You've got to love yourself enough, not only so that others will be able to love you, but that you'll be able to love others.

-Cornell West

*~*~*

"My mom has sent me 30 messages and I have 19 missed calls" Alina informed Colten

"What a stupid idea this was" She said looking at her phone

"Colten!" She exclaimed and he bummed

"What is this?" She asked turning the phone to him he took a slight glance since he was driving

"An Instagram post" he said super chill

"everybody will know it's me, they saw us getting out of the golf together we haven't said anything in a whole day... "

"I've got it under control"

"You have ?"

"Alina as sad as this is, people will never believe we are together they have only seen us fight and our family as only seen us as ... friends. I told my mom we fight and I dropped you off at some motel and left my way, then I picked you. It's lame excuse but she bought just like your mom will" he said parking the car outside her house

"So you're telling me no one will for a split second think this is me...?"

"Alina... they will never have that idea on their heads...not even our family"

"Still... you remember Greta from the shop, oh and John, they thought we were a couple."

"They are old... they know things" he said getting off of the car, his relaxed face and composure made her furious

"So you're saying people will never believe I like you?"

"Hm yes basically" Colten shrugged his shoulders "they have this idea on their heads that-"

"-no" she interrupts him "then that idea ends today "What?" He asked closing the car door

She walked to her house and he followed her "What are you going to do?"

"Tell them"

"Alina..." He said but she was already inside, once they got in it looked like any other normal Sunday where everything was just fine "Don't do anything" he whispered

"do you like me?" She murmured back

"A lot" he answered with honesty "Since I know you I in fact think I lo-" he was about to say but she interrupted

"Then that's it I will them"

"you're here,great" Anna said hugging Alina and then slapping Colten "What kind of behavior is yours lately. Leaving her in a motel, alone...You're in trouble boy"

"I know" he simply said, his dad came into view and saw him

"You're grounded" his dad announced

"Knew that too" Colten answered, they walked near they're family who was outside in the big table setting the food, Alina's father was on the grilled with Thomas helping him, the kids were playing while the moms were making salad and rice.

"i can't do this" she said

"What?"

"you taking the faults on everything just beacause-"

"Hey, it was my fault I pushed us to the hotel..."

"But because we are together " she whispered

"Well I know but-"

"HEY FAMILY" a happy cheery voice said walking in the house. Aaron followed by his girlfriend Zoey and-

"Lucas?" Colten and Alina said at the same time

"Hey" the bit smiled and waved "you actually got my name right man" he said tapping his back " hello you" he said smiling at Alina

"Hi" she simply said

"So... What happened with you girl?" Zoey questioned once near them

"My phone died sorry"

"Yeah no problems Aaron told me what he did to you" Zoey said with a mean face looking at Colten, if looks could he would've been 6ft under ground by now

"It must be nice to be you" Aaron smiled hugging Colten "one girl per day. You seriously ditched my sis for a butty call I workshop you" Aaron said recovering a slap on the head by Zoey

Colten looked at Alina, and saw her disappointed face. They've been so distracted with being with each that they forget how would it be when people got to know about them. Their feeling as always been complicated to themselves, they never really talked about it with anyone else but with each other...

People don't really know them in fact, it's like they have closed each other and now the news would be quite shocking.

Everyone thinks Colten is an immature reckless boy who only cares about girls while Alina is an innocent and inpatient girl.

Which is both lies.

They sat down at the table to eat. The family talked and talked everyone besides Alina and Colten, sat from far each other and thinking, quietly thinking. This weird behavior was noticed by Lucas who was next to Alina "Hey"

"Alina?" He tried again but no response "Al"

"me" she said getting out of her trance

"You barely ate is everything ok?"

"Hm yes I think"

"If you need to talk I'm here" he smiled

"Yeah, thanks" she smiled back

"Who wants dessert" Martha asked putting the cake on the table  "oh I forgot the plate for you honey" Martha said looking at Lucas

It wasn't that odd since it was Lucas first time at the house "It's okay I can go get one"

"Oh thanks, is on the kitchen on the cabinet over the coffee machine

"I'll go get it then, no worries ma'am " Lucas said standing up making Martha laugh

"no ma'am please" she laughed cutting the cake, everybody took a piece including Colten which was about to take a slice when his mother slapped his hand

"You're grounded"

"But Ma it's cake" he chuckled not really taking his mother words serious

"Yeah aunt, and plus he didn't do anything wrong" Aaron wiggled his eyebrow receiving then a slap on the head from his mother "The conversation is not with you "

"Since you broke up with Emma you've been like this" his mother fired back

"Mom, please let it go"

"I liked Emma" his dad commented

"You're lost without that girl, she was perfect Colten how did yo-" Anna was saying but was interrupted by a loud bang, Alina's hands on the table caught in everyone by surprise

"I- I'm sorry for that" she said pointing at the table she suddenly got up

"I a- I have an announcement" she said feeling nervous for the expectation faces planted on everyone she looked at Colten and saw his glooming eyes, his face gave her courage to continue "I am currently in a sort of- relationship?" She said unsure they really hadn't talk about it that much, in fact what were they? They liked each other? Yes . They went on dates? Yes. They knew each other ? Yes. But they never said they were dating...

"Oh that's great darling" Martha clapped happy fo her daughter

"Who is he?" Damien asked right way

"Well, dad, I'm glad you asked... he's actually here- today - with us" she said, the nerves taking the best of her

"Ohh I can't believe it" Martha cheered

"He is-"

"Got the plate" Lucas interrupted once outside, with the plate on his hand shaking to everyone see. They immediately looked at him and the chaos was installed

"I can't believe you didn't told your best friend" Zoey slapped Alina in her arm

"Oh I like this one! Please treat her right" Martha said getting up and hugging Lucas, Lucas confused hugged her back with a weird smile on

"You better don't do the same thing te last one did or else..."Damien said walking to the boy Thomas following

Lucas looked at both man, cared of them, they instantly hugged him in a welcoming hug "Welcome to the family boy" Damien laughed

"He seems a good one" Thomas commented

"He's a keeper" Damien agreed

"What? Guys, no-no no-" Alina tried to say but the family like always was a chaos, that's the problem of having too many people in one place they don't hear

'So are you my borrowed brother?" Callie asked near Lucas feet

"Hm? No?" he said unsure not knowing what was happening

"I don't like him" Toby said

"Same" Callie shrugged her shoulders while nodding

"Guys!" Alina tried once again when she saw Colten getting up and walking away

"Congrats man, you take care of my sister" Aaron said hugging him

"What?" Lucas said, Alina is not really sure if Lucas said anything more because she followed Colten outside, he walked to his car furiously

"Perk" she called... nothing

"Perk"... nothing

"Colten... talk to me" She implied he looked at her, his face wet from the tears that his puffy red eyes were making

"What?" He questioned looking at her both standing on the sidewalk

"I'm sorry that was my fault" she confessed "I thought they would listened"

"I knew what would happen Alina I told you"

"I will make them listen I promise, I-"

"You won't do nothing because this as just proved what our relationship would be like"

"What are you saying?" She asked a ter escaping her eyes'

"I'm not right for you! They not it, even my family knows it they would never look at me and think I am your first option"

"But you are my first option"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER" He shouted tears falling from his cheeks "Don't you understand? I'm not good for you.You deserve someone perfect like him, you deserve someone who's perfect in their eyes and I'm not that Alina"

"I don't care what they think-"

"I do!" He cried "I do. I want to be accepted for your dad, for your mom, for your brother without it what can we be?"

"This is stupid" she murmured while crying

"No it's not, it's not you who's hearing your own mom and dad congratulate the fake boyfriend of the girl you like"

"Do you think I like hearing your mom says Emma is perfect for you"

"Fuck Emma. I don't care about that"

"What exactly do you care about? Acceptance?"

"Yes Alina! I want to be their first choice, I want to be correctly accepted into your family, I want to be make them proud of you being with me"

"Then that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard" she said "I think the only one who is wanting to be accepted is you but not by my family or even yours is by yourself. When will you believe that you're enough? When will you fight for the things that you love? You're so scared of disappointment but the only problem is you, you are the one disappointed with yourself"

He looked at her stunt, with a hearth ache and tears "Maybe the problem is me" he looked at her one last time and got in the car disappearing from her vision she got in the house again and noticed the quietness

"He's not my boyfriend" Alina said grabbing the piece of cake on the table and walking upstairs to their room without a word

"Yeah... I think she was trying to make a joke maybe" Lucas said awkwardly laughing

"Well then that's weird" Damien commented

"Who wants more cake?" Anna questioned