Beautiful summer

fourteen

"I swear the whole universe danced in her eyes that day" ~Ariana

"Thanks. I'll see you later right" Skylar checked turning to face JJ as the Twinkie pulled up outside her house. He nodded his head handing her a note on the location they'd be meeting at later that day, hopefully the dinner would end early enough for her and Kie to get there.

"Pray for me" she huffed opening up the door and getting out the van pressing in the combination to open the gate. She jolted back when she heard a voice over the intercom suddenly. "Where the hell have you been" Evelyn screamed, Skylar quickly shooing JJ off so the woman wouldn't notice him.

"I was at a friend's" she semi-lied. Technically it wasn't a lie because they were her friends sort of, but if her mother found out the friends house she'd been staying at was John b's she'd lock her up in her bedroom for the rest of her teenage years.

"If you are late to this dinner party Skylar Grace Conley I will murder you" the woman threatened and Skylar could almost imagine the veins on the woman's forehead almost popping out along with a red rash around her neck.

"Well I won't be late if you open the gate" the brunette girl deadpanned realising her mother had stopped the password from working to get into the house just to have a go at her daughter. "20 minutes Skylar. You better be ready" the woman warned because breaking off the intercom allowing the gates to be opened.

Skylar took a deep breath before stepping up towards the house trying to brush her hair out to make it appear she hadn't been drinking and had one of the worst hangovers ever from it.

************

"Ward, Rose. It's so good to see you" Evelyn cried as she opened up the door to reveal the Cameron family, Ward carrying a bottle of champagne in his hands. "It's good to see you too Evelyn. How's the family" Ward questioned trying to appear as friendly as possible when he knew how much of an attitude Skylar Conley had when she was around him.

"Amazing. The hotel is growing more and more each day as well. How's your family" she took her turn in asking passing the bottle of champagne over to Andrew who briefly shook hands with Ward, showing the family into the dining room where everyone else was sat.

Skylar sat talking to Kiara, Mike and Anna smiling happily pleased their daughter was interacting with someone who wasn't a Pogue. Evelyn and Andrew however had faces of surprise and disgust when they walked into the room to see their daughter being friendly with the Carrera girl who caused nothing but trouble with her three Pogue friends.

Beckett walked into the room fiddling with the tie his mother had done for him, so tight he could barely breathe with it on. "Beckett, sit here" Skylar ordered patting down on the sit next to her desperate for Kiara and her brother to talk some more.

"Kie, good to see you again" Beckett smiled letting her stand up to hug him before he sat down in the seat his sister had instructed him to. Skylar sat watching as Rafe sat down next to Hannah placing a kiss on both sides of her cheeks.

Her parents looked up in surprise, the attention they had on their son was soon snatched away when they realised how close their daughter was appearing with Rafe Cameron. Skylar winked at the girl subtly thankful she'd managed to get Rafe off her back, oblivious the fact Hannah would soon be in the worst state of her life with the boy.

Everyone took their seats eventually and as Evelyn got up to make her speech, Skylar's phone started to go off. The woman turned to face her daughter in horror, as everyone turned to look at the Conley girl who checked her phone under the table, eyes widening when she read the message.

"What the fuck" she blurted out smacking a hand against her mouth when she realised she'd just said it aloud. "While we try to ignore my daughter's rude language I would like to make a toast. A toast to good wealth, a healthy life and good luck" she quickly spoke scrapping the original, three page long speech, holding her glass in the air everyone following her actions.

Kiara nudged the girl giving her a questioning look, Skylar quickly brushing it off because the message had read not to tell anyone about it. Although she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep her cool for. "We'll talk later" she assured the Carrera girl not wanting to break JJ's trust.

Grown ups broke off into their own conversations while the teenagers who sat round the table looked at each other in silence. "You want some Sarah" Topper asked sneakily passing her a glass of champagne which she quickly refused knowing her father would freak if he noticed.

"Oh come on it's just a bit" Topper continued to press the girl Skylar starting to laugh causing him to drop the glass down on the table turning to glare at her. "Have you got a problem" he questioned his eyes appearing not to blink as they looked full of rage.

"No I just don't like you" she scoffed before taking a gulp of her drink ordering the staff her mother had hired over to pour her some pour. "You think I'm bothered whether or not you like me. You don't like anything other than alcohol. Something you have almost every day" he fired back, Sarah kicking his leg under the table warning him to stop now.

"Maybe I have alcohol everyday to drown you and your twisty ass voice out" she shouted, Rafe whistling lowly under his breath while hiding his smirk. "And what are you smirking at. You're a coke addict that strives of daddy's money" she turned to face the Cameron boy Hannah's mouth falling open, staring at the brunette girl who was on top form with her snide remarks this afternoon.

"Oh Hannah close your mouth you look like a fucking goldfish. Don't act like your little boyfriend doesn't spend every penny he has on coke" she took her turn in insulting Hannah now while Beckett cleared his throat trying to get his sister away from the table.

"Kelce you're next. You got anything to say" she questioned slapping Becketts hands away while she stared at the boy who quickly shook his head deciding he wanted to be kept out of this one.

"You're so keen on insulting all of us Skylar why don't you let one of us take a shot at you" Topper spoke up once again, Skylar challenging him to go ahead. "Why don't you go run back to JJ Skylar" Rafe interrupted his best friend remembering this morning coming back from playing golf to see her getting out the Twinkie, a blonde boy sat in the drivers seat.

"Jealous Rafe" she asked, Kiara pressing her lips together trying not to laugh at the girl. "Why would he be jealous" Hannah spoke up putting her hand on Rafe's leg as she glared down the Conley girl.

Skylar blanked the girl who had just spoke to her stabbing at the food that had just been set out in front of her. She heard a chair scrape across the floor before Elias walked round to her crouching down beside her chair covering his mouth so the people opposite couldn't see what he was saying.

"Go take a minute" he ordered being the protective big brother he was. She rolled her eyes throwing her cutlery down on the table, leaving the table like Elias had told her to.

A knock at the door caused everyone to focus their attention on that rather than the Conley girl who had just stormed off.

"Yeah I know I'm going" she snapped at Evelyn who stared at her daughter waiting for her to go answer the door.