When Everything Changes

Chapter 10

  The restaurant was beautiful. A lot more beautiful than I honestly had expected it to be. They place could almost pass for one if those high-in places in SoHo or something. Earlier today when our grandparents announced that they'd be taking the family out I thought they meant just that. The family. When we arrive I walk arm in arm with my grandad up to the host. He doesn't even have to say his name the guy already knows who he is.

"Mr. Eli!" The man greets us. "It's very nice to see you again. You're party is already waiting." I look around to the the rest of the family behind us and everyone's here, so his this party of other guest.

I soon find out. The host leads us through the brightly lit restaurant. The lights seems to glow off of the dark walls and the dark wood of the floors. Which I kind of find weird. Isn't black supposed to absorb light?
Finally, we arrive in the back to a private room. The noise from the front of the places seems to go away once the doors are slid shut behind us.

There's a man and a woman sitting at the table already and my heart sinks for a second. The man looks almost like my dad, only his hair is a little longer and lighter. The woman sitting beside him has the same shade of blonde as Ethan's mom but she's a little heavier.

I look over at Ethan and notice the crease in his brow. I let go of my grandpa's arm and walk over to Ethan. I slide my hand into his and give it a little squeeze.
"It's okay Ethan. It's not her." I tell him because I know the thoughts that were just swimming around in his head.
He looks over at me and places a warm kiss on my forehead and he squeezes my hand back.
"This is Mr and Mrs. Wallach, they're Troye parents." My grandad say as if we know whoever Troye is. I smile at them anyways.
We take our seats just as the doors slide open again and three people around my age walk in. One of them I recognize immediately. Nick. He has on black jeans, a white button down and a black sports coat on top. He looks great as usual.

Behind him stands a boy and a girl. The boy has brown curling hair and eyes so blue I can see their depth from halfway across the room. He's dressed in a navy blue shirt with little flowers on it, cream pants, and a pair of adidas. The brown skinned girl behind him has on a simple white sundress with a pair of matching Ked's and a nice jackets. I suddenly feel way over dressed. I've seen her somewhere, I just can't pin it.

They take the empty seats across from me and Ethan. My grandpa introduces them. "This is Troye and Lexi. They sometimes work with your grandmother when nick isn't available." He informs us as they wave at everyone.

The table then breaks into separate conversations. Matt and Dylan are sitting to my right. They're talking quietly to themselves and gazing across the table at Lexi. I'm pretty sure they're try to call dibs on her.

Boys are so stupid.

She's really pretty but I'm surprised to find Dylan looking at her the way he is. I mean Matty kind of has the same look but he looks at every girl like that. Lexi, however, isn't Dylan's normal type. Her hair is too curly and she's not exactly thin and curve less like the girls I usually catch him staring at. She seems to at least have a decent personality, which is very much unlike the girls Dylan likes.

I elbow his arm to get his attention.
"You think she's hot, don't you?"
"Shut up!" He dismisses me.
"Just say something to her?
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Because I said no. And I don't even know her."
"When has that ever stopped you?"
He seems to mull over my question a bit, before he starts shaking his head back and forth, his curls flying everywhere.
"Don't be so scared." I taunt him.
He turns in his seat and looks at Ethan who's sitting on the other side of me, talking across the table to my mom. A smirk spreads across Dylan's face.

"I could say the same about you. Couldn't I?"
I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, though I'm not confused. I know exactly what he's talking about, but I can't let him know I know.
"I'm done talking to you."

I turn back around in my seat.

"If I get the curry chicken and rice, will you get the lamb. We can share that way." Ethan asks me. I was actually eyeing the pasta but I nod my head anyway. I don't mind lamb.

The waitstaff comes around to take our dinner orders and in about fifteen minutes everyone's food starts to come out. The lamb is really good and so is Ethan's curry chicken and rice. We take bites off of each other's plate until they're both empty.

We're still at the table now. Everyone is eating dessert but I'm full and can't eat another bite. My brothers are stuffing themselves with a deep dish chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream. Matty laughs when he drops ice cream on Dylan's lap. Dylan, however doesn't find that amusing. He grabs on Matt ear and yanks on it. Matty yelps and they are full on arguing.

I swear they act like three year olds.

Through the doors, I hear the sound of music pouring in.
Louis Armstrong's La Vie en Rose.

"Come dance with me!" I excitedly ask Ethan. He wipes chocolate off of his chin, his eyebrows creased.
"What?"
"You heard me! Come dance with me!"
"You know I don't dance, Lennon." He goes back to his cake.
"And you know I can't resist Louis, dude. Besides you're a good dancer stop acting like your not."

He lets out a deep breath. I know he's trying not to smile at me. Trying to stay strong or whatever but he can't say no to me.

"I'll dance with you if he won't." Nick says. Ethan and I look to the other side of the table where he is seated. He's smiling at me. That nice white smile of his.

"Really!" I perk up. I just want to dance with someone, though I'd prefer it be Ethan.

"No." Ethan says. His voice is kind of tight but I'm the only one notices.
"We were just getting up." He grabs ahold of my hand and drags me out onto the patio where the dance floor is.

There are only a few people on the dance floor and the song is almost over but Ethan swings me into his arm. They snake around my waist and mine go around his shoulders. He smells of peppermint soap and Marc Jacobs cologne.

"Why do you like this song so much?" Ethan asks me.
"Why don't you like this song so much?" I counter. He smiles down at me.
"That doesn't even make sense."
"It doesn't have to." Honestly I think he knows why I like the song so much. The first time I'd heard the song was when Dylan and I had our tenth birthday party on the bank of  the Central Park reservoir. I don't know what it is or was but summer time in New York City just seems to make everyone happy. But I like the song so much because it reminds me of summertime as a little girl. Of days spent splashing around in the water of an opened hydrant. It reminds me of my parents when they were happy and of my brothers and of Ethan.

The song ends as I tell Ethan why. Leaving out the last part. My head was laid against his chest as I spoke. I lift my head up now. My whole family is out on the floor.

There really is a lot of us.

The BeeGees come on next. How Deep Is Your Love. Another one of the songs my mom and my dad would dance to late at night when they thought we were asleep, but that doesn't seem to be a thought of hers as she dances and laughs with some old man who asked her for a dance.

The night goes on and everyone is happy. All at the same time for the first time all summer. I hope nothing happens to ruin the mood. But that seems to be when bad things happen.

When everything is finally good.

A/N

Hey guys I hope you all like this chapter. I wanted to step back from all the drama and just let their family have a fun night. It kind of fluffy but trust me the drama is coming.

Love you guys and thanks for over 200 reads. I'm very thankful to anyone who gives my writing a chance.

XOXO😘