Reign's POV

"So why didn't lover boy drive you home tonight?" Asks peter as he walks me home.

By lover boy, he means Luke.

Aside from Garrett, Peter is the only person who figured us out, mostly because Luke picks me up every Wednesday night due to the fact that I hate working Wednesday nights so he tends to 'make them better' for me.

"He's at a party." I adjust the backpack strap on my left shoulder, feeling a little uncomfortable by this conversation.

"He's at a party? Without you?" That seems to be a shock to him.

"It's no ordinary party, it's a traditional party where senior cheerleaders and football players celebrate themselves and party till sunrise." I explain.

Dumb tradition by the way.

"Oh, aren't you like worried that he'll mess around with other people?" He questions.

"No, I know he won't." I respond honestly.

"Ow, so you trust him?" He playfully nudges my shoulder, I glare at him, feeling a little irritated.

"Yeah, I think so." I mumble.

I expect him to hit me with another question but he doesn't, we walk quietly on the sidewalk, the sound of dogs barking in the quiet neighborhood being the only source of noise.

"One of these days, I'm gonna need you to sit down and ask yourself the ultimate question." Peter speaks again.

I huff, "And what's that?"

"Am I falling in love with Luke Richardson?"  He says, I widen my eyes at him.

"Peter, I swear to God, if you don't shut the fuck up." I quicken my pace as I spot my house from a near distance.

"Think about it, Rei, I've known you for forever and I have never ever seen you this happy," his tone sounds serious.

"Are you complaining about my happiness?" I roll my eyes, not looking back at him.

"No, I'm telling you that you look very happy when he's around, you smile every time he stops by the shop and your eyes sparkle when you're staring at each other for no reason."

"Sparkle? That's so cringe." I scrunch my face.

"I think you should date, honestly." He drops the bomb, I halt, spinning around to face him.

"Peter? Thank you very much for your concern but Luke and I are good, okay?" I show him a smile that isn't all that genuine.

"Speak for yourself, Reign, that guy wants to date you more than he wants to play football, trust me, I've seen it on his gorgeous face." He tells me, I don't know why but my heart picks up because of those words.

"Goodnight, Peter." I say in a low tone as I turn around and continue walking home.

"Think about it!" He shouts after me but I don't respond or turn to look at him.

Does he really think about dating me?

That would explain a lot about his sudden unusual behavior, like why he calls me five times a day or how I catch him staring at me like a creep most of the time or how he now kisses me like he owns me.

My throat appears to be dry, I swallow and I wipe my sweaty hands on my sweatshirt, my body vibrating with tension.

Fuck, I asked- no, I warned him not to fall for me.

I walk into the house and I hear shouting.

Feeling confused, I slowly amble to the living room, standing in the doorway and staring back and forth between Mom and Jordan, both standing in front of each other, arguing on top of their voices.

"It's been seven years, Mom, seven god damn years, I think it's high time that you fucking opened your eyes and admit that he wasn't who he said he was!" Jordan shouts frustratedly.

Oh, they're covering this super hot topic. Interesting.

"Watch your mouth, young lady, that's your father you're talking about." Mom points a warning finger at Jordan.

"He's not my father," She shakes her head.

Well, at least we agree on something.

"Take that back." Mom drops a tear.

"No, I won't, Daniel is a fucking stranger-"

She's cut off by Mom's spiking slap.

Ouch.

That must've hurt.

The room goes silent, Jordan is glaring at our mother and our mother has that look of regret on her face but doesn't she always?

"Look at her, Mom." Jordan nods her head in my direction while keeping her eyes on Mom.

I narrow my eyes, taken aback by her statement.

The fuck?

Mom turns her head and stares at me, our eyes meet and she wipes her cheeks.

"When you look at that girl standing there, do you see your daughter from seven years ago? Do you see your little Reign? the cheerful sweet girl that wanted to make cookies on Sundays for her classmates and ask her parents about the mysteries of life because she was just too curious about the world and everything in it?"

"Hey, don't involve me in this bullshit." I tell her. She shifts her hard gaze to me.

"I don't see that girl, all I see is a very angry teenager who's shut everybody out because she's scared of getting hurt all over again," she looks at mom, "You and Daniel did that, Mom, you fucked us up."

"Us?" I squint my eyes at her, "You're no different from them. Tell me, Jordan, where were you when I was being bullied at school after it all happened? when they called me all sorts of names, when they threw papers that had mean words written on them, when I had to cry myself to sleep every night?" I seethe, "And unlike you, dear sister, I stayed and I went to school every day and you know what? It got better, I never healed but it got better." I nod.

"Yeah, cause, you're the only one that went through shit after Dad fucked us over." She says sarcastically, giving me lazy eyes.

"Your father would be really disappointed in you girls, we raised you better than what you've become." Says Mom, sounding all disappointed.

Jordan chuckles, I scoff.

"What was that?" Asks Mom, her tone sounding a little angry.

"That was me calling you out on your bullshit statement, you didn't raise me, Mom, you were too busy getting wasted and playing detective to raise me, I had to cook and clean and make sure you were sleeping on your side so you didn't choke on your own puke every night and then I had to clean your vomit off the floor every morning." I blurt out angryly, my voice heavy with emotion.

They both stare at me in silence.

"Reign..." Jordan starts in a calm tone.

"And you." I turn my head to glare at her, my vision blurry with tears, "You were supposed to be there, I really needed you, Jordan, you and Mom. I grew to understand that you were both busy fighting your own demons to be there for me but I still don't know how to forgive or love or care, all I do is hate and it works just fine for me."

"I'm sorry I left, Reign, I was just a kid that needed a way out of this hell hole."

"So was I, Jordan, and maybe a part of me forgives you but, I don't know if I'll ever look at you as my big sister ever again." My voice cracks and my throat hurts.

"Don't say that." She flutters her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

"Goodnight." I hurry towards the staircase, climbing the stairs and entering my room, I shut the door and drop my bag on the floor.

Jordan's words replay in my head, I know she was right, I used to be so different from the person I am today and that reminder fucks me up in so many ways.

I pace the room, feeling like I'm being choked by the air I'm breathing, like I've been shot in the chest a million times but I'm somehow still breathing.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, I pull it out and glance at the screen.

Not now, Luke.

I decline the call.

I lean my back against the wall, sliding to the floor, I hug my knees and I let it out. I cry.

I cry for little Reign, the little girl that liked baking and binge watching and saw the good in every one.

God, she's never coming back, is she?

My phone vibrates in my hand.

2 new messages from Luke.

"You asleep?"

"I miss you."

Those two simple messages bring a smile to my face, they warm my chest and make me feel less of everything Jordan's words made me feel.

He calls me again and this time, I pick up.

"Hello?"

"I ditched the party, it was too crazy, even for me, I'd rather watch you dip a fry in milkshake than be at that party."

I laugh through silent tears.

"Shocking."

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"You sound like you're crying, are you crying?" The amount of concern in his tone makes the hairs on my arm rise.

And then it happens.

Realization.

He fell for me.

He wasn't supposed to fall for me.

Now I have no choice but to make it stop, to end the only good thing I've had in seven years.

"I'm just sleepy." I lie.

"Okay, liar. can I pick you up in the morning?"

I shut my eyes, rubbing my forehead.

"No, I uh, I think we should stop." I just let it out.

He doesn't respond immediately which tells me that he knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"Why?"

"You know why, Luke."

"I get that you're upset about something, sleep on it, and we can talk tomorrow, yes?"

"No, Luke, I don't wanna do this with you anymore, I'm sorry but-"

"You're not sorry, Reign. You wouldn't be doing this to me if you were but you know what? You're a selfish bitch, I know that and I knew this was coming."

He hates me.

I hit my head against the wall repeatedly, breathing heavily and mentally telling myself not to cry.

"I'm sorry."

"Please. Don't." He sounds hurt.

"Friends?" I ask, he scoffs like how dare I.

"We were never friends and we're never going to be friends so fuck you very much." He hangs up.

I let the device fall from my ear and just like that, I'm pulled out of that cloud nine, back to reality.

And you know what? Reality sucks.