Always

36| Give Thanks

Just a heads up that the next few chapters are going to be a bit long :)

"Look who's finally decided to grace us with her presence," Lydia, my older cousin deadpans.

I don't say anything, I just take a seat at the fully food surfaced dinner table with Greyson in tow. The smell of so many different aromas make my stomach churn but for once I think I'll be okay.

This totally has nothing to do with the fact that Greyson's here and he makes me feel like everything's going to be okay. Nope, nothing.

At the table, my mom and Aunt Sylvia sit at both ends with her girls on her right and my sister to her left. My dad sits on my mom's right leaving two seats open on each side.

There's a vacant chair between Lydia and Lana which is abnormal because they always sit beside one another so they can talk shit about me, or anyone really.

"Greyson, I saved you a seat beside me," Lana suggest.

"Technically you'll be beside me," Lydia corrects.

Ahhh now I see, they're fighting over Dickface.

"Well, since we're getting technical..."

I roll my eyes and tune them out taking the seat between my dad and Lilith who's barely spoken to me this past month. It's normal that we rarely talk because she's always holed up in her room, but even when we did have physical interaction she completely avoided me. I don't know what I did wrong but I can't mend it if she won't talk to me.

Right?

"Hey," I whisper to her nudging her shoulders. She responds with a quick small smile that drops the second she faces forward again.

I sigh and turn my attention back to the two sisters and the boy between them that's seated directly across from me. He wears a look of desperation but I simply shrug with a innocent smile on my face.

"Now that we're all here, before we begin you guys know the routine," my mom announces.

Every year at our Thanksgiving dinner before eating, we go around the table one by one saying things that we're all thankful for. It sounds a little cliché but it's my favorite part. I usually wrack my brain to come up with some lie but I love hearing what my parents and sister have to say. It reminds me that they all have a reason to keep going and so do I.

"Okay I'll start," my dad pitches up. "I'm thankful that I've lived to see another year watching my two little girls grow into strong independent young women, and that the most beautiful woman in the world is by my side with me."

"Awww, that's so sweet honey," my mom says in adoration.

"That's kinda cringey dad," I nudge him with a big cheesy grin."

"Yeah," my sister mimics beside me.

I can see the scowl on Sylvia's face while her daughters make choking noises and faces, but I don't care. Greyson just has a small smile on his face staring at his empty plate in front of him.

It was my mom's turn and she said something just as sweet and embarrassing as my dad. Then it was Lydia's.

"Well I'm thankful for my genes. I can eat however much I want and not worry about gaining weight," she says with an innocent smile. "I mean, God knows what I would do if I were fat. What about you Grey? What are you thankful for?" she beams.

"We're not going to pretend that what you just said wasn't directed towards me," I interrupt.

"Whatever do you mean dear cousin? I couldn't possibly be meaning you, look at you. You have a killer bod," she smiles but I see right through her like glass. I drop it anyway because I'm not in the mood right now.

"Go ahead Grey."

"Uh, I'm thankful for the people in my life. They bring out the best in me," he looks directly at me as he finishes, "Some more than others."

The look in his eyes makes my stomach do a little flippy thing and I bashfully look away, my face warm. I shuffle my feet to help gain at least some composure and I accidentally knock his foot. He looks at me tilting his head to the side with a playful smile on his lips.

"That was so romantic Grey," Lana fawns snapping both of us back to reality.

I don't know if it's the food or Lana's obnoxious flirting but I start to feel nauseous again, I bear it though. I can politely excuse myself right before we start eating to 'wash my hands' or something.

"Well I'm thankful for money," Lana brags.

I roll my eyes and Lilith breathes out, "Of course she is."

"I get to buy as many clothes and shoes as I like. I didn't dress my best today but I'm still pretty, right Greyson?"

He glances at her in clear annoyance but a glint of recognition flashes in his eye.

"Allison, didn't you own a pair of those earrings in seventh grade," Greyson asks.

"Huh?"

I study at Lana closely and notice little lightning cloud earrings in her ears. They look exactly like the rainbow-dash cutie mark ones I had in middle school.

"Oh yeah, I remember those! I wore them like everyda"—

—"Whatever. Mom, it's your turn." Lana cuts me off.

"Okay, rude." I scoff.

"Oh Allison please," Sylvia says for the first time today. "I'm never going to enjoy this lovely meal if you keep whining every time my daughters speak, or do you not want to eat? You can't can you?"

"Syl," my mom warns.

"What is it my dearest sister hmm? You and your family get to play all loving and sweet in our faces but my daughters comments always seem to receive backlash from yours. How is that fair?"

Oh God. Here we go.

"Maybe because we've never said anything offensive or repulsive toward anyone else at this table."

"Please," Sylvia rolls her eyes. "The only thing repulsive at this table is the food."

There's a long silence before my mom lets out a long humorless laugh and I look to dad who's already looking at me in fear. I look to Greyson who's already sweating.

Shit is about to get ugly, and fast.

A/N:
Thank you guys so much for almost 20K reads. Hugs and kisses to you all.

The next few chapters are already planned and things are reaching it's peak please be patient with me.

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Special shout out to Nexi720 for their undying support on my book ever since they first read it. I love you <3.