Page 44 of Levi

“I'm not the one being ridiculous. You're gorgeous, Quinn. Don't let the opinion of someone else dictate how you view yourself.”

My heart swells at the sincerity in his words. I can hear it in his voice how much he wants me to believe him.

“Let's just go have fun,” I tell him through the mirror, pleading with him to just drop it. Thankfully he leans down and places a kiss on my cheek before swatting my ass.

“Come on, Angel. Let's go fight the devil.”

* * *

WhyI even remotely thought tonight would be any different than past dinners is beyond me, especially since it's not just as bad.

It's worse.

It’s incredible how, in one meal, my sister can somehow make everything about her. It would almost be impressive if it wasn’t also completely annoying and rude, which I’m beginning to think her boyfriend Wilson is starting to notice.

When we first got here, my aunt was at the table while my uncle went to the bar to grab a drink. She gave me a big, warm hug. She's always been one of my favorite huggers in the world.

My sister and her boyfriend have been showing way more PDA than usual, which just makes my aunt and uncle want to talk to us more. Sounds great and all. Except every time we try to answer one of their questions, Ally jumps in.

That lasted all the way through drinks and appetizers, and thankfully, we just got our meals, so maybe she'll put food in her face hole instead of talking so much. The thing keeping me grounded is Levi's fingers playing with my shoulder as his other hand lays on my thigh.

“How did all your appointments with the players go last week?” Ally says, her smirk making me want to lean over the table and smack her across the face. But she just sits there staring at me like a little brat, taking a bite of steak from the tip of her knife like a savage.

Conniving bitch!I think, as Levi squeezes my shoulder, his thumb rubbing little circles and keeping me sane, preventing me from leaping across the table and actually smacking her.

“They were fine. We’re seeing good progress with quite a few of them already,” I tell her, watching as my uncle nods and smiles at the positive news.

“But, Ally, in the future, like I’ve already mentioned before, please don’t touch my schedule,” I say as politely as I can, although the emphasis on touch was pretty blatant.

“I was just following through with what Uncle Ronnie asked for,” Ally says sweetly, but I see through her act. Unfortunately, I can’t stop myself from reacting. My tolerance for her bullshit is pretty non-existent these days.

“If you had looked more closely at my calendar, you would’ve seen that I had already finished scheduling everyone and was starting next week’s appointments since I was supposed to be off this week. Not only that, but the days and times for the players didn’t match what their program called for, so in some cases, it was actually a waste of everyone's time,” I snap before grabbing my glass of wine and taking a gulp.

Ally sits there for a moment, biting her lip and glancing back and forth between me and our uncle, like she’s not sure how to cover her ass. Only she’s never had to—Uncle Ronnie always does it for her.

“I think Ally was only trying to help, wouldn’t you agree, Quinn?” my uncle says, deliberately looking at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ally start to smile, knowing she won’t need to get herself out of this mess.

“Actually, no. She deliberately broke our protocol,again, and stepped into an area she has no training for.”

“She’s been working with me for a while, Quinn. We both know she knows more than the average person.”

“Really? But you were so adamant that I couldn’t help at all until I finished schooling. Yet it’s different for Ally? Why’s that?”

“Is this really how we are going to spend tonight’s meal?” he says, and I know the conversation is over—for now. He won’t listen to a single thing I say.

Now I’m even more frustrated that he’s on her side because, years ago, I offered to help with scheduling. I understood the timing needed for certain appointments and how to read the plans for the number of days and so on.

But he said no.

I’m actually more hurt than frustrated. I spent years going to school to do this job, the dream being to work with him since I was a little kid…but why? Why has this been my dream if he’s just proving he’s holding my sister and me to different standards? I’ve had to work, fight, and claw my way to the finish line to get the same things she can just take.

Now I’m left feeling like an unwanted visitor amongst my own family.

“I think Quinn has a fair point, though, Coach, don’t you?” Levi says, surprising me. His arm tightens around me, pulling me in just enough to remind me he’s here.

I’m not actually alone.

Ally looks pissed though, and if glares could kill, Levi and I would both probably be dead. At least we’d go out together.

---