collision × jay park (wattys 2018)

05

AWKWARD DINNER TALKS | five

     danielle got up from the spot on her bed and followed ondina downstairs. she could hear the sound of her brother's laughter as she got to the final step.

    roland sat on the couch talking with gray and turned when he heard footsteps. "oh, hey sis." he greeted with a smile. danielle's eyes met gray's and then quickly met her brother's smiling face. "hey ro." danielle said with a slight nod of her head.

      "dani, this is gray—"
"i know, we met after combat lessons." danielle said shyly.

     gray smiled at the younger girl and nodded. "yeah, i apologized because of jay—" he started, but stopped after seeing danielle shake her head stiffly. roland raised an eyebrow at the pair in confusion after seeing danielle shake her head.

      "what's for dinner?" danielle asked, quickly changing the subject. thinking nothing of it, roland answered anyway.

"fried chicken and mashed potatoes."
        "i don't eat chicken ro."

silence.
          "you're not my sister."

    roland's response made gray laugh slightly.

×××

     "so, how is everything going?" danielle's mother asked with a smile. gray smiled back politely, "everything is going fine luna, everyone in the pack is learning a lot more."

    danielle's mother finished chewing the piece of chicken that was in her mouth and swallowed it before replying. "that's good," she started. "where is jay?"

    gray frowned slightly. "jay's not very into social interaction much since his sister's death." he asnwered quietly. the luna sighed sadly, "i heard about that a few years ago...i'm very sorry for his loss." she said with a frown.

   
      her eyes met danielle's for a brief second, making the teen's eyebrows furrow in confusion.

      gray nodded slightly. "i am too." he said quietly while looking down, "jay's not the same anymore...he used to be happy and outgoing, now he's just bitter and cold."

     roland could sense the mood changing in the room and decided to quickly change the subject.

   "dani, how is your training going?"

    this made everyone at the table to turn and look at the teen. "uhh," danielle started. "good i guess." "what do you mean?" her father asked with a chuckle.

     "she's learning." gray answered for her.

      "yeah...what he said." the teen mumbled quietly.

      roland snorted making danielle glare at him. "'she's learning' my ass," roland laughed. "she got her ass handed to her."

    "roland!"

         "what? its true!"

    daniele glared at her older brother, and if looks could kill — he'd be twelve feet under. "i'll hand you your's on a silver platter if you keep talking." she growled, her eyes flashing blue for a second.

   "nope, no putting your hands on my baby while i'm here." ondina said while wrapping an arm around roland's shoulder.

  "you have to leave at some time."
       "he can stay with me."

    this made heads turn to a new victim. "i'm too young to be an aunt, i don't need little rolands' running 'round here!" danielle groaned to her best friend. ondina stuck her tounge out at danielle and then turned to kiss roland.

      "you won't be saying that when you find your mate." her mother said with a slight laugh, "speaking of mates, the gala for the un-mated males and females is in two days."

    danielle raised an eyebrow. "annd, what does that have to do with me?"

       "you're going."