"Listen to me."

"No."

"You didn't even hear what I said." Dave groaned proceeding to slump against the headboard pouting. Remind me again why a twenty eight year old man is throwing tantrums like a toddler.

"Chris and Luke just had the same talk with me and I denied. So get your pretty head to stop worrying and take rest." I confirmed.

"I think you should go." Dave again said making a point to not drop the topic.

Chris had invited me to his parents anniversary party, but I declined the invite causing me to endure two hours of whining and emotional blackmail from Luke. When I was glad I could resist his puppy eyes and deny it point blank, the two little devils had put Dave on duty and he like the pretend be good boy he is has started his own game of manipulation.

"Dave you will be alone. And the party is not more important than you." I warned my eyes flashing with determination.

"I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself for a few hours." Dave said puffing up his chest.

I narrowed my eyes at him and said scathingly "Which painkillers are you supposed to take when your head hurts?"

Dave's eyes widened clearly not expecting me to throw in the question answer routine.

"The white tablet in the right shelf."he had no idea what he was saying.

"Dave, the white tablet in that shelf is mentos." I replied thus answering my question as to why Dave could not stay alone at home.

"What if I call Emma to stay me? Will you go then? I don't want you to miss out because of me." Dave started again.

"I could, but I don't have a dress. So I'm not going." I said so proud of myself for finding another excuse to shut him up.

"Dress right here." I heard a voice causing me to groan out loud and turned to find Emma standing near the door with a dress in hand and a wide grin.

"You pre-planned this you little piece of shit." I scolded Dave who very innocently was pretending to be asleep.

"I am leaving you two alone and I expect to see both of you and the house intact when I get back." I warned Emma and snatched the dress from her hand and went towards my room to get ready.

"Bye, Gwen I'll miss you." I heard Dave call out.

Now he's awake.

****

"Hi I'm Alec, the much better looking brother." Alec Luke's elder son introduced himself flashing me a charming smile followed by a wink causing Luke and Chris to snort.

"If you were half as handsome as me, then I would think the line is justified." Luke said with sarcasm.

"Are you calling me ugly dad?" Alec asked dramatically clutching his heart.

"No he confirmed it." Chris said causing all of us to burst into laughter.

"That was mean, I may by mistake tell mom about that day" Alec said making a dash for the stairs where you could no doubt see Maria Smith greeting her guests.

Luke was at a moment stunned his own son had turned the tables against him proceeded to run after his first born. Poor fellow would have to endure an angry wife on his anniversary otherwise.

"You look beautiful." I heard Chris whisper in my ear causing a zap of electricity to pass through me looked into his grey eyes and my face began to heat up and soon I would start stuttering.

"Chris." I heard a voice call out which had the aftereffect of nails scrapped on glass.

I barley could see anything when a girl barley my age wedged between us and wrapped her arms around Chris just like an octopus would wrap it's tentacles around it's prey.

"I missed you so much." She rambled barley noticing Chris's widened eyes.

"Hi, I'm Macy, Chris and I are friends."she smiled at me, clutching his hand.

"Hello, I'm Gwen." I said trying my best to smile. I didn't like the girl one bit, her lipstick was too red, her dress was too short, her face was like a preying mantis.

Why do I not like her?

"Did you miss me?" Macy purred her smiling mischievously.

"Of course, Chris always talks about you." I told my voice laced with sarcasm.

"Do you want to dance with me." she squealed and tugged him to the dance floor.

"I mean... I'm not that good at dancing, Alec is the good one. Fine but only once." he resigned when she pouted.

I hate the way she wrapped her arms around him, I hate polite way he smiles at her, the hate the darn man for trying to do something he clearly didn't like in fear of hurting someone's feelings. I hated the way she whispered things causing him to laugh, I hate the admiration she had for Chris, I hate that they seem like the best couple in the room.

All in all I hated him.

Way to sound like a psychotic, jealous wife.

I am so not.

Could have fooled me.

"Gwen." I heard Luke call out, causing me to bounce out of my inner monologue. I cast a longing look at Chris, the pig head was twirling Macy around. I wished she would brake her heel and fall down. Would serve both good for looking so good together.

"Meet my wife Maria Smith." Luke proudly introduced to me.

My eyes nearly bulged out of my sockets when she pulled me into a hug. I slowly relaxed and patted her back.

"I heard so much about you. I was so excited to meet the person my husband and son rambled about." She said smiling warmly.

"I got you both a small gift." I said in a small voice and pushed an envelope into her hand. I hoped they would like it. I'm not very good with giving people gifts, if you can count the number of times I dumped stones into a gift box and left it on my sister's bed.

"Time for the cake." Alec rubbed his hands together smiling widely.

"Please tell me you guys didn't bake that." Maria demanded hands on her hips.

"We would probably posion the whole place." Luke admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Drink in hand I smiled wishfully as Luke and Alec argued, threatened, called each other names for the last peice of cake. Stopping both of them from slamming each other's head on the counter, Maria smiled sweetly and whispered something to both of them, they surprisingly broke apart and mumbled a half assed apology, she grinned handing over the slice to Chris.

This is what a family should be like, they bickered, they fought, they strived to make each other miserable, but if any problem came their way, the first one's to either hold your hand, or make plans to egg someone's car, or even sit in jail with you, they wouldn't think twice about it. A pang of sadness flickered through me, tightening my chest as memories swirled around in my head as I remembered my parents and sister. I smiled at the scene before moving to sit in the garden.

"Want cake?" Chris asked smugly showing me a big slice of cake and two forks and some tissues he balanced in his hands.

"Never expect me to say no." I laughed eagerly patting the bench I sat on.

"Wow, you must like really like me to share that." I joked, stupid Gwen. Do you always have to blurt out the first thing that comes to your head.

"I think I do." he said almost to himself, great now I'm hearing things, and that is such a good sign of mental stability.

"What are you doing here?" he asked pushing a forkfull into his mouth.

"Seeing you so happy and relaxed with your family, may have kinda reminded me of mine." I answered shoving a big bite into my mouth.

"What are they like?"

Useless.

Why is my subconscious like this?

"They're not nice like yours, I could use the word... complicated." I tried putting them into words.

"All family's are." he grinned pushing the plate towards me.

"Tell me about it." I mumbled leaning my head on his shoulder, he pressed a kiss to my forehead and wrapped his hands around me.

"Macy seemed awfully nice." I probed.

"Jealous?" he asked turning me towards him.

"Hardly." I scoffed,

"I mean you guys never... went out."

"Gosh no. She deliberately goes out of her way to make me uncomfortable. She's engaged actually." he said wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Great." I said, trying to be disinterested.

"Someone's very curious today." he still didn't drop the topic.

"I think I'll leave, it's getting late." I mumbled, knowing how good he is at interogation and how well he sees through my lies.

"Gwen wait."he said tugging me against him, my hands wrapped around his neck and he lightly held my waist. I looked into his grey eyes, our lips barley an inch apart. I breathed loudly and tightened my grip on his neck.

"Were you jealous?" he asked pressing his forehead against mine.

"Yes." I couldn't lie even if I tried.

Chris gently ran his hands through my hair, and I brushed my thumb along the nape of his neck. A zap of energy flowed through me, my knees felt week, my breath eractic, as he slowly and laundily pressed a deep kiss to the corner of my mouth. He stopped to see if I wanted to pull away, when I didn't he slowly brought his lips near mine, I closed my eyes wanting to feel this moment, I wanted to feel his warmth near me.

His phone rang.

And we pulled apart.

Chris cursed under his breadth and settling an apologetic kiss to my cheek he spoke into his phone, hissing loudly, he ended the call took my hand and led me back into the house.

"We have a problem." was all he said.