“Yes, he and Damian can make it. Josh will be so happy,” I reply. Josh, my brother, is the reason I know Dominik and Damian. They’re friends of his and Rian.
“Sure, “Josh” will be,” Rian replies laughing. He’s the sunshine boy of our group.
“Who’s Dominik?” Declan asks Rian almost inaudibly, and I pretend I didn’t hear it. I check the time until the sweets are ready and walk outside as I hear a distinctive car parking outside. Josh’s sports car.
“Damian called, I thought they couldn’t make it,” Josh says with a small, rare curl on his lips, the closest to a smile he can provide to anyone.
“Turns out they can, Dominik just called me to ask if the offer for dinner was still up,” I say, omitting the truth from my brother. Dominik and I had a deal. He’d only come if things were calm here. Since Declan isn’tusually so easy-going or friendly with Rian or anybody else. I didn’t want to add extra tension.
“Josh made friends?” Declan asks from behind me. I shiver.
“Yes, so did Rian,” I answer, and Declan sits on the chair next to me on the porch. I put my hands in my pockets and walk to the porch’s railing, leaning my back against it.
“It was about time we made some allies,” Declan says, turning everything darker. Allies, not friends. Allies. That’s all Declan and Josh care about. Finding families outside of ours, we can connect with and benefit from their protection. It’s all about making and maintaining power.
“Where’s mom?” I ask Josh, trying to get away from this conversation.
“I don’t know. Try the living room. Dad’s car is in the back,” Josh says and joins Declan, hugging him briefly as they start to catch up. I get out of there to give them some space and go back inside. When I reach the living room, I can see my mom’s rose blonde hair and tall figure in our open-space dining room. She’s behind the running glass doors that are half open.
“Make room for two more. Josh’s friends managed to make it, they’ll be here for dinner,” I say, and my mom smiles widely.
“Honey, go get dressed, I've got the kitchen.” I look at my mom and hug her from the side.
“Will you be ok?” I ask, and she assents.
“Yes, I left you a dress on your bed. Maya helped mepick it!” she exclaims excitedly, and I walk upstairs. Mom likes to take photos of our family on rare occasions when we’re all together. And she wants us dressed according to the festivity, Dad makes sure we’re also dressed to our status. Knowing my cousin, the dress is more revealing than I’d like it to be.
I run upstairs, and when I see the dress, I look at it in awe. It is a beautiful, Christmas red slip dress with a fluffy stripe on the shoulders. I take off my clothes, video calling Maya when I’m dressed and putting on my soft makeup.
“Hi, Vee! You look beautiful. Let me see the full picture,” she screams in an excited, high-pitched tone. I get up, and she smiles. “I knew that dress would be fire on you”
“Thank you, and especially thank you for not making it see-through or something,” I reply laughing as I sit back down by the mirror to finish my cat eyeliner. “Oh, Damian is joining us by the way”
“No! Girl, tell me you’re lying,” Maya says blushing.
“You two just kissed, don’t be like that, he won’t even comment on it,” I assure her, but her face goes even redder.
“Stop talking or I’ll have a heart attack. He can’t comment on it, can he?” Maya asks and Sammy joins the call. I must’ve accidentally put it on our girl group, good thing it’s only the three of us.
“He won’t, he isn’t an asshole-”
“You literally don’t know him,” Maya says, and Sammy laughs.
“What are we talking about?” Sammy asks, and I laugh. “Or better, who?” Sammy asks.
“No one, don’t worry, Sammy. Declan’s here,” I inform after a few accidental minutes of not talking about it. Or maybe not.
“He’s there? Please don’t tell me you threw yourself at him”
“Not literally, but I did hug him,” I say, putting on my lipstick, the final step before setting.
“And?” Sammy asks.
“I think I’ll always like him,” I admit and someone walks down the hallway.
“But…?” Maya says. I smile nervously and Sammy opens her mouth in an ‘o’. I turn the volume down, expecting something I don’t want anyone to hear.
“Oh my god, don’t tell me you like someone else. Are you over Declan? Thank god, thought I’d have to beat him out of your system.” Sammy says and Maya covers her mouth, “Who’s it?”
