𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗔 ↝︎ ᵍʳᵃʰᵃᵐ ᵈᵘⁿⁿᵉ

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣, 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣

track 4: i saw the light

Blaire didn't know what to make of the girl Graham brought home. She always tried to see the good in people, but Alana — the girl who currently captured Graham's attention — didn't have much.

The second Blaire introduced herself, Alana ignored her, hugging everyone but Blaire. The second Blaire brought out food for everyone, Alana scrunched her nose in disgust and didn't even say thank you. Whether she did it to hurt Blaire's feelings or not was a mystery. Karen seemed to think it was intentional, already clenching her jaw as she sat at the table.

Forced to be present, Warren and Eddie sent Graham looks of disapproval. Sending them a look, Blaire reminded them to behave. She didn't want to come between whatever Alana and Graham were forming. As she used her fork to play with her spaghetti, Blaire felt her cheeks hurt from faking so many smiles. Shockingly, she didn't have much of an appetite.

"How did you two meet?" she questioned, watching the way Alana always touched Graham whenever she had the chance. She would make their hands graze ever so slightly, laugh too hard at one of his jokes as her hand would squeeze his arm, and lay her head on his shoulder. Each remote interaction between them made her blood boil. Not wanting to impose on their relationship, Blaire didn't show it and always kept her replies short and sweet.

Being raised in a hostile environment, she refused to bring an ounce of negativity to her new one. She wanted to prove that despite being her parents' daughter, she would be nothing like them. She could handle seeing them every time she looked in the mirror, but she would not accept their behavior becoming her own.

"He was surfing alone and ended up beside my surfboard. We talked and hit it off. I know we are just starting our relationship, but isn't that so cute, Bailey?" Alana explained, her smile appearing strained.

Eye nearly twitching in annoyance, Karen repressed the curses in her throat. "Her name is Blaire," she said sharply, glaring. "Are you serious —"

"It's okay, Karen," Blaire said, grabbing her best friend's hand and granting her a gentle squeeze that soothed her instantly. She was trying so hard to believe Alana actually had some promising qualities. Surely she had to have some. There was no way someone could be so condescending to a person she knew nothing about. "It was an honest mistake, right, Alana?"

"Right, honest mistake," Alana said, feigning innocence as she interlocked her hand with Graham's, almost as if trying to claim him. No matter how many times Karen corrected Alana, the girl always managed to mess up her name.

Beatrice, Betty, Blake, Bonnie.

Everything but Blaire's actual name. Each time she'd make the 'honest' mistake, Blaire pursed her lips. Struggling to keep the peace, she would have to send Karen and the boys a warning glance.

How they got through an entire dinner without a murder occurring came across as a miracle. Warren collected the dishes while Blaire asked, "Did you enjoy your food?"

"It was... pleasant," Alana said unenthusiastically, a fake smile on her face. By the way she said it, you'd think she had just consumed the most appalling thing known to man. However, when Blaire glanced down at Alana's plate, it told a different story. Not a single crumb was left behind. The dish appeared spotless, almost as if she licked up every leftover.

"Just pleasant?" Eddie questioned, finding her answer hard to believe.

"It's not my usual cup of tea, you know?" Alana shrugged. Liar — Blaire's food was everyone's cup of tea. Her food could win the heart of anyone. If she wasn't the vocalist of a band, there was no doubt she could make bank through her culinary knowledge.