LIGHTS UP ━ JORDAN BAKER

chapter three

   The bakers home began to feel like hers freshman year with her constantly being there but as she entered the house, looking around it almost felt like she'd never been in the area before—as if all her memories with the family were in another lifetime, Olivia had gone out of her way, to not be seen by the girl for a conversation to spark for some reason and Brielle personally felt out of place, her straw found her mouth as the sun brimmed down.

   Sunglasses on her eyes as she sat alone on the beach chair, Asher and Jordan a few seats down. Brielle focused forward, her eyes darting to Layla twirling her hair round and round as she talked to Spencer next to the pool, a boy she hadn't conversated with since he said hi, for some reason she had this conscious, like she was in the wrong but still, an explanation wasn't brewing in her mind but the idea of Layla and him together had been, her head cocked to the side, Asher watching the two with hawk eyes, he'd been trying to catch Jordan's attention with it but his eyes scanned Brielle, the two making faint eye contact for a split second.

   Jordan made his way over—a conversation prepared as Asher got up and wondered into the house, anger present on his smug face, "Brielle" he said, plopping down ontop of Laylas' towel.

"Jordan" she responded, her eyes still focused.

"Hm" he paused, analyzing the situation at hand "guess Layla flirting with your ex bothers you?" Jordan tried, the corners of her lips tugged up, a chuckle escaping her mouth.

"Spencers not my ex and even if he was, Layla has a boyfriend nothing to be bothered about" Brie shrugged, her soda coming to her mouth again as she watched Layla flirtatiously push Spencers shoulder, her eyes turned to Jordan who'd been staring at her the whole time, his eyes froze on hers, she couldn't lie, the boy was attractive, it was something about an athlete that got her heart racing all throughout her body, his tall frame and wide shoulders, but it was Jordan and she had to remember that "so, where's Hadley?" her soft voice asked.

   A smirk appeared on his face, his eyes still making contact with hers until she nervously turned her focus away, Spencers pupils now finding the two "why are you changing the topic? someone seems nervous" Jordan poked, the darkskin boy kind of put the pieces together when he'd saw the boys Jersey hanging in his locker, it was the same one she wore when they had that conversation "I'm not nervous Jordan, i'm just respectful" Brielle stood up.

   She began to run towards the pool, the water splashing, "Brie!" Layla laughed as it hit her.

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Sometimes, Brie would find herself up all night and that's when Re'naye would usually be sneaking back in, somehow disabling the alarm before it even made it to the second word, it was a talent, she hadn't gotten caught once in the years they lived there, she sat on the couch digging into banana pudding her grandma sent up for the girls, the Tv playing. Re'naye entered the area, fully dressed like she'd been partying the night away—see that was one of the things she hated when it came to the two of them, Re'naye was allowed to go to Crenshaw whenever she wanted and both of her parents used the excuse that her boyfriend, wasn't a 'thug.'

   That always stung, if she even got close to Crenshaw her mother would be spamming her phone and telling her Father which was funny because the man was usually away during the beginning of the school year for work, he'd be back this week so things would be back to normal, her mother wouldn't be so fast to pounce due to her lord and savior, Anthony Woods, Brielle had always been a proud daddy's girl, if no one understood her, he did, "Hey baby sis" Re'naye jumped onto the seat next to her, unstrapping her heels.