Tell Me The Truth -H.S. AU

H- 52

Violet didn't say much on the drive back to her house. My hand has been firmly placed on her thigh for the last twenty minutes, while she anxiously plays with the rings on my fingers.

I know she doesn't like being the center of attention, especially when everyone she loves will be gathered at her house, which is such a place of sorrow for her, considering everything she's been through. I'm hoping that since her mother won't be there, she'll be able to relax a little and have fun. I made sure to ask Mav if she was coming and he promised that she wasn't.

I can't get his face out of my head when he told me he wanted to throw her a party. He was so excited, so happy to be able to do something for his daughter, who has done so much for everyone else. I wasn't sure if I could get her to say yes, but I told him I would try.

We pull up to her house and I shut the car off. I don't move my hand from underneath hers and watch her carefully as she looks toward the house.

"Are you alright, baby?" I whisper, the sudden silence without the engine is making the moment feel very fragile.

"It looks so happy." She says quietly, still rubbing her finger back and forth across my rings.

"What does?"

"My house." She mumbles, and I can hear a slight smile creep into her voice. "It's usually so dark."

I tear my eyes from her and follow her gaze to the front windows. It seems as if every light in the house is on with how much light is pouring from the glass out onto the lawn. Looking in, we can see Niall and Mia in the living room dancing along to music that we can't hear, and Mav talking to Cas in the kitchen with his hand on his shoulder as they laugh.

"They're waiting for you." I whisper and nudge her shoulder with mine. She finally turns to look at me and smiles fully this time, making me lose my breath for just a second.

"They're waiting for us." She corrects me and I smile back at her. "We're a package deal."

We exit the car and make our way across the lawn, up the porch steps and to the front door. I pause with my hand on the knob and look at Violet.

"Ready?" I ask, unable to wipe the smile off my face as she bounces from foot to foot with excitement, her anxiousness subsiding for now.

She quickly steps forward and plants a soft kiss on my lips before stepping back again. "Ready." She says.

I turn the knob and push the door open. Immediately we are hit with another chorus of "Congratulations Violet" but this time, it's joined with the obnoxious sound of kazoos being blown and party poppers going off left and right.

Violet takes a step back, startled from the noise, but I place my hand on her lower back and guide her forward to enter the house first as I follow behind and shut the door. Mia is the first to officially greet us, holding out a red plastic cup for Vi to take.

"Here you go, babes." She says before lowering her voice to a whisper that only we can hear. "It's punch...with a bit of a kick. Niall's got a flask in his pocket, but don't tell your dad."

"Thank you." Violet giggles and hugs Mia before moving on to Niall and she thanks him for coming.

"Anything for you, love." Niall winks at her and I roll my eyes at him.

We make our way over to the couch where Emily and Ava are before heading to the kitchen to find Mav and Cas. Violet immediately throws her arms around her dad and gives him a big hug. Mav freezes for a second before he snakes his arms around her back and squeezes her gently. He shuts his eyes tightly as he soaks in a hug from his daughter and I find myself blinking back my own emotion as I watch them.