Colors of Love || AMBW || J.J.K

Family Issues

The sway of the leaves falling signify that fall is here. But technically it has been for a couple weeks for twas the time of year for giving.

Food. Laughter. Family. And soon enough gifts. But for some reason Waverly is standing outside of her childhood home. Cool autumn breeze blowing by her bare legs.

"Just go inside." She says to herself.

"He invited you." She sighs closing her eyes. Why was this so difficult?

"I can't." She turns around but just as she does the door is opening. "Hello." A kind but confused voice calls out. "May I help you?" Waverly cringes before slowly turning. "Hi." She smiles small.

"Oh my gosh! Waverly!" The woman squeals pulling her in for a bone crushing hug. If someone were to see them they would think they hadn't seen each other in years when in fact they had never met before.

"Hi Valerie." The younger girl greets back with less than half the enthusiasm. "What are you doing outside? Come in." Before Waverly can protest she's already inside, the warmth engulfing her.

"You're here for dinner right." Valerie takes her jacket hanging it up before taking her hand. "Um. I wasn't really planning to stay." Her sentence trails off as the two walk through the hall.

Photos upon photos cover the wall.

Most of her when she was still in middle school. When her family was complete. And in the center a new family portrait of the new family of the house. It hurts her a little that she's not in it.

She forces herself to tear her eyes away when she realises Valerie has been talking to her. "Charles will be so excited." Without giving time for Waverly to react,she's standing in the dining room.

Twelve pairs of eyes on her.

"I didn't expect everyone to be here." She says to herself noticing the surprised looks on everyone's faces. "Waverly." Her grandmother calls, raising from her seat. "Hi grammy." She detatches from Valerie to meet her grandmother with an embrace.

"You're so grown up." She whispers in her granddaughters ear. After plenty of hugs from aunts, uncles, cousins, her grandfather, and a seemingly friendly handshake with Valerie's parents, Waverly is seated in her assigned yet not assigned seat at the table.

"Before I forget. Waverly this is my daughter Julia." Valerie introduces the two girls resulting in awkward waves from their seats. "Honey! Come down!" Valerie calls earning silence back.

She sighs before walking out of the room. Everyone just stares at Waverly as if she were a painting. I mean who could blame them, no one had seen her in almost 10 years.

The thought of starting a conversation crosses Waverly's mind but her aunt beats her to it. "How have you been? Away from home and eveything. We never hear from you, only seeing your pictures on the internet." Waverly just nods along to what she says. She isnt wrong.

Waverly's communication skills aren't the best when it comes to family, but at the same time they could also try. "Everything's fine. Work and everything." They nod watching her.

"Waverly." A new voice calls making her turn around. "Father." She smiles at him before standing and making her way to him. "My daughter." They both embrace each other after years of only minimal phone calls.

"I can't believe you're here." He twirls her in front of him making her give a fake laugh. "Well I am."

Just as everyone gets settles at the table, Waverly noticed two empty seats. "Where's Caleb?" The front door is soon heard opening followed by two voices.

"We have arrived." Her younger brothers voice is heard followed by a cute giggle. One cuter than hers.

"Look who's here." Waverly stands at that, eyes connecting with her younger brothers. "Waverly?" His smile falls from his face as hers grows. "Hey." She reaches to hug him but he takes a step back making her freeze.

"What are you doing here?" He glares at her from behind his glasses. "To have dinner. It's Thanksgiving." She chuckles a little but her eyes frown at the look he's giving her.

"Is this your sister?" The girl who's hand has been locked in his speaks up, making Waverly look at her. She has long, wavy hair. And lash extensions make her eyes pop. "You're super pretty. I can see why you're a model." The girl smiles at her making Waverly tilt her head. "Oh. I'm Gabriella. Caleb's girlfriend." They both shake hands before Caleb breaks it apart.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend." The older girl smiles but her brother is far from one. "How could you when you don't even call to say hi?" Waverly nods, her smile falling.

"That's fair." She says under her breath. "Since we're all here. Let's eat." Valerie says causing them to all sit down. But certainly this wasn't the end between the siblings.

"We've seen your billboards and everything. Everything must be going well." Everyone starts to serve themselves around the table. "It's all fine. How is everything with you all?" She tries to change the topic. And it works but not long after a fork is being slammed down.

"What's wrong babe?" Gabriella places her hand on top of Caleb's but he snatches it away from her.

"Are you all seriously gonna act like nothings wrong?" He glares directly at his sister. "We haven't seen her or heard from her in 10 years. And you're going to pretend nothings wrong." He looks around at his family.

"She's here now." Valerie says but he shakes his head. It's not enough.

"But she hasn't been for the important stuff. This is just one meaningless dinner out of hundreds that she's shown up to." Waverly looks at her lap, feeling the anger radiating off his body.

"She wasn't there for my games, my graduation, she didn't even come to your wedding!" He starts raising his voice, making some flinch.

"Caleb." Their father speaks bit he ignores them. "Yet she has time to prance around in her expensive house with her four boyfriends. Driving her expensive car to go to her high paying job. While we all watch her from afar." This makes Waverly's hands shake in anger.

"They're not my boyfriends." He scoffs leaning back in his seat. "But you're fucking them right." Her gaze shoots up to meet his.

"Don't talk to your sister that way!"

"You know Caleb, for someone who's so upset you would think you knew everything that was going on with me. But you don't. You don't know a damn thing because you're still a child! You don't know what I went through while you were taking all of mom and dad's attention! So I'm sorry if I decided to venture off and do what I love! But I'm not sorry for being happy. And whether you like it or not I am." Tears threaten to fall from her eyes as she stares at her brother.

"We're happy too! We're so happy without you! Because all you bring is sadness everywhere you go! The house is so much more lively without you! So why dont you just leave! Like the selfish, cold hearted, slut you are!" Waverly abruptly stands from her spot chair scrapping against the floor.

"I will. Because I'm obviously not wanted here." She looks at all the sympathetic eyes watching her. And they don't even try to stop her. Not when she leaves the table. Not when she leaves the house. Just like they did all those years ago.

They all just watched.