𝐀𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲
I had went to bed that night confused at Four's behavior change. His actions were so clear on what we were about to do but it was as if something flashed in his eyes that he immediately became afraid to even touch me.
At least, that's what it seemed like to me.
Did he feel like he was taking advantage of me? Because I thought I made it clear that I was enjoying it and didn't want to stop. I tried calling him after he left but the call kept being forwarded to voicemail before I left a simple message, asking him to get home safe.
I couldn't really sleep after that but I forced myself regardless. In about five hours I would be awaken by my mother who's dressed in a robe with a full face of light makeup, you wouldn't even think she was over thirty.
"It's early," I groan as I squint at the light coming in my window from the curtains she opened. "Why are you waking me up so early?" I absolutely hate being awakened early when I don't need to be ready until the afternoon.
My eyes felt heavy as I sat up and watched her go inside my closet and bring out the flowy white dress and a pair of heels that I know I'll be switching soon to sandals.
"Breakfast is on the table. You'll need to start getting ready, do you want me to tell Travis to help you with your makeup?" She says making me shake my head vigorously. If there was anything I didn't need, it was Travis telling me how my eyebrows weren't lady like because they weren't as thin as a ladies eyebrows are supposed to be.
My mom nods and leaves my room. For the remainder of the time she's out of sight, I fall back into bed and put the pillow over my face to muffle out my groans and the annoying sunlight coming in from my window.
I got in another twenty minutes of sleep before my mother was coming back in my room, scolding me out of bed. I liked it better when she isn't here, I could wake up at whatever time I wanted.
I groggily made my way into my bathroom and began my shower, shaving my legs as best as I could before shaving everything else. After my shower, I change into some comfortable clothes to do my makeup in.
Once I'm ready, I stay in my shorts and spaghetti strap shirt and make my way downstairs to the kitchen to see Jaque eating waffles and scrolling through his phone. He doesn't acknowledge me and I don't say anything to him either.
At least he was staying out of my case. I grab myself a plate of waffles and decorate it with some strawberries and blueberries and accompany it with a glass of orange juice. As I take my first bite, my mother comes in the kitchen and shows what appears to be a caterer around the kitchen before she turned to us with a pearly white smile.
"How are my babies?" She smiles wide as she kisses Jaque on the forehead and tousles his curls. Jaque slightly smiles and continues on his phone. "Who are you bringing?"
"Some friends." Jaque shrugs, keeping his conversation short. My mom nods and turns to me.
"I suppose Madi?" She says in question and I swallow my food.
I can tell Jaque is paying attention to what I am about to say. "No, I mean she's coming but I'm bringing Four." I say and her smile widens.
"Oh, that cute boy you brought over for dinner!" She chirps. "He was so polite, your father and I would love to have him here." Her phone begins to ring and she excuses herself, leaving Jaque and I alone.
"You're not bringing Four." He says, standing up to place his empty plate in the sink. I take in a breath of annoyance and ignore him. "I'm serious, Josephine." His eyebrows furrow as he looks at me with a glare.
"And why not?" I challenge.
"Because I don't want you around him, not everything has to have a fucking reason." He slams his hand down on the marble countertop.
"I'm not going to have this same egotistical older brother conversation with you again, Jaque. I'm bringing Four, despite whatever tantrum you decide to throw." I say, putting my plate in the sink and walk away.
I could sense he was still glaring at me as I walked away, but I didn't care one bit. I don't know whatever problem Jaque has with him, but he better get over it because I'm keen on keeping Four around for as long as I can.
—
At around six, cars started filling up the empty spots on our front entrance and women in fancy dresses and men in tuxedos and suits began piling inside the house, looking at the various portraits from Jaque's and I's modeling days and pieces of art my parents have bought.
I waited by the top of the stairs, clutching the string of my white dress in my hand as I watched every person that came in wasn't Four. I had messaged him earlier, asking if he was still coming but he hadn't responded.
I however, relax when I see Madi greet my parents and walk towards me and joins me on the bench. She was wearing a skin tight satin baby pink dress, and her hair was slicked back in a tight bun.
She kept her makeup at a minimal and her skin looked dewy and I was thankful that she didn't do a full face of makeup because I looked like I wasn't wearing any. "You look gorgeous." She says to me and I return the compliment. "Why are you here all on your lonesome?"
"I'm waiting for Four." I sigh.
"He isn't here yet? He's late." She looks around, a glare on her face and I laugh. Well, if he doesn't come I at least have her here with me.
We spend the time taking pictures with each other before the door is being opened by Four, almost as we were getting ready to begin the party. I am about to greet him but Madi beats me to it.
"You're late, Mr. Number." She jabs a finger in his chest before walking away to the backyard, grabbing a flute of champagne in the process leaving Four and I alone.
He meets my gaze for a second as I take him in. He was wearing a simple all black suit with a black yet meshy undershirt and a simple necklace that dangled on his open chest, it was a paper airplane pendant.
"You can pull one off." I say with a smile and he returns a tight lipped one. I was hoping that this night wouldn't be as awkward, especially with what happened last night. He did seem a bit distant but I suppose he's still tense about it.
"You look beautiful." He comments, but his expression remained plain. His hand reached for mine and I took it gladly, he seemed to relax.
I lead Four out into the backyard, the sun hits my skin nicely and I am thankful that it's not as hot as it usually is most of the days. There was chatter, light music and the sound of running water coming from the pool.
As I looked around, I see Madi talking to what I could tell is my male cousin but I paid no attention as I looked towards Jaque who sported a magenta colored suit, beside him stood Aubrey in a loose coral dress, holding a glass of champagne.
"Is the purpose of all this to show off?" Four comments, bringing back my attention to find him looking around at everyone while twisting one of his rings.
I shrug. "My parents love the fact that they're vintners. They also use it as an excuse to celebrate their anniversary and throw these big parties." I say and take a sip from the glass of wine I got from the table.
Unexpectedly, Jaque joins Four and I in the back. I expected him to keep his distance because of how much he dislikes Four by the looks of it, but I also think that he's here because he's had a bit more than just wine.
I look away as two people in red join us in the backyard. Esmer and Zach grab champagne from the table.
"What are they doing here?" I whisper to Four who only looks visibly irritated and I didn't know if it was because of this whole ceremony thing or Zach's sudden presence. Four looks at Jaque briefly before Jaque nods Zach over.
Jaque and Zach seem to discuss something in secret to each other and I hadn't notice that Four had let go of my hand and kept his distance.
After my brother and Zach end their brief secret conversation, Jaque finishes off his champagne before handing me his empty glass. "Vows time, wish me luck." He winks while practically strutting towards the stage.
I knew Jaque loved the attention, so having to read my parents renewed vows in front of the guests was a pleasure to him. He straightens out his suit before pushing away some curls that fell down his face.
I rolled my eyes and turned away from the disaster unraveling before everyone's eyes. "This is so absurd," I say and set down the empty glasses making Four turn to me with a furrowed brow as I look at the landscape down the hill from our backyard. "My brother renewing our parents vows, he's probably going to talk about how great parents they are and how much they love us when we hardly ever see them." I shake my head.
"Maybe they're just busy with all this." Four says, attempting to make light out of the situation but I only scoff.
"They traded us for their work. And then they will talk about how proud they are of us because we'll be as successful one day." I say. "How would they know that? I mean, they've got one drug addict kid and the other one doesn't even know what to do with her life after high school."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out," he says, offering me a soft smile and I laugh.
"The only thing I did right was probably take you to Madi's party." I say sincerely. Because I have in, I grew fond of Four and he honestly makes me feel like I can be myself. I can be happy for once. He looks into my eyes but I don't see emotion behind them. "You give me hope that I can have more to life than worries and responsibilities."
Four doesn't say anything, he only looks behind me to where I knew Zach stood before my name is being called by Jaque. "...Josephine and I are very grateful to have such wonderful parents who love each other with their all, and love their kids just as much." He says while grabbing a glass of champagne and picking it up in a toast. "We love you, mom and dad. Congratulations." He finishes off and the guests clap for him.
I join the clapping, not wanting to seem like the bitter sibling to all these strangers watching. My mom kisses my brothers forehead as a thank you. Jaque and my parents join us soon after, Aubrey hugging my mother and congratulating them before Jaque takes his place next to her.
"My little girl," my father says and engulfs me in his strong arms before he turns to Four and shakes his hand. "It's nice to see you again, Four was it?"
He nods. "Yes, it's a pleasure. Thank you for having me, this is a great party."
"Well the decorations were my wife's idea, I was only in charge of showing up." He chuckles. "We never properly introduced ourselves, I'm Richard and this is my wife Marissa."
My mom smiles at Four and kisses his cheek in a polite gesture. "I'm so glad you could make it, I hope you're enjoying yourself. We're very proud of how it turned out."
"Rightfully so," Four compliments and my moms eyes gleam. She loved compliments.
"I've got to say, I've never heard of a number be used for a name before, it's quite unusual," my dad speaks again. "Where'd it come from?" Four shrugs at this with a faint smile.
"It's been with me since a kid and has stuck since." My parents question him some more and ask about his accent to which Four replies that he obviously isn't from around here. After a good while, my parents leave us alone and just as I'm about to start conversation with Four, Zach joins us. "Sorry to interrupt. Great party, very classy." He says and I nod.
"Thank you." I say and watch as he nods to Four before walking away.
I hear Four grumble and curse beneath his breath before turning to me. "I'll—"
"Be right back." I finish his sentence. Every time Zach was around he was always leaving at the snap of his fingers and it was starting to get on my nerves.
Four looks at me with some sort of guilt in his eyes and walks a bit closer and holds my face in his hands. "I promise I won't be long." He says and kisses my lips before walking away.
There's tapping on glass and when we all turn our attention to the front, my parents are standing on the white light up platform. They held wine glasses in their hands as they smiled wide.
"We're so happy to have you all joining us today," my father begins. "As you may know, the Clemonte wine is only increasing its production each year, and each year we bring a whole new taste that everyone seems to enjoy..." He smiles at my mother as she holds another microphone.
"This is a very special day, not only as partners and coworkers, but also as a family." She grins from ear to ear. "I have always said that there is no such thing as a mistake, it is only a happy accident. So this is why, we wanted to let every single person in here know that we are expecting." My heart drops as I listened from the crowd, expecting what?
The crowd claps and cheers and I'm trying my best to not dig my nails too deep into my skin. "Yes, that's right. Josephine and Jaque," People turn to us, Jaque stood still, pale as a ghost and I stood with a lump in my throat. "Congratulations, you're going to have another sibling." My mom and dad grin and everyone else smiles.
Once the attention is back on them, I see Jaque rush inside the house with Aubrey on his trail. "...Of course I love our wine so much, I hate to not be able to drink any of it on my journey through pregnancy, so we have come up with Months of Clemonte, a very safe wine for expecting mothers."
My mind was clouded with racing thoughts. What the fuck are they thinking? How will they ever take care of this child? They don't even look after us! Is this just another of their marketing schemes? God, this better be a joke. I needed to get the hell out of here.
I chug two glasses full of wine before I walk inside. Down the corridor, I hear the sounds of someone throwing up and when I look closely, Aubrey is rubbing Jaque's back for comfort.
This day is a fucking nightmare.
—
OUTFITS
Four
Josephine
Jaque
Aubrey
Marissa Clemonte
Richard Clemonte
Madi
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