Lydia | ✔️

(17)

The next week of school seemed to go along like any other. Lydia and Carter spent a lot of time together while she continued to avoid Riley whenever she could.

She'd accepted that their relationship was over. But she couldn't ignore the fact that they had spent their entire childhood side by side. She knew that he would always hold a piece of her heart.

The conversations between Lydia and Johnny continued without pause. All throughout the day the texts were exchanged. It was often light topics. But on occasion there would be more depth. Things about their childhoods. Sometimes even politics, which Johnny was well informed on. Lydia however, could have used some educating.

On Thursday evening she came home from school late after spending a few hours with Sadie in the library. She dropped her bag beside the door as she wandered into the kitchen. Nathan and Spencer were leaned against the countertop, embraced in an affectionate hold while they stared at each other with big eyes and wide grins.

"Hey," Lydia walked towards the fridge and took note of the outfits they were dressed in. Spencer had a pale pink suede coat on, a pair of black jeans and her knee length velvet boots. She looked elegant and sophisticated along with Nathan who was dressed in a tailored tuxedo. "You guys got big plans?"

"You don't remember honey?" Spencer questioned as Nathan freed her from his hold and pushed his sleeve up to check his watch. "We have an event thing for Grandpa's work in Ridgeview."

"Oh," Lydia nodded, retrieving a water bottle from the fridge. "I do remember that now. Weird it's on a Thursday night though."

"Mhmm. We're going to stay in a hotel tonight and travel back in the morning once we're rested," Spencer explained. She picked up a scarf from the countertop and began wrapping it around her neck.

"You can watch Liam for the night, right?" Nathan asked, sliding his hands into his suit pockets.

It was a little amusing to see him dressed to the nines. She was used to seeing him in jeans and a tee or his maroon shirt and track pants. Her step dad scrubbed up well though and from the googley eyes that her mother was making, it was obvious that she thought so too.

"Yeah I can watch the little booger," Lydia nodded. "Can you leave money for pizza?"

"That depends, are you going to order it with anchovies like you did last time?"

Lydia almost spat out her mouthful of water at the reminder of the petty prank that she'd played on her brother a few months ago. Nathan rolled his eyes with an exasperated smile and pulled a few twenties out of his wallet, handing it to Lydia who was fitting with giggles.

Not long after that, her Mom and Nathan left with an overnight bag and an excitement that was so pure that Lydia couldn't help but smile. The two of them deserved a little time to themselves.

Lydia changed into a pair of harem pants and a fitted jumper before she walked down the corridor to her brothers bedroom. She flicked the door handle and let it open, hitting the wall with a thud which caused Liam to glance up from his bed where he read a novel.

"What?" He questioned, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Where's your contacts?"

"Mom's waiting on a new set to arrive," he shrugged. "Can I help?"

Lydia rolled her eyes at her smartass kid brother. His dark brown hair fell over the rim of his black glasses. Like her mother and Lydia, Liam had a thick head of wavy dark hair. But he took after his father with a paler skin tone and light hazel eyes. The features were quite striking and she knew that he'd be a looker when he was older. But right now he was just her dorky little brother.