Espionage? Teenage spy? Sounds bonkers. That kind of thing only happens in movies.
Normal teenagers wake up every morning and go to school, come home, do homework, do their chores, go to sleep - then wake up and do it all over again.
Ariella Alder...
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𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚟𝚎 | 𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕
"Archer, what's your favorite book?" Grayson asked.
Oh, absolutely not!
The four of us have been sitting at the dining room table for the past hour, having nothing interesting to talk about. Grayson has been studying Archer's body language the entire time. He hasn't said one word, except for telling Thea that dinner is delicious. Thea didn't even cook dinner. We all know by now that Thea can't cook. Thea has been trying to make conversation with Archer, but he seems out of place.
Archer understands that I'm not normal.
"That's your dinner time conversation?" I questioned.
"As a matter of fact, it is. The go-to book for a young man is important," Grayson said.
I sat stirring the takeout Chinese food on my plate, wondering when the world was going to open up and swallow me whole. I've never craved an interrogation with a criminal before now. Going into a room with a demented criminal actually sounds more appealing than continuing this dinner.
I used my watch to carefully send a message to Celia.
If I'm going to be suffering for much longer, I need her vibrant energy to make everyone comfortable.
Celia Porter has the ability to devolve a situation before it turns into a hazard. Grayson Alderidge is becoming a hazard. We are meant to get a glimpse into the Hawthorne family with this dinner. Never did I expect for Grayson to ask the stupidest questions to make this night even more awkward.
Violent pounds on the door alerted everyone. Thank God!
"I'll get it!" I exclaimed, scrapping my chair back. I took off for the front door, ready for Celia Porter to make her grand entrance. "Please, save us from this nightmare," I whispered.
"I'll do you one better. I'll make sure that delicious boy in there gives you a goodnight kiss after this dinner," Celia whispered, smiling mischievously.
I'm now regretting this decision.
The two of us made our way to the dining room. Celia beamed with excitement over the fact that we were eating Chinese food. Her presence felt like a weight being lifted. Thea visibly slumped her shoulders forward, as if she was finally releasing a breath, she'd been holding all night long. Grayson looked pissed that Celia was being her loud self. Obviously, Archer looked confused.
"Archer, this is Celia, our neighbor. Celia is this Archer," I said. "Play nice," I warned.
I took my original seat next to Archer on one side of the table. Thea, Grayson, and Celia sat on the opposite side of the table facing us. We always leave the two heads of the table open, and Celia knew that, so she slid an extra chair next to Grayson.
