Forget Me Not (Book 3 of Acceptance Series)

Chapter 6

The bonfire was in full swing, but Serenity wasn't there. I was getting anxious, and I knew that Mom was getting annoyed.

"Is it me, or does your mom look more annoyed than usual?" Ceira asked, walking over to me. She narrowed her eyes and studied me. "And I think you are looking a bit more annoyed, too. Do you need a drink?"

"I am," I said, moving a hand through my hair. "Serenity and her parents aren't here. They're supposed to be here because it is required." I groaned and moved a hand across my face before shaking my head. "No, I do not need a drink. Remember last time?"

Ceira snickered and nodded her head. Her eyes sparkled with mischievousness, and I had the feeling that my mom would say she was acting so much like her mother at that age. "Oh, I do remember," she said. "I had gotten you so drunk, and when you had passed out, I dressed you in girl clothes."

I shook my head and smiled. "And, my mother helped by shaving my legs and armpits. Was it one of your mom's wigs that she used to make my hair look longer?"

Ceira nodded her head. "Yep," she said. She looked around and nudged my arm. "Look who finally showed up." Disgust filled her voice, and I could tell that she hated the person, or people, who showed up. "Why do they have to come?"

I glanced to where she was looking and saw Serenity standing near her parents. "Well, considering that they are..." I shrugged my shoulder, not fond of them either. "Besides, Mom said for them to come."

Ceira grumbled and watched as they started to come towards us. "I am going to get something to drink. You might not want to drink, but that doesn't mean that I have to stay sober." Her scowl deepened, and I could tell that she wanted to yell at them. "I don't want to be sober when they try to talk to us."

I grabbed her arm before she walked away, keeping an eye on those three. I didn't want to deal with them, but I knew that I had to. And, I knew that I was going to kick their ass if I didn't have someone to look after me. "Then stay, please," I said, watching as they got closer. "I can't do this alone. If I do..."

Ceira groaned. "Fine," she said, rolling her eyes. She folded her arms across her chest and scowled at the couple.

"Mrs. and Mr. Cage, it is nice to see you again," I greeted, jabbing my best friend on the side and warning her to behave. I offered them a forced smile on my face, and they scowled.

"Price," Mr. Cage scowled. "I would say that it is nice to see you again, but I would be lying." He looked around. "Where is that mother of yours? Has she actually abandoned the p- community?"

I scowled and stopped myself growling. I hated that he was trying to make my mother look bad in front of his daughter.

"She is in the kitchen," my sixteen-year-old sister said, walking over to us. She scowled at Serenity's parents before smiling at Serenity. "Hi, I'm Melody," she said. She jabbed her finger at me. "This Buffon's sister."

"One of my sisters," I said. "And not my favorite anymore." I smirked when she gasped in mock shock.

"How rude," she said, rolling her eyes. "Anyways, would you like me to get her? She is just yelling at one of my uncles."

"Which one?" I asked, even though I had a feeling I knew who. "Candylicious?" I asked, and she nodded.

Serenity furrowed her brows. "Who?" she asked.

"My husband," my aunt, Sylvia, said, walking over to us. She scowled at Mr. Cage before turning to look at me. "Why do you call him "Candylicious?""

"It pisses him off," I replied, shrugging my shoulder. "He only likes it when you and Mom do it."

"So, your mother is cheating on a married man. That is just perfect," Mr. Cage said.

"Yes, because I am so totally in love with him," Mom said, walking over with both Dad and Uncle Garrett at her side. Anger filled her eyes as she stared at both of them.

Ms. Cage looked down, her face red. Guilt came off of her in waves, and I had a feeling that she didn't want to be caught in Mom's anger.

"Kathleen, Damon," she said, her voice hard. "I would say it is nice to see you again, but I would be lying."