for Erica, because I'm such an idiot for not having checked out all of her works yet, and now that I have I am OBSESSED

"Just breath."

"Breathing."

"Relax."

"Relaxing."

"Did I tell you that you look immensely beautiful tonight?"

I sigh lovingly, pecking Brady on his plump lips. "Swooning."

Brady smiles down at me, tucking away the stray strands of hair before kissing me once more, this time a little longer than the previous. "Don't worry," He assures me, leading me into his large house and down the hallway that leads to the dining area. "They already know and love you, Leah. There's nothing to be worried about."

"I know." I sigh shakily, wiping my sweaty palms on my light wash jeggings. "But they know me as one of your best friends, not as your girlfriend. I want them to approve of me."

"And they will." He presses, squeezing my hand. "I promise."

Before I can argue or rebuttal with Brady, we reach the large dining area and I clamp my mouth shut. Sitting at the long, mahogany table is Brady's mother, father, and older sister Bianxa, all of which are glancing at Brady and I. I gulp, feeling my nerves intensify as the room becomes thick with silence and tension.

"Hey." Brady says, gripping my hand and pulling me towards the table. "You guys know Leah."

"Hello, Leah." Mrs. Hire greets me in a warm and velvety voice, her red, matte lips forming a welcoming smile. "It's nice to see you again."

Even at age 47, Mrs. Hire doesn't seem to look a day over 20. Her skin is tight and silky smooth and has a deeply tan glow from her days spent somewhere sunny, back when she was a full time model. Her hair is a light blonde color, seemingly natural, and runs down her back in smooth, innocent waves. I've always thought that Mrs. Hire was beautiful from afar but being this close to her should be illegal.

"You too." I croak, smiling as well before glancing at Mr. Hire and Bianca. "It's nice to see you all."

"Yes." Mr. Hire nods, not yet looking up from his phone. When he does its only for a moment as he quickly begins to type.

"Rufus." Mrs. Hire hisses. "We said that we'd be taking a break from that for tonight."

"One moment." He mutters, typing furiously fast before setting his phone down and smiling at me. "My apologies, Leah, I am a busy man." He says pointedly, grabbing his napkin and laying it over his lap. "How are you?"

"I'm good." I follow his lead, putting the napkin in my lap as well. "And you all?"

"Good, thank you." Mrs. Hire answers. "We're all very excited for you and Brady."

"Mom." Brady groans.

"What?" Mrs. Hire wonders as Bianca lets out a girly giggle. "We are!"

"Have you guys done it yet?" Bianca buts in, leaning forward on the table so that her heart shaped face is being propped up by her hands. "Like, really."

"Bianca." Mrs. Hire warns.

Mr. Hire snaps his fingers loudly, calling in a few young people wearing waitress uniforms and carrying dishes. They set them on the table—a large plate of some type of pasta and a glass of water—before scurrying back where they came from. "I think it's a wonderful inquiry." Mr. Hire says, much to Bianca's amusement. "Are you two participating in sexual intercourse?"

"Yes." I blurt before Brady can try to make light of the situation. "We are. But safely—he used a condom and I'm on the pill."

Mr. Hire nods, and Mrs. Hire forces on a smile: "Good." She says. "I just wish that talk would stay away from the table." She mumbles, plucking a lone noodle and placing it in her small mouth.

"I'm sorry," I say, cheeks flaming.

Mr. Hire waves me off. "No need to apologize. It's a parents job to make sure that their son or daughter is having safe sex." He then turns to Mrs. Hire. "Just because it isn't pretty like you, Giselle, doesn't mean it can't be said."

Mrs. Hire rolls her eyes, but you can see her lips fighting back a smile.

"I agree, daddy." Bianca chirps, following her mother and daintily beginning to eat her pasta. "We should just put everything out on the table." She then eyes Brady maliciously before facing me. "Have you guys done oral?"

I've known Bianca Hire just as long as I've known Brady, and much to Brady's disappointment I've never really liked her. She's gorgeous, with a lean and slim body from all of the sports she's done, and has made it extra clear just how she intends to use it—plainly for sex. She doesn't happen to go to our public school, instead insisting on going to the nearby private so that she's far away from people like us—upper middle class types. Bianca has never done anything outright mean to me but I just can't stand the aura she carries—as if she's better than anyone and everyone.

Brady nearly chokes on his food. "Bianca what the hel—heck?! What the heck?!"

"It's a genuine question!" She exclaims defensively. "Oral sex is the number one way to get an STD, right daddy?"

"She's correct." Mr. Hire swallows a large chug of water.

"That's not appropriate." Brady rebuttals. "And frankly, none of anyone's business."

"Braden." Mrs. Hire scoffs, referring to Brady by his full name.

Brady's face slackens in shame. "I'm sorry, but it's true. Bianca's just trying to make Leah feel uncomfortable."

"Bianca, watch your mouth." Mrs. Hire scolds her. "Now, on to more appropriate and legitimate questions, how are your grades Leah?"

I swallow a large forkful of pasta before washing it down with half a glass of water. "They're good, getting better." I tell them honestly. "I don't plan on going to college anywhere out of state so they're not too great but they're pretty alright."

"I appreciate your honesty." Mr. Hire compliments me, smiling warmly. "Any idea what you'd like to major in?"

"I was thinking something involving music." I reply, not missing Brady's proud smile. "Perhaps maybe even joining an orchestra or a choir."

"How lovely!" Mrs. Hire gushes, clapping her thin, manicured hands together. "What do you play?"

"She sings and plays piano." Brady answers for me. "She's really good."

"Would you mind showing us?" Mrs. Hire asks me curiously, finishing off her pasta and handing her plate to one of the young people that come dashing back into the dining area. "Maybe play a song or two?"

"Uh sure." I hand my plate to the young waiter as well, taking a long gulp of water, before following the family into their living room.

There a piano sits beside their fireplace and large glass window. The family all sits down on the leather couch, Bianca rolling her eyes, and watch as I sit on the piano bench. With my back to them it's a lot easier to play, so I warm up quickly and go straight into Für Elise—something easy, yet infamously beautiful. I memorized it for a competition a good while back, but I played it so many times that it's still fresh underneath my fingers.

I try my best to ignore the pleased "Oohs" and "Ah"s coming from Mrs. Hire, to instead drown myself in the sound of the music. When I close my eyes, I picture myself somewhere sweet and happy, somewhere far away from Ford and school and any type of stress. Somewhere with Brady.

When I'm done, I let it a small breath and turn around on the stool to face the family. They all erupt into loud applauds, Mrs. Hire even standing on her feet. I smile at them all in appreciation before my eyes land on Brady, clapping the loudest and smiling the broadest. I'm so happy to be with him that sometimes it doesn't even feel real, like its a trick from the universe to be this happy about something.

After the table is cleared and a few light laughs are shared between the five of us, Brady excuses us from the group and leads me outside through the screen door and into the deck. The night air is cool against my cheeks and neck, lifting my wavy hair and blowing it here and there. I walk to the edge of the deck, looking out into the forest beyond and trying not to imagine Ford and I tangled up in the dewy greens.

"I heard you two that night."

My cheeks sprout a burning warmth as I turn around to face a chuckling Brady. "You mean, me and Ford?"

"Who else?" He smiles teasingly, joining me at the border of the deck, his lean hands gripping onto the wood. "You're not exactly a quiet love maker."

I punch his chest. "Shut up."

"I'm kidding." He assures me, wrapping his left arm around my waist and pulling me deep into his side.

I glance up at Brady's lean and chiseled face, "How do you think tonight went?"

"I think it went exceptionally well." He tells me, smiling down at me. "Just like I told you that it well."

"Do you think that they like me?" I press.

Brady reaches with his right hand and delicately brushes stray hairs from my forehead. "I think they love you. You really impressed them with that piano recital. Myself included."

"I'm glad." I murmur softly, resting my head o his hard chest.

Brady dips his head down quickly and steals a kiss. "I love you."

"And I love you." I sigh, burying my face in his chest.

Brady strokes my head lovingly as his chest rises and falls beneath me, all at a slow and smooth pace. If I could pin a place as home, or my happy place, this would be it. Standing beside Brady with the wind blowing through my hair, no words needed to be said, just simply being together. It's what I've been looking for in this world, and to say that I finally have it is a blessing on many occasions.

I just hope it lasts.

↣↣↣↣↣↣

I exhale tiredly as I pull the broom from its hook on the wall, the late shift exhaustion already setting in.

It's times like these that I wish I hadn't signed up for such a late shift, especially since it's begins right after my scheduled nap time. I feel drowsy and weak all over because of how little my body has awakened, but I try my best to shake off the feeling as I tie my hair into a sloppy bun and begin to sweep the floors of the restaurant.

I sweep for a good while before beginning to mop. I swipe the soaking wet, long haired thing into the wooden floors of the restaurant, picking up dust and any wet stains that the earlier employees left for me. It's apparent just how much they despise me by how messy they left the place—chairs unstacked, crumbs littering the tables and boogies, windows and glass coated in grubby finger prints. Even when they don't know a thing about me, they decide that it's a hell of a lot more fun to make my job harder just because I'm the boss's daughter.

Nonetheless, I clean it all. I scrub the windows clean, mop the floors until I can see my reflection, and swipe every crumb seen by the human eye. By the time I've completed it all, my arms and fingers are sore, and all that I want to do is take a hot bath and go to sleep. Perhaps beside Brady.

Just as I'm pulling my NorthFace back on and preparing to dial Brady's number, I hear the front door open. My back is facing it, and I'm so tired that I don't even bother to turn around. "Closed." Is all I say.

"We need to talk."

I whip around, my entire body completely alert, facing Ford head on as he's only a foot or so away from me. But this isn't the Ford that I know. He's swaying gently, his skin is slightly paler, and the look behind his eyes is one that I promised myself I'd never come into contact with again. He was drunk, obviously, but I sure as hell wasn't.

"Gladly." I spat back, tightening my fists and preparing myself for something that even I knew was out of my control.

It was about to go down.

And I had no idea how to stop it.

↣↣↣↣↣↣

holy heck it has been forever since of updated OR made an authors note, so hello to you all. I'M FINALLY OUT OF SCHOOL LMAO!!!! it honestly still feels like I have 2 more months left but I don't so it's kinda weird??? but oh well.