The Bad Boys Saw Me Naked. Again

(9)

I stare at the ceiling, my eyes throbbing over lack of sleep. 

I never knew how pathetic I could be, until I wrapped myself in Alex's jumper and cried myself to sleep. I like to consider myself to be a strong woman, but I spent the entire night crying over a boy. 

I hear everyone getting up, and I roll out of bed, to make everyone breakfast. I know that they know, we weren't exactly quiet last night. I just don't know how they will react. No matter how close I am to this family, Alex is their blood. 

I walk down the stairs, and I see Alex's sleeping body on the couch. So much for sleeping in Zane's room. 

I walk into the kitchen, and it's a typical Cole punishing the hungover morning. 

"Where are your pants?" I ask Asher softly, and everyone turns to me. They look shocked, probably thinking I would hide in my room all day. Or I just look like shit. Probably a little of both.

"I- I- Cole is punishing me for not coming home with any." He says, smiling sheepishly.

"Typical." I laugh a little, pouring myself some cereal. I feel the room go very quiet, and I look up to see everyone looking at me, all sympathetic, like I'm a puppy who has just been kicked.

"What?" I ask dumbly, knowing what they're thinking.

"We hate him." Seth breaks.

"I didn't let him in." Zane adds.

"I didn't let him play with my transformers." Will grins. 

"Guys, you don't hate Alex, he's family." I sigh. "Don't let this get in the way of that."

"You are also our family." Cole says. "And how Alex treated you, after all you have done for us, is not ok." He pulls me into a hug. "Don't ever think we don't have your back. Yes, we love Alex, but he needs a kick up the-"

"Ok, I get it." I laugh content, hugging him back.

"What do you get?" Alex asks huskily, from the doorway. I look up, and already know he had a horrible sleep, rubbing his eyes. 

"I get it that Asher isn't allowed to wear pants today." I say quickly, going back to my cereal. 

"Right." I hear him say, whilst keeping my eyes in my bowl. 

The kitchen falls into an uncomfortable silence, everyone pretending to focus on their breakfast. 

"Well, everyone who is free today I need help cleaning the backyard." Cole says, gulping his coffee. "The reunion tomorrow is going to take up the whole space."

"The last day of summer." Hayden says bitterly. "And we're spending it at a stupid family reunion." 

"You will all attend and you will all pretend to enjoy yourselves." Zane says sternly. "No matter how much you hate them, you will not act like it." 

"I'm going to finish off the back to school shopping." I say quickly, putting my dish in the sink. "I'm going to take Asher and Will so they can get a haircut." 

"I'll be gone for the day too." Alex says. 

"Why?" Cole frowns, not hiding his annoyance.

"Meeting a friend." He says shortly, getting up.

"Who?" I ask, exasperated. "Paul?"

"Yes." Alex shrugs. "He's meeting me halfway, we're gonna have a drink." 

"Fine, don't let me stop you." I say, motioning to the door.

"I won't." He mumbles, before leaving the kitchen. The room is in silence. To be fair, we left this town a happy couple. They would be surprised with who came back. 

"Well lets get moving." I say, getting some dishes done. "We have a lot to do." Eventually, people got on with their day, breaking this awful tense feeling. 

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"Why do you want to grow your hair?" I groan at Will, who is being absolutely impossible. 

"I want a man bun." He says simply to the hairdresser, for the millionth time. 

"And your family wants you presentable." I fight back. Since when are man buns back in fashion? Or since when do seven year olds want them? 

"Zane has a man bun." Will points out. 

"Zane looks gay." Asher snorts from the corner. I send him a dirty look, and he throws his hands up in defeat, going back to his phone. 

"Tell you what." The hairdresser sighs. "I'll give you a trim, but not too much."

"Fine." Will grumbles.

"Can I leave him here?" I ask. "Asher can watch him if you finish early, I'll be back soon." He waves me off, so I say goodbye and head off to a shop, needing to get some food for tomorrow. 

I'm trying to find some fresh fruit to make a pie with, to impress these apparent posh relatives. If Alex doesn't turn up to this reunion, Cole will make sure he has hell to pay. 

"Is that... Harper?" I drop my apples, not prepared for that voice any time in the near future.

"Evan." I whisper, purposely out of habit putting some distance between us.

"I didn't expect to see you here." He says, surprised. "I thought you were going to Harvard."

"I- I am." I say, trying to stop the shaking. "I'm on break, and-and there's this reunion.. I'm staying-we're staying for awhile."

"How is Alex?" Evan asks. 

"He's fine." I keep it short. He looks healthy. More like a man. "Are you back from Mexico for good?"

"Yeah." Evan shrugs. "I actually quit my fathers business. I'm out of that stuff for good. Thinking of maybe joining the army or something."

"That's good." I say, relaxing a little. "How did your father take it?"

"Oh, you know." Evan sighs. "It's all just business to him."

"Well, I have to go."  I say quickly, moving my trolley. 

"Maybe I'll see you around." Evan calls out.

"Maybe." I say, before leaving the area as quickly as I could. 

I don't know if this trip could get anymore exhausting.