Falling for the Quarterback

{Dinner Part 2}

//Edited//

I look around at everyone because no one has said anything for the past few seconds. I'm sitting on the couch next to Harry that is directly in front of Walter and Lucinda, whereas Ben and Natalie are sitting on the couch to my left.

My eyes narrow in on Walter. I figured he'd be the first to try and explain something but after merely initiating the conversation, he's just been quiet. 

I clear my throat and cross my arms over my chest as I lean back against the couch. Walter stares at me and I stare back. I'm not afraid of him, he holds absolutely no power over me and he needs to know that. I can tell that everyone in this house reports to him, they bend at his will, and that may be because on a certain level they respect him.

Well I don't.

I don't respect him at all.

So I keep staring at him until someone decides to break the silence and start talking.

"I guess you guys are wondering why we contacted you after all these years" Ben says.

After all these years. So they knew we existed, noted. Harry and I don't respond we just sit and wait for an answer. 

"We've actually been talking about it for a while now. I know it sounds bad on our part. We weren't there for you guys when you needed us most and we truly are sorry. You have to believe us" Ben says with sympathetic eyes.

I nod my head and uncross my arms from over my chest slightly leaning off the back of the couch. "So just to be clear, you all knew that our parents died and that we existed, yet you chose to reach out seven years later after the fact, and you just want us to know that you feel bad about it? I just want us all to be on the same page"

They all look around at each other with a bit of surprise on their faces.

Natalie speaks up. "It's no excuse and we should have done this sooner-"

"How much sooner do you think?" I ask cocking my head to the side. 

"Hazel," Harry says with a sigh.

"No, I'm genuinely curious. I wanna know how much sooner do you think you should have done this. When we first moved to Colorado? Or the funeral back in North Carolina that none of you bothered to show up to?" I ask calmly.

"They raised you in North Carolina?" Lucinda whispers sadly.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. I turn to look at Harry who is just as clueless. I look back at Lucinda. "You didn't know that?"

"Your father didn't want us involved in your life" Walter speaks up. "We were simply honoring his wishes" he grunts.

"Walter-" Lucinda starts shaking her head.

"The boy wanted nothing to do with this family. He hid you from us" he continues.

"Why?" Harry asks, taking the next word from my mouth.

Dad was always so big on family and being there for each other, so not much of what they're saying is making sense. I can see why he wouldn't want us around a family like this, but why not just move and only let us visit on holidays like normal families?

"He was ungrateful thats why" Walter grumbles.

I scoff in disbelief. He has to be the most obnoxious asshole I've ever met.

Strike two.

"I'm not very interested in sitting around while you" I look at Walter specifically. "Continue to talk shit about my dad. The only reason I even agreed to come here is to get some answers. I don't give a shit about any of your excuses. I want to know why the hell my brother had to decline his offer for college to take care of me since none of you had the balls to step up yourselves"