Unconditional (Sequel to Senior Year - jb)

2. Family Dinner.

A/N: these manips are killing me

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I lied on my stomach, sunglasses over my eyes as I watched the sea. My back was sizzling from the amount of tanning oil I had on my skin. Mom always preached that I wasn't allowed to use tanning oil but she wasn't at the beach so it didn't matter. I needed to get my tan before we had to go back to New York and continue working. Don't get it wrong, I loved working as an intern at ELLE. It was a dream come true honestly. So basically how I got the job was that me and Justin went to his event and ELLE's editor in chief was there too. Somehow I found myself talking to her and I definitely didn't have any intentions to fish out a working place for me. I kind of just mentioned that I was interested in literature and attended Berkeley. She contacted me a few days later, asking me to send my portfolio to her and a week later, she greeted me with an internship. It was an honor. I had been working there a little over six months now. But I just wanted to enjoy my free time under the sun, watching as Justin, Chad and Abbie played with Brielle in the water.

"You know what I decided? Just last night when I listened you guys doing it." Alexis spoke up.

I almost got choked up in my own saliva when she said that. Yes, we actually found out this morning that my two cousins and Alex had heard us doing it. I was embarrassed as hell but Justin just laughed it off. That bastard.

"Mhm?" I managed to say.

"I really need to settle down. With John or someone, I just can't keep on playing around. I'm almost 25 and I'm still partying and clubbing, what if I end up as a cat lady?" she lifted her sunglasses off of her eyes, looking at me concerned.

"You can party and go to clubs but just don't mess around with guys. How about you stay faithful for somebody?" I suggested, turning on to my stomach.

"That sounds so boring." she rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"You just- Ugh, never mind. But just look at Abbie for example. She's happy with just one guy and she has a kid."

It's kind of hard to tell somebody that they need to be faithful when that person's mindset is so different from mine. Alex's has always been like this. I wouldn't be surprised if her apartment was suddenly filled with cats and used condoms. That would be gross though.

"That's the point. I feel so alone when you two are in relationships. That's why I mess around to not feel so alone." she cleared her throat.

"Don't be so stressed about it. You'll find the one when he crosses paths with you." I comforted her.

She mumbled something as a response but I wasn't listening. Suddenly I heard laughs and quiet giggles approaching us and when I looked under my sunglasses, I saw Brielle running towards us, Abbie following her. I sat up and opened my arms to Bri.

"Aunty!" she giggled and jumped to my arms.

"What's up, baby?" I laughed.

"The guys are so inappropriate." Abbie exhaled, sitting down on my beach towel.

"Why?" I brushed my fingers through Bri's wet hair.

"They're talking about dirty things and Bri was right there. Gosh..." she rolled her eyes and squeezed her hair from water.

I lifted my eyebrows, "I swear to God they're still children."

"Did you hear Justin and Ava last night, Abbie?" Alex asked, holding back her laugh as she sat up too.

"Alex!" I slapped her arm and hid my face behind Brielle.

"No, but I'm glad I didn't." Abbie frowned at me, pressing her lips together.