𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 || Jameson Hawthorne

fuck you, forever

༄ 𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄, 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐂𝐓.

I was wearing a silky black dress that fell to my mid thighs. The dress was snug and hugged my curves just right, even though I never felt right in dresses.

If Emily were here, she would've told me to wear a long dress. It's more formal, Lizzie. If I really focused, I could hear her saying the words.

Rebecca showed up with Lottie and Andrew, so I hitched a ride with Xander— who, was always late to these kind of things. Robot machines and all.

I had a simple plan. Find my table, sit down next to Rebecca, and make it through the dinner. Then I would go home, take an hour long bath, and fall asleep on my bed listening to Taylor Swift.

That plan did not include thinking about Jameson Winchester Hawthorne.

Where was he? I wasn't an idiot. I knew Jameson liked to get drunk at these kind of events, because I used to do that with him. Champagne bottles we would steal from behind the bar would be empty in minutes. Jamesons fault. He's the one with the problem. Not me.

Obviously.

"Liz! You're here!" A voice called from behind me. I turned around to see Avery walking toward me. "I've been looking for you."

"Oh, Avery, hey." I scratched the back of my head, nerves piling up inside of me. Social anxiety. "What's up?"

Avery held her hand out to me. "Could you come with me? I think I found something out." She raised her eyebrows at me with a certain look— and I already knew.

Emily. Tobias. Hawthorne.

It could be any of them. Or none. But I had told myself I was going to stay out of all things Hawthorne. Like that worked.

"I don't know—"

"Please?" Avery pleaded. "You don't have to, I get it, but this could help all of us."

The Hawthorne brothers flashed through my head. "I— okay. Alright." I sat up and Avery smiled, leading the way to wherever it was we were going.
—
༄

"You're here?" Jameson said as soon as I came into view. But my first thought was why the hell was there a helicopter?

"For some reason, yes." I eyed Jameson and the suit he was wearing, but I teared my eyes away just as quick as I had looked. "Is this really necessary?"

"On some level," Jameson said while climbing into the helicopter. Once he was inside, he turned around and held his hand out to me. "Ready?"

I took his hand and sat into the seat next to him. Our shoulders were touching and for a brief moment, it was just us. Only us.

"I hope you have a plan." Blue glitter came into my line of vision, and Avery Kylie Grambs climbed into the helicopter, Grayson following her.

He had been holding her hand.

Grayson ignored the knowing look I was giving him and instead focused his attention on the troubled and younger Hawthorne brother. "So, shall we go?"

"Sure thing, Grandpa." Jameson rolled his eyes at Grayson.

I was never the best with heights. Still, I managed to stay composed and not give away any worry in my face. "What are we looking for?" I asked.

"Numbers," Jameson answered. "Something to help us." He peered out the window and looked down below.

After a few minutes of silence, Grayson spoke. "There." He pointed down to the ground where a bunch of numbers were ingrained in the ground.

Jameson was on the same side of the window Grayson was, so I couldn't really see where they were looking. Same for Avery.