𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫?
"Wow," Madi smirks as we exit the school in my car. "Didn't think I'd ever say this, but you've got some balls."
I roll my eyes as I continue to drive. School today was pretty exhausting and unproductive. I knew I should've done online classes to save me the trouble of waking up in the mornings and getting dressed in the stupid uniform, only to be surrounded by snobs and fake people.
I have too much of that at home with my brother.
"It's just so that I'm not alone." I say, not telling her that I actually grew fond of Four and I'm looking forward to his presence.
"Call it what you want, I bet you'll be inviting him to the ACA, as well as inside your pants." She winks making me laugh.
"You are delusional, woman." I remind her. She simply shrugs. "We are just friends."
"Jo, please. Stop lying to yourself. You know you like him and it's kind of time for you to experience sex by now."
"Where'd you get that from?" I ask, clearly confused. "So what if I like him? It doesn't mean anything."
"I swear, you get on my nerves." She groans, rubbing her temples. "We're just friends. You and Four are about to be more than friends."
I stay silent the rest of the car ride. Everything I told her went in on ear and out the other, like it usually does. What if she was right though? Four hasn't really shown me any sign that he was attracted to me. We hang out when he asks me to, he annoys me with lame jokes but that's what friends do.
Right?
I had absolutely no idea how he felt about me, but until then, I will keep saying we will never be anything other than friends, just so that I don't get my hopes up.
—
As soon as I enter the house, I am greeted by the smell of food making my stomach growl. I hadn't realized I hadn't eaten food all day. When I go inside the kitchen, my mother is setting up the table.
"Josephine, you're home." She grins at me before grabbing the bottle of wine from the table. "We got the first batch, come give me your thoughts."
"Isn't it always the same as the last?" I ask. I had no idea why she wanted my opinion, I knew nothing about wine and she knows this. She hands me a glass.
"Each year it's different. It's all depending on the harvest." She says. She sits back and watches as I take a sip from the cup. The taste was sweet and tangy, though not as much where it's bitter. "Well?"
"It's pretty good." I say making her grin.
"What'd you think?" I hear my fathers voice boom as he entered the room. He came behind me on the chair and kisses my forehead.
"I like it." I assure and he smiles.
"We've been storing that for quite some time, we're serving this one. What'd you reckon?" He asks.
"I think it's a good idea, I'm sure they're going to love it."
"Where's Jaque by the way? He should've been home with you." My mom asks.
"He probably went to his friends house." I say, beginning to stand up from the table. "I'll call him." My mom nods at this, I could tell I saved her from being angry at me for not showing up with Jaque.
After two unanswered calls, I'm about to reach my car when the front gates open and I see Four's car pull up next to mine. I'm about to ask what he's doing here but stop when I see Jaque come out.
"Where were you?" I ask through gritted teeth but he simply pushes past me. He looked annoyed or angry and when I look to Four, he has a furrow between his eyebrows. "Is everything okay?"
His hands dig inside his front pockets and he nods. "Yeah, I just came to drop him off." I'm about to thank him before the front door opens and my mother comes out.
"Oh, hello." Four takes a step back from me.
"Good afternoon, ma'am." Four says in a calm and polite voice. When I look to him, he has a small smile which I could tell right away was forced since his dimples didn't carve deep.
My mom walks towards us and stands next to me. She had this aura of thinking I'm with a potential love interest. She always expected me to bring a guy home. "Who's your friend, Josephine?" Please go away.
I hold in a breath. "This is Four," I say. "He's a friend from school."
"Pleasure to meet you." Four says as he and my mother shake hands. This is so awkward and I could tell it was awkward for him as well.
"Pleasure's all mine, I see you brought my son home. Josephine here is supposed to be making sure he comes home with her but I guess it slipped her mind, per usual." I huff in annoyance and Four notices this.
"It's my fault actually, Jo had to leave early to study and Jaque had soccer practice. I suggested I'd bring him home so she could get started." He lies for me catching me off guard, I look at him.
It looked as though my mother buys this and I am thankful. "Oh, well thank you so much. Tell you what, we're about to start dinner maybe you'd like to stay?"
Four looks taken aback though he knows he's on the spotlight. "I don't want to impose."
"Nonsense, come join us." My mother grins at him and waves us inside.
"I'm sorry, I know this is awkward." I apologize but he waves me off.
"It's fine, don't worry. I don't have anything better to do." He shrugs. Once inside, Four takes a seat next to me and in front of him sits my brother with the same annoyed look.
"What's the matter with you?" I ask, watching as his eyebrows furrowed. Instead of looking up to me, he looks at Four with a questioning yet menacing look.
"I thought you were leaving." Jaque says.
"Jaque, don't be rude." My mother says. "I invited him to stay for dinner for bringing you home from practice."
"Practice, huh?" Jaque looks to Four and Four gives him a menacing look right back.
"Yes." I butt in. "Practice, and I had to study so that's why I couldn't stay to bring you back." I warn. Jaque doesn't say anything, he only looks from me to Four before looking down to his phone.
"All done," my father says, coming into the room. "Ordered the batch to come in for the party, all we do is wait." He sits down at the end of the table before bringing his attention to Four. "Who's our guest?"
"My name's Four, sir." He says and I watch my father smile at him. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Well, Four. Welcome to our home. I hope you enjoy the food my wife has prepared."
"It all looks good." Four replies and my mother smiles at him.
"Jaque, no phones at the table." My mother says and he is forced to put it away. He looks at Four and I again, noticing our accidental proximity.
"Dad?" Jaque speaks, keeping his eyes on us. "What was that rule you talked about? About Jo not being able to date?" As he says this, the water I was currently drinking went down the wrong place making me cough.
"Not being able to date?" My father repeats. I could sense Four's awkwardness being radiated to me. "I put that rule when you guys were about ten, son."
"Does it still not apply to her?"
"Does it apply to you?" I retort.
"Oh, yeah. How's Aubrey? You don't bring her around anymore." My mom says.
"That's because you guys are never here." Jaque says.
"Well, then it's my job to ask; what are your intentions with my daughter, Four?" I groan at this. I wanted to just drop my head as hard as I could and for the world to swallow me whole.
"Dad." I earn through gritted teeth.
"We're not dating." Four chuckles.
"We're just friends." I add and I could see Four look to me.
"I mean, for future references. If you guys ever decide to date, what will be your intentions then?" My dad says making Jaque glare at us.
"Four, you don't have to answer him." I say.
He looks to me. "I'm sure my intentions would be to treat her like she deserves, make her laugh and make her happy." His eyes stay on me as mine on his.
Did this mean he liked me? Or maybe it was because my father put him on the spot.
"Four, I think I forgot my phone's charger in your car." Jaque speaks, stealing Four's attention from me. "Do you mind?" My brother stands up and walks away.
"Excuse me." Four says before walking away as well. Once they're out of sight, I turn to my dad.
"Why would you do that?" I retort, already sick and tired of this evening. The one time they're here to eat dinner with us and the first time they meet Four and now they have embarrassed me.
My father looks up from his dinner. "Do what?"
"Embarrass me like that? I told you Four and I are just friends," I begin to stand from the chair, setting down my napkin. "Besides, he's older than I am. Technically it'd be illegal."
"So what?" My mother says. "Your father was a lot older than I was when we first met. You'll soon come to understand, Josephine that age doesn't matter."
I ignore them as I walk away to find Four and apologize.
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