Hope

8. "Something like that"

Annabeth

I wanted to hide. I didn't want to be part of this celebration of two families being able to merge together. Wasn't the tea part enough? I wanted to drown myself in alcohol, especially when Mr Kimmel gave me a wink. He was a regular at work and I was his favourite. He didn't care that I was his best friend's daughter.

"Hey. Are you okay? You've been a bit out of it since yesterday." Tommy asked me sweetly, resting his hand on my lower back. "I'm fine. I just don't want to be here." I spoke half the truth, escaping to the bar. "Beth, long time no see."

"Hey Ronnie, strongest shot you've got and keep them coming. Please."

Ronnie raised an eyebrow at me and glanced behind me. I'm guessing Tommy was still looking at me. "Boy trouble?"

"Something like that."

"You look gorgeous by the way."

I thought I'd be good for once and wore one of the classiest dresses I owned. My parents hadn't even recognised me. I looked like a lady, even if I did have a few tattoos and highlights. I had opted for taking out my earrings for tonight.

I looked more innocent that my sister for once who wore something more revealing, much to our mum's dismay.

I tried to keep my eyes from her. It hurt to look at my sister after hurting her so badly, when she didn't even know. "Ever screw someone over?" I asked Ronnie after a few shots.

"Everyone screws someone over at some point. It's called being human. We all make mistakes. Want to explain how you've screwed someone over?" I shook my head rapidly. I appreciated his honesty as I saw pain flash in his eyes but, I didn't want to talk about it, especially here.

"It's not the what, it's the who. This person means the most to me in the world and I go and be a dick." I sighed moving my head to my hands.

Hello, Hope."

"Not here, Mr Kimmel. No one knows here, remember?" I hissed in his direction and took another shot. Thankfully, the shots I had already had, prevented me from coiling from my disgust when he touched me. "I just wanted to let you know you look beautiful tonight, Annabeth." I could have been sick.

"Thank you. You may leave me now."

"Annabeth?" I heard my mum's surprised tone behind me. I closed my eyes. I just couldn't be dealing with this or anything right now. I loathed myself enough as it was. I span in the chair to see my mum's eyes widen at me. "You look, amazing."

"Thanks mum." Of course she compliments me when I dress to her ideal standards. She looked in the direction of my sister. "I wish I could say the same about your sister; she looks like a whore."

My rage was boiling like a kettle. It was one thing when my mum was insulting me to my face or behind my back but, for her to insult Ellie to me. It was the last straw. She was lucky no one was looking because I slapped her. It would have been a punch if it weren't for all these people. "You are a god awful mother. We deserve so much better than you." I sneered ignoring the sudden states from hearing the contact of my hand with her face. I turned to Ronnie. "Give me a bottle of vodka and one of coke please. Thank you."

I retreated to my room. I was done. I was done with being here, being their daughter, being a failure. I headed to my room and locked the door. I didn't want to see anyone right now. It wasn't long until there was a repeated banging on my door from Ellie, not to my surprise. "Beth. Please say you're not being dumb."

"I'm just getting drunk, we'll drunker. I'm not going to hurt myself again, don't worry. I'm a warrior. I'm also a bitch. I'm sorry Ellie. I'm so sorry." I began to sob. I was truly the worst sister ever. "You're not, Beth. What's going on?"

I blacked out. When I came to, the vodka bottle was completely empty but the coke was full. "Whoops." I groaned. My head felt like there was a construction site working in there. I was on the floor and still in my dress. I couldn't remember what happened the night before, other than slapping my mum.

I didn't bother to dress nice to go down for breakfast. I just got in my standard shorts and vest before heading downstairs and making myself some coffee. "Hey sis. How you feeling?"

"Like shit. I want to go back to bed and just never come out."

"Well, Tommy and I got interrupted yesterday by his work so, we're going out today instead. Is that okay?" I waved a hand in dismissal. They could go and fuck for all I cared. It might have actually helped the guilt. "Okay. I'll check in with you later when you're actually capable of sentences. Richard will be around if you need anything." That made my headache worse somehow.

I practically dragged myself back to bed after my coffee, and collapsed to it. I loved this bed. Even if I did break it with Gregory Juan when I was seventeen and my parents were out of town. It was beyond comfy still. "Anna."

"It's Annabeth and go away." I groaned into my pillow. Richard ignored me and came in, even locking my door. "Are you okay? You slapped your mum."

"She said Ellie looked like a whore." I grumbled , still keeping my face into my pillow. "You're not a bad person, Annabeth." I finally turned to face him. "I slept with my sister's fiancé. How is that not being a bad person?"

"I don't love her, Anna. Ellie doesn't love me."

"If that were the case; you'd cancel the wedding. Go away. I want to sleep." I grumbled again.

"Annabeth Elizabeth Isabella Wells! Get out of that room!" Both of my parents shouted, banging on my door. Just like when I was a naughty teen. "Not now. I have a hang over. Go away."

To my surprise they left, though they did mutter a ton of profanities as they trailed off. I was half asleep when I felt the bed dip and a large arm bring the covers over us and wrap around me. "Don't think about it, Anna. Just get some sleep." Damn it. My hangover and just taken all my energy to say no because I knew I wanted this.

"Why do I have to like you, Rick?" I vaguely remember grumbling before I fell to sleep.

I woke up to kissing to my shoulder and up to my neck "Rick?"

"Yeah. I couldn't resist kissing you. Sorry."

I was suddenly flipped onto my back and pinned down. Richard wore a cheeky smile. He looked hot as fuck and it was like torture. All I wanted was to kiss him and have him and have him take me. Ellie. I had to think about her, I couldn't hurt her. "You don't look sorry." I chuckled, cursing my body for disobeying me and sub-missing into Richard's touch.

"I'm not. I just don't want you to regret anything between us. I don't want to be with Elenor. She doesn't want to be with me." He whispered moving my hands so they were pinned above my head. "I don't want to steal you from her."

"We don't want each other. We just want to escape our parents. Please, listen to me. I've got a pull towards you I can't explain. I want to get to know you, Anna." I bit my lip. I had never seen eyes so pure and so full of truth. It terrified me how I felt the same. I had never had a relationship, I had never dated other than pretend. I hadn't a clue what to do, especially when I knew things were not simple. "Okay." I whispered letting my heart decide. I wanted to give him a chance. "I promise I'll end the engagement." With that he start kissing me like a horny tea.