on the spot. Everyone freezes in place as they turn to face us both. Selena turns to me with slightly broadened eyes for a moment. All of their eyes on me makes me laugh uncomfortably. "Yeah, Savoy. She's uh— she's my cousin's daughter. Melissa? You guys know Melissa, right?" Everyone stays silent. "No, of course not, you wouldn't. B— but Melissa's daughter, Star, is my second cousin! Mhm!"

Currently I am trying to fight the urge to not bash my head into the nearest wall, I can't believe I just said that.

I glance out the corner of my eyes, catching Jeremiah's eyes. He looks beyond perplexed.

"That literally makes no sense since last night when Jere called her Star, you started babbling on about how there was no one in the car named Star," Steven points out, furrowing his brows as he watches us both.

"Uh, well, you know, I didn't know she was in the car at the time," I rush out, feeling extremely under pressure.

Kill me now.

Steven squints his eyes more skeptically. "You knew she was in the car, what are you talking about? You called her, and I quote, a 'pop up book from hell.'"

Despite the circumstances, I let out a snort and point at Selena, "Hey, that's from Gilmore Girls right?" She elbows my arm. "Oh, yeah, right— Look, dude, I have short term memory loss when I'm drunk. I don't remember shit. I probably forgot she was even there." It's silent for a moment before Steven simply shrugs and goes back to whatever he was doing. I then turn to Selena and stare at her dead in the eye again and whisper, "You have to tell me what the fuck happened, girl."

Jesus, this is bad.

"I will," Selena whispers back, her eyes occasionally meeting Jeremiah's. He blinks confusedly as he turns back to continue the eggs.

"Have you signed yourself up for the debutante, Star?" Susannah innocently asks Selena. I cringe internally, that's going to have to take some getting used to, Selena shakes her head for an answer. "Oh, you should. Both of you should go! The boys' eyes will be all over you three," she refers to Selena, Belly and I.

Steven scoffs loudly. "In Gwen's dreams. And, uh, no, my eyes would be nowhere near Belly. Gwen over here is far too busy with that weird eyebrow dude who is more or less a man slut."

"My God, Steven, no, he isn't," I argue, resulting in an eye roll from Steven.

"Whatever. Major loser," Steven mutters, loud enough for me to hear.

I flip him off in response. "Besides, who are you gonna be all over then? Star?" That felt weird to say.

Selena frowns and gives me a certain look. Definitely not. Steven chuckles at the ridiculousness of my response. "Pft, nah."

"Then who? Hm?" I raise my eyebrows knowingly, knowing Steven he probably hasn't told Laurel about that girl he was with last night.

He opens his mouth to speak before he immediately lets the words die on his tongue.

"Thought so, She's hot," I mouth to him and he scowls. I receive a few skeptical looks from the others but I say nothing of it, instead I see Susannah smirk. "Back off," he returns silently

"Noah?" She says smugly.

Son of a bitch.

"Uh yeah...Noah." I nod and smile slightly but it looks more like a scowl.

"Is he a boyfriend?" Laurel pipes up. Come on, both of them?

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding and nod a bit, "Sort of–" I was then interrupted by Susannah's gasp and tiny squeals.

"It is not a huge deal, we're casual, nothing much." I feel my heart sting a bit, I want more but..how do I ask him?

"Not a huge deal? We don't see you for a year and you have a boyfriend?!" Susannah chuckles and I smile softly at her enthusiasm. I wish that my mom could be this enthusiastic about my life.

"Uh yeah...I have a very casual boyfriend." I attempted to downplay the situation, I mean it's not that big of a deal right?

"Woah, man slut is your boyfriend? I didn't know a boy like that could settle." Steven pipes up and I send him a glare, clenching my jaw to not retort so I just look at my feet.

"So, your boyfriend doesn't approve of your cousin?" Jeremiah speaks up and I send him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?" I am genuinely confused, I can't recall anything from last night and it's starting to scare me. My legs were still slightly shaky, why the fuck are they shaky?

"What's he talking about?" I look at Selena with a look of genuine concern.

"Uh—" Selena seems suddenly nervous, and she looks to Jeremiah who sends her an assuring nod to which I narrow my eyes. She turns back to me. "I went to tell you to ease up on the drinking, and uh, kinda got yelled at by him," She seems to be trying to tell me as innocently as possible. "Um, he called me a pipsqueak, to leave you alone... how I don't fit in the crowd and uh, lastly, run back to mommy."

I go silent and my face goes blank, my jaw clenching. Selena's mother has been dead since she was a baby, I don't say anything and everyone seems to be waiting for my reaction.

I glance at Jeremiah and then to Selena again, I stay silent and decide to confront him on a whim. So I walk past Selena and towards my bag on the table and pick it up, slinging it over my shoulder.

"I'll be back, thanks for letting me stay the night." I poke my tongue in my cheek and then clench my jaw once more.

"I will text you later," I look at Selena and nod at her, my voice monotone, I'm trying so hard to stay collected but now I need to go and confront Noah. Immediately.

"See you guys," I turn around without saying another word and walking out of the kitchen and down the foyer towards the front door. Twisting the doorknob and opening the door just to walk out and hear the door click closed behind me.

Can today start any worse?

𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥'𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘
𝗀𝗎𝗒𝗌...𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀? 𝗎𝗁 𝖭𝖮𝖠𝖧 𝖥𝖴𝖢𝖪 𝖸𝖮𝖴! 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗐𝖺𝗒, 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗀𝗐𝖾𝗇'𝗌 𝗉𝗈𝗏!! 𝖦𝖮 𝖠𝖭𝖣 𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖣 𝖲𝖤𝖫𝖤𝖭𝖠'𝖲 𝖯𝖮𝖵 𝖫𝖨𝖪𝖤 𝖱𝖭, 𝖨𝖬𝖬𝖤𝖣𝖨𝖠𝖳𝖤𝖫𝖸, 𝖭𝖮𝖶 𝖡𝖤𝖥𝖮𝖱𝖤 𝖨 𝖳𝖨𝖢𝖪𝖫𝖤 𝖸𝖮𝖴.

𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝖿𝗈𝗋 400+ 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗌 𝗀𝗎𝗒𝗌 𝖨 𝖺𝗉𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗌𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁. 𝖦𝖮 𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖣 '𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋' 𝖡𝖸 eltheria 𝖥𝖮𝖱 𝖲𝖤𝖫𝖤𝖭𝖠'𝖲 𝖯𝖮𝖵!!

𝗍𝖺𝗀𝗌: m1stywrites CarolineFissel eltheria