“What, you snuck out? Didn’t…tell him?” Jesse asks, his frown deepening in his confusion.“What did you want me to do,” Daphne asks, giving him a genuine grin, “go knocking on bedroom doors and wake everyone up just to tell them I’m leaving? It is very early, Jesse, even if you keep psychotic child
I gasp a little, pretending to be more scandalized than I am at his evesdropping. But then my shoulders slump and I glance over to where my parents are sitting, mom finishing up wrapping some of the presents that we’ll open tomorrow.“Luca kind of got in trouble with my dad yesterday,” I whisper, an
Dad, of course, just sits with his arms crossed, waiting for me. Everyone continues to sit quietly, idly working on making decorations or wrapping gifts, pretending they’re not listening as intently as they are. I scowl at all of them – even Jackson, who is pretending to be very interested in the
“More inconspicuous,” he murmurs, opening the door for me. When I slip inside and buckle my belt, he goes around to the driver’s seat and climbs in, starting the car. “Such a new leaf, Luca,” I say quietly, turning in my seat to smile at him. “No press at all?” “No press,” he says, giving me a s
As we sit, I notice with a little smile the two dark figures who come to stand behind us – even more inconspicuous than we are. And I’m grateful for them – grateful for my dad for always wanting to keep me safe – even as I know that nothing’s going to happen. That even if anyone did want to hurt us,
Luca looks off into the fire now, his arm heavy around my shoulders, as he confesses what might be his deepest truth. “I’m very afraid, Ariel, that I don’t have any substance at all. That I’m just flash, and that the moment I run out of interesting twists and turns that…everyone will see that I’m ju
“I love it,” I reply, breathy. But then I frown, looking up at him. “You never answered my question, though. Why did you bring me to this?” He smiles down. “Because I intuited you’d love it, little pyromaniac princess.” I burst into laugher, sitting up straight. “What,” he says, grinning at me
I grimace as I slip through the dining room door to dinner, because I am well aware that I am both late and underdressed. But I laugh as I try to quietly press the door shut behind me, because a huge cheer goes up from my gathered family at my arrival, letting me know that I was a complete fool fo