Page 32 of The Puck Chase

“You’re right, I’m being silly,” she sighs, wiping her cheeks and focusing back on the room. “Besides, guests will be arriving soon, so you better run and get changed, I left new suits in both of your closets,” she adds sweetly, and Everest and I share a knowing look.

It’s going to be a long day.

Four hours later and I am sitting in a tuxedo in my own damn house, eating one of the best fucking dinners I’ve ever had, as everyone talks back and forth. The table is absolutely overflowing, since my mom invited everyone she considers to be part of our immediate family. Which includes her and David of course, then my Dad and Katrina, Aurora, Everest and me, and then Everest’s two best friends, Griffin and Harden, and both their families. They attend pretty much every family function we throw, and have done so since Everest was ten and the three of them became friends. They’ve been inseparable ever since, and I’m pretty sure they are going to end up following him to FU next fall.

“Mom, can we go shopping next week?” Aurora pipes up from beside me, instantly getting our mom’s attention, and making her smile.

“Of course, my darling, what do you need?” she replies, already putting down her drink and pulling out her phone to check her calendar.

“I need a dress for senior winter formal,” my sister says softly, flicking her gaze to Everest, who immediately snaps his head in her direction, making her cringe.

“Why the hell do you need a dress for senior winter formal?” He demands angrily, before my mom can even respond, and she rolls her eyes, more than used to her sons and their bullshit.

“Language at the table,” David groans, but of course his son doesn’t back down, and my mother reaches out to rub my stepdad’s arm in comfort.

“Who asked you?” Everest snaps, clearly now realizing that the only reason she would choose to go is if she were asked as someone's date.

My sister’s fingers fly across her phone screen as she texts, before she sighs and finally gives Everest her full attention. “Not that it’s any of your business, but Jason Miles asked me,” she huffs, and I watch as my brother shares a look with his two friends.

“You are not going to winter formal with Jason fucking Miles,” Everest snaps in outrage, and Davids slams down his knife.

“Language, son, for crying out loud it’s Thanksgiving,” David complains, and my dad laughs.

“It’s okay, Dave, we all know how bad his mouth is.”

“Dad, I’m sorry, but Jason Miles is a fucking creep,” he snaps in response, before focusing back on my sister. “You are not going to the dance with him,” he repeats, that anger of his now burning towards the surface.

“Why, what are you going to do, beat him up too?” My sister tosses back, throwing my brother’s antics in his face, and he smirks.

“If I have too, yeah,” he replies instantly, and my sister slams her phone to the table in outrage, leaning across her plate to glare at him.

“You are not the boss of me, Ever, just stay out of this,” she grits, and my brother sits back in his chair and smirks.

“You’re right, I’m not the boss of you.” My sister’s eyes widen in surprise, and she smiles softly as if she is finally happy to be getting through to him, but I know my brother better than that. He switches his focus to our parents. “Mom, this guy is an absolute tool, he’s way too old for her. He preys on all the young girls, trying to get them into bed, and then he brags about it to anyone who will listen. She absolutely cannot go to winter formal with him.”

My mom listens intently, as does my dad, David, and Katrina, clearly taking on board what he has to say, and when my eyes flick back to my sister, she is now glaring at our brother with her mouth open. “Are you kidding me right now?” she yells in fury. “You date whoever the hell you want, why can’t I?”

Everest rolls his eyes. “I wouldn’t call what I do dating.” His words are casual and I smirk, as his father curses beneath his breath.

“Oh don’t we know it, Monroe the hoe.” My mom chokes on her drink as my sister tosses Everest’s nickname at him, and David opens his mouth to cut in, but Everest’s best friend beats him to it.

“Come on, Rora, you know deep down, Monroe is right, Jason is a tool, you could do way better than him,” Griffin defends his friend, but all my sister does is scoff.

“Of course you’re on his side,” she mumbles, before looking at Harden. “I don’t suppose you have anything to add?” She questions him, but like always he remains silent. Yet from the pained look in his eyes, I’m almost certain he does have something to add, he just won’t voice it out loud in front of us all.

“We just don’t like the guy,” Griffin says for his friend, and when he shares a look with Everest, they both nod to one another ever so slightly.

Looks like someone else is getting beat up.

“Maybe you should listen to the boys, darling,” my mom starts, and my sister abruptly stands in outrage.

“You know, suddenly I don’t feel very thankful,” she utters, before storming away from the table, and out of the room without another word.

My mom moves to stand, but I hold my hand up to stop her. “It’s okay Mom, I got it,” I tell her, noticing Aurora’s phone still on the table, and I grab it before I stand and head after her.

I know she will have headed to her room, so I make my way upstairs to follow her, ignoring her phone as it vibrates in my hand, but when it continues, I curse, deciding to check out this Jason tool for myself. Yet when I swipe open her phone, I find something even better.She’s been texting fucking Forbes.

There is a whole chain of messages between them, talking about art and life, and I am completely fucking dumbfounded. Why the fuck have I got to stay away from him, but he’s allowed to text my sister? Excitement like I have never known floods my system, and without even thinking about it, I take out my own phone and copy the number to a new contact, quickly saving it, before I reach my sister’s room.

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