Seven Twenty-Eight

*8.

!!tw : the following chapter contains domestically violent themes. please proceed at your own risk!!

Elisa sat down tensely beside Jackson with Mary trailing closely behind her to join the table.

"Good morning, gorgeous," Jackson greeted her, leaning over to plant a soft kiss on her lips before returning his attention back to his food.

"Good morning," She squeaked back, in which Avalon smiled weakly. Her eyes shifted to look at Oliver, who didn't dare to look up at her. She cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her chin at him slightly, "Good morning, Oliver."

He peered up at her through his eyelashes, staring just for a moment with a rather blank expression before looking down at his meal.

It became a routine— The way she obviously was desperately seeking any sort of reaction from him. She tucked away her attitude and present him with kind smiles, only getting brief glances in return.

Jackson glanced back and forth between them uncomfortably, and furrowed his brow as he turned to her. He leaned in close, whispering into her ear, "I have a surprise for you."

She winced slightly when his lips touched her ear, sending shivers down her side, and turned her head to look at him with a wide smile on her face. She held her arm out to him, gesturing toward the bumpy pattern he caused. "What kind of surprise?" She asked in a small voice.

He smiled, taking her hand to drag her arm up and kissed first the back of her hand, then a neat line up her forearm. "The surprise kind," He told her, playfully rolling his eyes, "That you know nothing about."

"Do I dress for the occasion?" She asked, turning her body toward him.

"Dress for what occasion?" Mary asked nosily, sitting up in her seat to engage in the conversation.

Elisa turned her head to look at her, shrugging her shoulders. "He won't tell me," She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh!" Mary exclaimed, getting even more excited, "He can tell me!"

Jackson shook his head, waving his hand dismissively as he turned back to the plate of eggs and hash browns in front of him.

"Jack," She whined, reaching past Elisa to smack his arm lightly, "Please."

He sighed, holding his arms out to Elisa, causing her to raise her eyebrows in confusion. He smiled softly and pulled her head to his chest, covering her ears and eyes with his arms. He tilted his chin up at Mary, mouthing the said occasion to her.

"Aw!" Mary squealed, bouncing in her seat excitedly, "You're so cute!"

"What?" Avalon asked from the other side of him, "I wanna know!"

Elisa pulled away from his chest, pouting up at him. "I wanna know too," She told him, grasping onto his arm tightly.

He smiled innocently, catching her chin in his fingers. "You'll find out later," He retorted and kissed her softly.

Mary leaned over in her seat, yanking Oliver toward her to whisper into his ear.

He stared up at Elisa with a blank expression as Mary whispered to him, still bouncing in excitement. He pulled away when she finished, looking at her with a glum face. "Okay?" He said dryly, refraining from rolling his eyes, "Cool, I guess-"

"Tell Ava!" She told him, nudging him away.

He sighed deeply and turned around, beckoning Avalon toward him and passed the message along.