"So, the council are the parents of all the firstborns?" I asked as we sat on my living room floor with my notes sprawled out. "Yes. Once they become of age, they take their job and more. Making their children join the council. But it isn't mandatory." Colton explained making me nod as I wrote it down.

"Why is it only the firstborns that inherit the business?" I asked again as I continued writing. "It's just how it always has been. I guess they think that the firstborns are strong enough to take on the responsibility." He answered as I looked up at him.

"What happens to everyone else who isn't a first born? Like Sarah." I asked making him shrug. "Nothing really. They still have obligations but not as many as theirs. They can request more job titles and control, but no one ever does. Which I am sure you can guess why." Colton chuckled making me smile weakly.

"What happens to the people to date a first born? Do they have responsibility too?" I asked hesitantly making him nod. "They have the same if not more since they are what joins the two families. They are in charge of both theirs and the family they married intos work. Vice versa." He replied making me nod looking back down at my notes to write down the information.

"The couples often share the responsibilities between the two families." He continued making me nod again before looking back up at him. "We should probably finish. You have work soon." Colton stated making me look at the clock in shock. "Shit. You're right." I muttered under my breath as I grabbed all my notes and shoved them in the book. "Wait. How did you know I had work?" I asked as we stood up.

"We were all asked to memorize your schedule every week. To follow and keep an eye on you when you were dating." Colton answered making me frown as I grabbed my keys and coat. "What? Why?" I asked hesitantly as we started walking out the front door.

"He was paranoid that someone would kidnap you again. Or worse." He said making me look up at him in confusion before quickly looking away. "O-Oh. Who else did he tell to follow me?" I asked again as we stopped walking beside my car.

"Lucas, Daniel and other people you haven't met." He replied making me nod. "It was mostly him following you and staying outside when he wasn't already working." Colton continued as he motioned to the street making me look away.

Through these past few weeks, I have been trying my best to forget about Ethan and all the memories we had shared. And as he motioned to the street, I couldn't help but remember the times he has called me to come down or to let him inside. It broke my heart but instead of crying or talking about it I pushed it deep down.

"I'll see you later. Don't forget about tomorrow." I beamed through a fake smile as I made my way to unlock my car door. "I won't." Colton replied making me smile weakly up at him again as we stood in between the car before I slid inside.

As I drove to the Diner I jumped as I heard my phone ring. I frowned as I grabbed it from my bag before answering it without seeing who it was."Hello?" I asked into the phone catching the person on the other end by surprise. "You answered." Ethan stated softly making my heart beat out of my chest.

"I didn't know it was you. Why are you calling me?" I asked as I continued to drive. "I needed to hear your voice. I miss you." He confessed making me frown in frustration.

"Then you shouldn't've given up on us." I spit in anger making him grow silent. "I have to go." I said trying to fight the sadness in my voice as I pulled my phone away from my ear.

"Wait. Can we meet?" Ethan asked as I brought the phone back to my ear as I stepped out of my car. "No, Ethan. You made it painfully clear that you don't want to fight for me or us. Goodbye." I replied fighting through the pain in my chest and the sadness in my voice.

Ethan was about to reply when I cut him off as I hung up on him before walking up to the diner. "Hey, Nick." I breathed out as I shook off my coat.

"Hey. How was your weekend?" He asked making me smile weakly as I walked behind the counter tying my apron on. "Uneventful. You?" I replied as I topped off an older man's coffee sitting at the counter.

"Tonya and I finally got the first ultrasound." Nick said through a smile as he handed me a black and white photo. "Oh, wow. It's so small." I breathed out making him smile brightly.

"She insisted that we not tell anyone until she starts showing. So, pretend you don't know anything if you see her." Nick said making me roll my eyes. "How many people have you told?" I asked making him chuckle nervously.

"Just you and Chloe. And a few of my friends at school." He answered making me laugh lightly. "She is going to kill you if she finds out." I joked making him roll his eyes as he fought his smile.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Nick replied making me chuckle. "I don't know what I am going to do once I go back to college next year. Even coming to work for a few hours brings me so much anxiety leaving her home alone." He confessed after a customer had left making me smile softly.

"Tonya can take care of herself just like she has before you knocked her up." I joked making him laugh lightly. "How's that boyfriend of yours? Ethan?" Nick asked making me look away from him.

"Oh, uh... Yeah. W-We're fine." I lied caught off guard making me bend down to grab the cleaning supplies. "Christmas is in a few days. Are you two doing anything?" He asked as I started wiping down the counter trying to avoid his eyes.

"Nope." I said making him hum in reply. "Have you already met his parents?" Nick asked making me nod. "Yeah. But apparently they don't like me very much." I answered making him chuckle. Nick was about to reply when my phone started ringing quickly making me silence it.

"Sorry." I mumbled as I put my phone back in my apron pocket. "You can take it if you need." He said making me shake my head. "I was nothing." I said hating how I felt for ghosting Ethan. I never would have thought I would be ignoring and lying to him to protect our relationship.

"Do you work on Christmas or Eve?" I asked making him nod. "I'll take the shift for you if you want." I said with a smile making him frown. "Are you sure? We get busy and Chloe is off too." Nick replied making me nod. "Yes, I'm positive. You should be with Tonya. And besides, I have worked by myself on busy nights. I can take care of this place myself." I stated making him smile brightly.

"Okay. Thank you." Nick said making me nod before continuing to clean the booths before customers started coming inside.

The sun started to set making me yawn struggling to keep my eyes open. "I'll see you later." I said to him as I clocked out making him smile. "Merry Christmas. Since I won't see you until after." Nick said making me chuckle as I threw my coat on.

"Merry Christmas, Nick." I said making him smile again as I left the diner. I fumbled with my keys as I stood by my car door. I heard bottles clinking making me jump as I look around. I saw it was a homeless man in the alley making me slightly relax. I quickly opened my car door and lock it behind me.

As I drove, I saw my phone turn on making me look over to it on the passenger seat. I saw Ethan's name making me sigh as I ignored it. I pulled into my driveway before quickly getting out wanting to get ready for bed. I fumbled with my keys again as I walked towards the door.

"Where were you?" Ethan asked making me jump out of my skin. "Ethan." I spit under my breath out as I started to calm down. "What are you doing here?" I asked looking up into his deep brown eyes I had missed so much.

"You weren't answering your phone." He replied making me sigh as I looked away from him to open my door. "Normally people would take that as a hint." I stated as I tossed my keys on the table beside the door before walking inside with him behind me.

"Were you at work?" Ethan asked making me nod as I turned all the lights on. My eyes widened as I saw the books and my notes from this afternoon on the coffee table behind him.

"Uh, y-yeah." I answered before quickly looking away not wanting him to turn around. "Why? Didn't you check your mail?" Ethan asked confused making me scoff.

"Yeah, I did. Here." I replied as I walked towards the drawer before grabbing the wad of cash. "I don't need your help, Ethan. Do you have any idea how insulting this is?" I asked before I shoved it into his stern chest.

"You think that I need your help in order to keep a roof over my head and pay my bills? I was perfectly fine before I met you and I will still be fine without you." I stated making my heart break as his face hardened in sadness and frustration.

"I was just trying to help." Ethan said making me sigh. "You giving me money won't help us." I stated as I crossed my arms looking away from his eyes.

"What will?" He asked throwing me by surprise making me look up at him. "You should already know." I replied making him look away.

"I know you have rules. That I-I know nothing about... but I didn't deserve what you did. Someone doesn't break up a relationship just because the other person may not understand parts of their life. You are supposed to trust me like how I trust you with everything in my life. If you are really worried about what your Mother thinks of us, then you should talk to her about it. Not break up with the one person who loved and stood by your side... even if I shouldn't have." I said never tearing my drained lifeless eyes away from his.

"My Mother? What did Lucas tell you?" Ethan asked making me scoff. "Of course, that's what you take away from all that." I muttered making his lips part to reply until I cut him off.

"Please just leave, Ethan. Ian is going to be home soon." I said making him internally debate on what he should say or do. After a few minutes he finally turned around to leave as I looked away not wanting him to see the tears in my eyes.

"What's this?" Ethan asked making me look over to him holding one of my pages of notes. I quickly rushed over to him before grabbing it from him.

"Nothing. Just homework." I muttered as I shoved all my notes in the book. I held it behind my back as I turned towards him. "It had my families names on it and our rules. What are you planning, Amelia?" Ethan asked sternly as all his sadness from a moment ago flew out the window.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's just home-" I said nervously before he cut me off. "We are on holiday break, Amelia." He said in a deep voice clearly noticing my lying and nervousness.

"Give me the book." Ethan demanded making me frown as I held it tighter against my back. "It's nothing, Ethan. Please just leave I'm tired." I said making his jaw tense in anger.

Before I could react, he grabbed my arm before turning me around and taking the book away from me. I tried grabbing it from him making Ethan take a step away from me as he read the cover. I stopped trying to lie knowing I had just been caught.

"Who gave you this?" He asked full of anger making me wince. "No one." I replied making him take a step towards me almost making out bodies touch.

"You should not have this, Amelia. You have no reason to learn all this." Ethan stated as he held the book up making me frown. "Why? Because I'm just a 'civilian'? That automatically means I could never understand what you do or who you are? What is in that book doesn't scare me, Ethan. Don't you understand what I am willing to do to fight for us while you sulk and spam me with calls?" I asked full of anger making him pull away in surprise.

"You don't scare me, Ethan. What you do and what you might've done doesn't scare me. But what does scare me is how during this whole time we have been apart you haven't talked to your parents or the council about us. You just let them walk all over us and watch as you let, your fear for them and their rules break us up. It scares me how much you are willing to fight for my life but not for our relationship." I said as I pulled the book from his grasp harshly.

"I'm sorry." Was all he said breaking the moment of silence between us. "I am willing to tell your parents and whoever else how serious I am about you. How I have spent weeks learning and memorizing everything about your family. Please don't tell me I have been wasting my time." I continued before I paused looking deep into his brown eyes that hung onto my every word.

"I'm willing to fight for us, Ethan. Are you?"