Song Above: Wow Post Malone

If you like this story then please check out my new story Me You And Winnie The Pooh! It needs all the love it can get! 😊🐻🍯

You could cut the silence across the table with a knife. Rose stared at her plate, Mrs. Jackson chewed her steak slowly and I rearranged the peas on my plate to say help me.

We were briefly greeted at the door by Mrs. Jackson before she disappeared to the kitchen. We weren't shown where the dining room was so we had to navigate our way around the house through memory. Even though the last time I was here I was drunk and barely knew my name let alone focused on my surroundings.

Brody's father was on a late business meeting so he couldn't be at the dinner his wife had prepared for him as a celebration for a new deal and Ryan was nowhere in sight.

Thank god.

"So what are your plans after school?" Mrs. Jackson asked once she had swallowed the steak she had been chewing for the last couple of minutes.

"I think I'll go traveling around Europe, I haven't yet decided," I shrugged looking up from my plate to force a polite smile. I caught Brody's eye and he seemed to be surprised by my answer.

"I'll probably go to Parsons in New York, my mom has some connections," Rose added.

She'd always loved fashion and design. She was great at it, incredible actually. Ever since we were kids she'd always be drawing sketches and memorizing project runway. I'd envied her. She knew where she was heading whereas I didn't have a clue. I could have always gone down the dance route but I was out of practice.

Mrs. Jackson nodded her head in response to our answers and I couldn't work out whether she thought they were acceptable or she just simply didn't care. She swallowed another piece of steak adjusted her earrings, took a large gulp of wine and spoke.

"So how long have you been dating Brody?"

Everyone on the table stopped what they were doing because when she asked that question she wasn't looking at Rose, she was looking directly at me.

I coughed on the pea that was trapped in my throat, Rose's cheeks went bright red and Brody looked as if he wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

Where did that come from?

Maybe she had gotten Rose and I mixed up, that had to be the only reason. They didn't have any pictures on their social media of each other and I think this was the first time Rose had met Mrs. Jackson.

"Uh- no I'm not actually-"

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Ryan came bursting through the door, hot and sweaty wearing only gym shorts and a t-shirt. His hair was in a messy heap on his head and his cheeks were flushed. I wanted to run over and plant him a fat one for coming at the right moment. His eyes scanned the room and even if he did notice the awkwardness he didn't react on it.

"You okay mom?" He kissed her on the cheek before slipping into the seat beside her. Before she could even respond he began to pile heaps of food into his mouth, not even finishing before he added more. His cheeks stuck out like a squirrel with their nuts and I wanted to laugh.

I had been dreading seeing him but now sat in this room that seeped of tension and awkwardness he was the only person I wanted to see right now.

"I was just trying to get to know our guests," She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes, "Paul couldn't make it today so I had some extra food spare, I thought I'd invite the girls in, it must have been cold for them outside,"

"Cold outside?" Ryan raised a brow and I heard Brody scoff under his breath.

"Yeah, we were in the neighborhood," I said with a sheepish expression.

"More like spying," Brody said in-between fake coughs and I felt my eyes narrow at him.

"I wouldn't call it spying," I bit back loud enough for only him to hear.

"Then what would you call it?"

"Surveillance,"

"Surveillance?" He repeated a line appearing between his brows.

"Yes, we weren't-"

"Well, I'm glad you are here," Ryan interrupted. The corner of his eyes crinkled and his lips curled up into a smile. I tried to mimic his expression but it came out more strained than genuine.

Out the corner of my eye, I saw a muscle twitch in Brody's jaw and his face masked an expression I couldn't decipher. I went to say something to lighten the mood but he got there before I even opened my mouth.

"How's it going with you two?" He gestured to both Ryan and I, the words sounding sour in his mouth.

"What do you-"

"It must be all warm and fuzzy being a new couple and all," He interjected and I didn't like his tone whatsoever.

Warm and fuzzy? How old was he? Five?

"It's great," Ryan smiled obliviously to the shade Brody was throwing. I mean I wouldn't describe it as great. It had only been a few hours since I'd said yes to his question. I was still unsure as to why I had agreed. I was attracted to Ryan, even though his kissing skills weren't up to scratch, and we did get along, but I knew the spark wasn't there. Maybe I hoped or prayed that I'd feel that fire with him, so I could replace it with the fire I'd felt with someone else.

Or maybe this would make me realize I was the queen of bad decisions.

"Ah, I see," Mrs. Jackson had kept quiet for a while and I'd almost forgotten she was in the room, "You're Ryan's new girlfriend?"

"Yes," I croaked, I didn't like the way she eyed me up and down. When she thought I was Brody's girlfriend she didn't seem to care, but now I was with her baby boy I could feel her judging eyes burning holes in my face from across the table.

"Welcome to the family," Brody muttered sarcastically spooning a mound of peas and shoving them into his mouth. I had to resist the urge to kick him under the table. What happened to this truce? Why was he throwing me under the bus?

"So why not college?" Mrs. Jackson took another gulp of wine, her dark brown eyes focused on only me. I felt myself squirm in my chair at the intensity of her stare. My eyes flickered to Rose, who seemed to be in her own little world and I knew I'd get no help from her.

"I've never considered anything else, my grades are relatively average and I've always wanted to see the world," I had to be honest. Women like her could smell lies like a cheap perfume.

"I mean, seeing the world is a good idea for the short run, but what about in the long run? You  won't be able to make an honest living without a good education,"

I blinked a couple of times, opening my mouth and closing it as I tried to come up with an answer. When in fact I didn't have a response. I knew she was right.

"Why do we always have to think about the future?"

We all turned to Brody who was leaning back on his chair with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Care to elaborate?" She said no amusement in her features. I could already sense from this dinner that they weren't the best of friends. I wondered why.

Now he had all the attention he sat forward in his chair, "I just mean, why do we always have to think about the future? Why can't we just live in the present?"

She let out a scoff, taking another sip of her wine, "Of course you'd say that, that's such a millennial response,"

"I'm surprised you know about educations, can you get a qualification in marrying rich older men?"

Mrs. Jackson's face went bright red, her eyes widened and I could see her face contort with anger. She didn't say a word but instead aggressively pushed her chair back, threw her lap napkin onto her plate and stormed out of the room. I could hear her heels stomping up the stairs and a door slam.

I looked at Brody who didn't even blink as he carried on eating his food. Ryan, on the other hand, looked far from impressed.

"That wasn't cool," He shook his head in disappointment, "I better check she's okay,"

He stood up and walked around the table, as he passed me he gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and left the room. I looked at Rose whose eyes narrowed at her boyfriend.

"That really wasn't nice," It was the most she had said all evening and I completely agreed with her. I knew his stepmom wasn't the warmest of people but he didn't have to embarrass her like that. There were a time and a place.

He let out a frustrated sigh, "You know what isn't nice Rose? You and your friend," wow, he wasn't even referring to me by name, "spying on me, maybe next time just install some cameras in my room, it would save you the journey,"

He got up from his seat and pushed his chair back hard enough that it made a noise as it scraped the ground, and without a word, he walked out of the room.

And then there were two.