𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 | 𝐃. 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐙𝐎 |

CHAPTER 2.

Chapter 2.
Jelena Ronelle Toscano-Anderson

You know what's crazy? Family.

My family to be specific.

It's not a bad thing, but my family sometimes makes my head spin, but I would never act like I was ashamed and try to avoid my family the way Landon does; and is doing right now.

Landon has this habit of not talking to us, except for Adrian. It's like if we don't say something to him first, he won't acknowledge our existence until the school day is over and we all ride to my parents house in Canon's car.

We're all at lunch, and we all sit at the same table—which is just two tables that we pushed together—and Landon is sitting at a table in the back of the cafeteria, his eyes glued to the table where DJ, Ava, and a few other members of the basketball team are sitting.

"You guys think we should go over there?" Canon asked, looking at all of us.

London shrugged. "Nah. I'm not in the mood for him right now...plus, I gotta be in the right headspace if I wanna continue working on this campaign."

Adrian shook his head and held up his finger. "Question tho, Jelly. Why you keep curving my man Kiyan."

"I actually second that question!" London said, tapping Adrian's arm repeatedly. "Because he's wanted you for a minute."

Harmonie held up her hand, stopping me before I could respond and shook her head. "Let me guess: because he not Deuce?"

Really? I mean she wasn't wrong...but really..

Adrian rolled his eyes and groaned. "Man, you need to let that go. And fast. Deuce isn't even someone you need to be worried about. First off, he's about to graduate college. Second, he's a hoe. Third, did I mention he's a hoe? I know he's practically kin and all, but me and him don't share DNA, I'll kick his ass."

"Deuce isn't a hoe..." I mumbled, glaring at my twin brother.

Canon laughed and shook his head. "Yeah okay. And the sky ain't blue. That nigga is a hoe. He's just like Uncle Jayson before he settled down with Auntie Mori."

"Seriously, he's with a new girl almost every week," London said pushing her ginger hair from out her face. "You're only gonna get hurt chasing after him."

I rolled my eyes and went silent, looking down at my plate. Suddenly, I lost my appetite. This wasn't the first time that I had been told this, but I just refuse to believe it. Deuce has always come off as this nice person to me, at least. I think that's what started my crush on him. Aside from the fact that he's just one of the most beautiful guys I've ever seen in my entire life—the first being Leon Thomas III from Victorious.

I know what you're thinking, why do I have a crush on my cousin? But we're not blood related; and it kind of just happened. He's always super nice to me, and let's face it, he's extremely charming.

"Deuce is a sweetheart," I said firmly. "Why are we so focused on me? How about the fact that Mikey said that he liked how overachieving Lolo is."

Adrian's eyes widened as he looked over at London in shock. "Oh shit! For real?"

London rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He didn't mean anything by it."

"Oh, he meant something by it!" Harmonie said. "Don't think I didn't see him watching you in class today. Every time you were looking down or looking away, he was looking at you. It was adorable."

"Oh the same way Bronny looks at you?" London said, giving Harmonie a smug smirk.

All of our jaws dropped, including Harmonie's, as we all laughed and shook our heads. Our laughter was so loud that nearly every person in the cafeteria was looking at us, as if we were completely insane, including Landon, who was now passing out flyers for his art show.