Transparent Hearts | ✓

04.

QUATTRO

ALL EYES STILL ON GEMMA. No one said anything for some reason. Supposedly all waiting for Gemma to reply.

"Wait..River? You know Gemma?" Lyle asked, breaking the silence and furrowing his brows at River.

River was the freaking brother of the girl whom replaced me, Gemma thought to herself.

"Barely. We flew here on the same plane. Even we're sat next to each other. What're the chances, huh Gemmy?" River said, as he sat down on the seat across Gemma.

Gemma only scowled at the boy who irritated her just with his annoying cocky being.

"Wow. That is pretty wild." Lauren said and moved around the table with Lyle.

"It's so nice to meet you Gemma. I've heard so many incredible things about you from, well, like, everyone." Lauren chuckled, it sounded forced.

"It's nice to meet you too." Gemma replied shortly with a fraud smile.

Lauren nodded, "Well imma sit down, the food smells sooo good." She moaned.

Lyle sat back down in his original seat and Lauren sat down on his other side.

"So Lauren, tell us how y'all met." Joan said, attempting to make conversation because she knew how much Gemma wanted to go back to New York, away from this horrible scene in Gemmas eyes.

"Well, Thomas was working-" And then Gemma dazed off. Curious to why Lauren called him Thomas. It was his first name, yes. But no one, no one, called him Thomas. Gemma thought it was completely odd and it threw her off. She turned her face away from Lauren and glanced at her brother.

River was grinning at Gemma, as he ate the lasagna. He sent her a wink to which she flicked him the bird casually. He chuckled to himself.

Gemma turned her head slightly and caught Forrest and Clover sending knowing looks between Gemma and River.

'Cute' Clover mouthed and Gemma cringed.

"Which because Tommy was so awful at speaking Italian, I offered to help him learn the language. He accepted and the more we hung out, the more I fell in love with him." Lauren smiled at Lyle and then she did the un-fucking-thinkable. She kissed him. It was a quick kiss of course but it still made Gemma want to scream.

"That's so cute." Joan said, in a cheerful tone but Gemma knew it was an act. "I'm happy for the both of you."

"Our parents think differently." River informed.

"River!" Lauren warned.

"What's wrong?" Gemma couldn't help herself to ask.

"It's nothing, really." Lyle cut in.

"I wouldn't say nothing." Neil scoffed.

"Okay now you have to tell us." Clover teased and Forrest only encouraged his girlfriend.

"Our parents do not approve on Thomas." River said. And then it hit Gemma. River thinks of Lyle as Thomas. Gemma spoke of her unrequited lover as Lyle, not Thomas. That meant he maybe didn't know of Gemma's love for his sisters fiancé. Who is she kidding? Of course he knew. It was only a matter of time until he spilt the beans.

"Excuse me." Lauren announced, leaving the room, River rolled his eyes and Lyle followed Lauren without a second glance to anyone else in the room.

"Wow. I honestly can't believe anyone would ever not approve on their daughter dating our Lyle."

And it visibly hit River. He winced at Joan saying the name. He shot his eyes up, glaring almost at Gemma.