Like that’s a fix for the amount of alcohol she thinks we don’t know she consumes. What pisses me off is how our sad excuse for a father acts like it’s not a problem. As long as she’s the perfect arm candy and doesn’t embarrass him, he doesn’t give a shit.
I see the way it hurts Ari as she stares at her mum, defeat in her eyes.
“Mum, you don’t need to diet.”
Her mum just waves her off. “It’s just a detox, sweetie. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.”
Ari’s mouth parts, but she doesn’t reply. Instead, she reaches for her orange juice. After swallowing a few mouthfuls, her tongue darts out to lick her lips.
And just like that, I’m hard all over again.
I’m in a perpetual state of arousal around this female, and she has no fucking clue.
I watch her as she pulls out her phone, even though she’s trying to be discreet. I thought she was flushed before, but she is positively beetroot now.
Her teeth sink into her lower lip as she types out a quick reply, placing her phone back into her cardigan pocket before making quick work of eating her granola and natural yoghurt.
“Got somewhere you need to be?” Hunter asks her without missing a beat.
Her eyes rise to meet his before flitting to mine, and she just shakes her head, quickly looking down.
Unable to stop myself, I kick out my leg beneath the table, my foot slipping between her legs as my ankle meets hers.
She fidgets but otherwise keeps her expression as neutral as possible.
“Can you pass the salt, please?” I ask.
When she realises I’m talking to her, she quickly swallows and does as I ask, passing it to me. I could just take it easily enough without touching her, but where would be the fun in that?
My fingers graze hers deliberately, slowly, the hairs on her forearm rising in goosebumps, her cheeks heated.
And then I do something I’ve never done before, I wink at her.
She gasps almost inaudibly as thesaltshaker is transferred from her to me.
I make quick work of eating my eggs and toast, as does Hunter.
My dad polishes off the dregs of his coffee with a slurp, then stands.
“Make sure you clear this up.” He plays with his cufflinks. “Marion,” he says, like always, her name on his lips a command.
She takes another sip of her smoothie before dutifully leaving the table. Kitted out in her tennis outfit, our dad in his suit. Like always on Thursdays, he drops her off on his way to work; if that’s what you’d call it. He just sits there, pencil-pushing and blaming everyone else for their incompetence.
“Bye, Ari. Bye, boys.”
We don’t even get a backward glance from our father as he stalks out of the kitchen, Marion quick on his heels.
Ari stands abruptly, begins stacking the plates, and carries them all to the sink.
My phone burns a hole in my pocket. Unable to resist, I pull it free and check for her reply.
Our Obsession: Yes, I agree x
I turn the screen towards Hunter. He smirks.
“Game on,” he says.
“Game on,” I reply, bumping my fist against his.
