The Steele Brothers (Completed)

37. Raven

Viri twists in her seat, staring back at us.  Despite us being directed to the other side of the room from her to collect our gowns, she I knew we were up to something.  A couple of times this month she had caught us whispering together, and although she had given us a quizzical look, she had left us to it and I knew her brain was whirring and she probably had an inkling of what we were planning, She didn't seem worried however, in fact I had caught her grinning at us last time she caught us, I was sure she knew what was coming but she just didn't know how we would do it.

"She's watching us, do you think she knows" Jett asked nervously from my side, his gaze unable to stray far from our girl.
"I haven't told her!" Grey holds his hands up and we all laugh at him.

Ash smacks him on the arm "Don't be daft, Jett, stop looking at her" he pauses and shakes his head, looking at me and I nod agreeing with what he is silently saying "Viri knows what's coming, she just doesn't know how or when. I swear she's psychic sometimes, we only had to think of what we want and she knows" he finishes.

"So what do we do?" Jet mumbles, lifting the cap and trying to make it sit properly on his head.
"We make it a surprise, something she will never forget" I tell them all.
"When did they say it would be ready?" Grey shrugs off the gown and puts his jacket back on.
"Tomorrow morning" I reply with a grin as our name is called.

"Mr Steele" the Dean calls out as he approaches.
"Yes" we all turn and face him and he laughs at us.  I swear we are his favourite pupils, aside from Viri, always checking in on us, but then with the connections within our household he couldn't afford not to.

'"Mr Raven Steele" he identifies which of us he's after and with a laugh my brothers all finish and with a wave leave me with the Dean as they cross the room to Viri.

I catch her gaze and small smile over their shoulders before I turn back to the Dean. "Sir?"

"Raven, do you have your speech ready?" he asks and I mentally groan, I had been informed I was valedictorian a while back and been told I would need one, I had tried to get out of it but been told the salutatorian has already asked not to be identified or give a speech and it was down to me.

"I'll only do it if you tell me who it was" I tell him with a grin, he had been avoiding my question.  I knew that I could have found out by asking Dom or Leo to take a look for me but Viri got mad with us when we did something outside the law, or if we asked her cousins to do it.

The Dean huffs at me "I'm surprised you haven't worked it out yourself" he replies looking across the room at the heart of my family and it clicks.
"Viridian?"
"I didn't tell you" he mutters "but now you know, please tell me you have a speech ready"

I laugh, sneaky girl but I couldn't make her do it, she hated speaking in public. "Yes Sir, I have a speech prepared, and I won't tell her I know"

"Thank you" his gaze again looks at them. "I... ' he paused and looks at me "I would like to wish you all, all the best for the future, what you have is rare and beautiful and should be protected and nurtured" he holds out his hand and I shake it.
"Thank you"

"Good, good, now I will see you on Friday, Don't be late" he says before rushing off again, leaving me watching my family across the room.  He's right, what we have is almost perfect and soon it will be completely perfect.

We finish up collected everything we needed for Friday before heading out to woods, Viri had taken such a liking to our waterfall and pool we were now frequent visitors. Sometimes it would be one of us, sometimes more but this was our first visit with all of us together.

Laying out the blankets we had stripped down to our swimmers and relaxed back, content to unwind and enjoy the late summer sun. Viri's head resting on Grey's stomach as my hand slowly caressed her leg.