The sunlight was brightly shining on my face. I tried to turn away from it, but something prohibited my body from moving. I squinted and saw a lovely angel fast asleep on me. I smiled and kissed the top of her head. My actions caused her to move and yawn.

"Good morning." She squinted up at me.

"Good morning, cutie. Sorry I woke you."

"Nah. You all good." I laughed as she hugged me tighter. "I'm hungry." She mumbled into my chest.

"Well, you have to release me first." She pouted and squeezed me even tighter. "Or we could stay here for a bit." She rapidly nodded at my proposal.

X

"Please! Please! Please!" Lala begged. I just smirked in response to her pleas. She's been trying to get me to reveal the location of our date. I told her it's a surprise and she hates that I won't even give her the slightest hint.

"We're here." Lala rolled her eyes as she read the sigh and gasped.

"An arcade?!" I nervously nodded. "Ahhhh! So much fun!" She hugged me and quickly exited the car. She sprinted around the driver side to grab my hand and drag me inside. I paid for the unlimited wristbands which allowed us to play the arcade games, go kart, and laser tag. We were having a blast just being carefree. She won me a giant minion (the one with one eye). She wanted to kiss me, but I pulled back causing her eyebrows to furrow. "What's wrong?"

"It's too public." I glanced around.

"Right." She sighed out. I didn't want her to be sad, so I grabbed her and deeply kissed her. "I was just asking for a peck, but that was a nice surprise." She breathed out. "Now, I wanna kick your ass at laser tag." She dragged me over and purposely made sure we were on opposing teams. It's no surprise that she beat me, like annihilated me. We then raced around in the go karts and she, once again, beat me. After we exhausted the arcade, we returned back to campus. I walked her into her dorm room and cuddled with her. We were watching movies when Rosé entered and nearly fainted from shock. I took that as my cue to leave, so with a final kiss, I drove back home.

Right when I closed the car door, Zara walked up behind me. Was she stalking me?

"Why were you in the dorms?" Yep, she was stalking me. I gave her a blank stare which only irritated her more. "Ryder and I were driving around campus and I saw you enter the dorms. Why did you go in?" She pushed, but I ignored her and entered the house. "Who were you going to see? You're an engaged woman you know."

"Just don't tell Tamsin." I dismissed her. She walked behind me and continued questioning my motives. We came to a halt when I walked through the dining room and saw Tamsin patiently waiting for me. Her hands were locked together and rested upon the table. "Unless you already did." I glared at Zara who rolled her eyes signaling that she didn't tell Tamsin shit.

"Where were you?" Tamsin questioned.

"None of your business." I made a move to leave, but Tamsin called out to me.

"You were with someone." I groaned because no shit I was with someone. "The poor dyke." That ceased my groaning. Who did she think she was to be calling Nic such a derogatory term?! "I want you to explain what this is." She turned her computer screen around to show an image displayed. "Wanna expand?" She crossed her arms. On the screen was a picture of Nic and I kissing at the arcade. I took a sharp breath and felt the wind get knocked out of me. "Rohan Korfu called. He claimed to have seen you on a date with a girl. I immediately rejected the claim because I THOUGHT it wasn't true. Then, he sent me this picture which MADE ME LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT! He wants the charges against him dropped as well as our family reinvesting in his company, but for a SMALLER percentage! If not, then these pictures go public embarrassing our family! Not only were you photographed cheating on your fiancé, but it had to be a girl?! And a poor one at that! What the fuck?!"

"Tamsin, please-"

"Don't beg. I'm just giving you the pregame. Mother and father will be here tomorrow. They wanted to SPEAK to you in person and not over the phone."

"Why would you call them Tamsin? You're just making this more muddled than it has to be." Zara criticized.

"Because this is NOT okay. And why are you defending her? Do you support her choices?"

"I don't support what you're doing." Zara crossed her arms. "We could've settled this privately without the involvement of our parents, but you want the drama. It's quite sickening even for you."

"I want that destitute girl out of MY school and I don't want her fraternizing with MY sister! It's disgusting. She's tainted you with her impoverished lips!"

"Do you have literally nothing better to do?" I scoffed at her. "Like seriously. Must you make life so difficult? Why do-"

"Guys!" The front door loudly slammed shut. "Look what Chico and I got!" Gemma dragged Chico behind her and thrust their wrists in the air. "We got matching bracelets! Aren't they pretty?!" Gemma noticed the tension in the air diminsihing her excitement. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later." Zara stated.

"Rest up, Ali." Tamsin mockingly addressed me. "Because you're gonna need it for mother and father tomorrow. If I were you, I'd cancel all my plans." Tamsin stood up with a devious smirk and left the room. I balled my fist and stormed up to my room ignoring my sisters' calls.

X

Did I really need to leave my room? I had food stocked in here for a solid two weeks. Surely by then, my parents would have to leave again for a business trip. Or I could spend my remaining days here. I shook that feeling off. Whether I liked to admit it or not, I was a McAllister meaning that I never backdowned because of fear. I did my routine and held my head high as I left my room. My poise disintegrated the moment I stepped out my door because I went tumbling onto the ground.

"Ow." I looked over my shoulder to see Gemma standing up.

"Gemzi, please tell me why you were right outside my door?" I gave her a daggered look.

"I thought you'd want company going to see our parents. Like a hype person or something. I don't know." She looked down. My sister is too sweet. I got up to give her a hug. We then walked hand in hand to the office where my parents were waiting. My father sat behind the desk, my mother rested on the desk, and Tamsin was seated on the couch. "I can stay, if you want." I nodded at Gemma who sat next to me on the couch. Never once did she release her hold on my hand. My parents and Tamsin stared at me. Each of us daring the other to speak first. My mother decided to be the first one to make the move. She stood up from the desk, walked over to me, and gave me a hard slap across the face.

"Disgusting." Her voice was laced with venom. "Absolutely rancid behavior-"

"Darling." My father interrupted. He then signaled for my mother to return to him. He held her hand and guided her into his seat.

"She needs to be punished, father. She cheated on Arthur! Made a business proposition behind your back with Rohan Korfu! She's messing around with a peasant!" I scoffed at Tamsin's word usage. "And to make it even worse, the peasant is a girl! The tabloids will have a field day with this!" Tamsin's hands were widely gesticulating in the air.

"She's never been like this before. That girl has weaselled her way into my daughter's life and corrupted her!" My mom was hysterical at this point. "We need to send her to a conversion camp!" How about a no? "We can't have that. What are people going to think? We are now harboring something that will affect our reputation!" Yeah, my mom is officially crazy.

"Please, everyone calm down." Gemma tried, but my mother and Tamsin were too far gone in their condemnation. I felt Gemma shake so I looked over at her. My eyes widened at her red face. "I SAID EVERYONE CALM DOWN!" We all stared at Gemma in shock. "Have you ever thought that maybe this is the first time you're seeing or hearing about it because she never felt comfortable to tell you. She still doesn't even feel comfortable telling you, but she has to have this talk now since she's been outed. And you guys are doing an awful job at embracing her! She can't help who she loves! So what if she loves a girl and that girl isn't as rich as us! Leave her alone!" Gemma's shoulders were rapidly going up and down.

"She's corrupted you as well." My mother sighed while I groaned in annoyance. "We need to take Gemma to therapy." My mother desperately looked to my father. He had his head in his hands.

"Gemma will not be going to therapy. Leave her out of your irrationality. Gemzi, I appreciate your support, but I don't what you being a misdirected target. Please, leave." She wanted to say something, but I gave her a pointed look. With a sigh, she stood up and left the room. "Now, let's talk." I demanded. My father actually glanced up this time. He was clearly intrigued as to what I had to say. "I've always known I was bisexual. I had my first kiss at 11 and it was with a girl. Shocker, I know." I sarcastically remarked. "I never had an incentive to disclose that information because I knew it wouldn't be taken well in my hypocritical family. I didn't mean to fall in love with my girlfriend. Yes, you heard that correctly. She's MY girlfriend. I've dated both genders and thought I was destined to marry a man because that's what you guys would want. There would be no room for challenge, but... I found a reason to fight that. I'm not going to let you bully her out the school." I glared at Tamsin. "Nor will I be rescinding the charge against Rohan Korfu. Do what you wish with his family's business. I don't care, but he will be charged as a sexual predator and assaulter." I stared my mother down. "I'll be taking my leave now." I stood up, but my mom pushed me back down into the chair.

"You have a week to break up with that girl or you're cut off the moment you graduate." My father spoke up. My eyes widened in horror as I observed him rub his index finger and thumb together twice.

"She needs therapy." My mother insisted.

"I think going to the priest and confessing is enough." My father ended the discussion. "Tamsin." She piped up as he addressed her. "Keep an eye on her in school."

"Yes, sir!" Tamsin excitedly answered. My father led my mother out the room leaving Tamsin and I. "I want to witness you breaking her heart." She taunted. I was boiling mad and fuming on the inside that I didn't hear anything else she said. I bolted up from my seat and went to the one place I could take all my frustration out on. I texted my tennis coach to meet me at the courts.