Thirteen Summers

nine

J O S E P H I N E

"You're overreacting." Madison rolled her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with her dress."

"You can't be fucking serious." He bit back, looking me up and down.

I rubbed my arm, feeling insecure. I turned my body to the side slightly, trying to make myself less noticeable, I didn't feel beautiful anymore.

"Watch your tone and don't swear at me." My sister suddenly went serious, giving Kai a hard look. "I said it's fine, so that's that."

An awkward silence took over as Kai held his tongue, but his face said everything he wouldn't. I looked away but I felt his eyes on me.

"What's going on?" Cameron asked, as he approached with Roman at his side.

"Just Malachai forgetting to respect his elders, again." Madison responded, casually. "We should get going."

At the restaurant, I sat in between Madison and Kai. Lord knows why the latter chose that seat.

It was a fancy place, there was a tantalising scent in the air. I ordered the most basic thing on the menu, in typical Josie manner, next time I'd try something new but not today.

"I just think you have a lot of growing up to do." Roman shrugged, taking a sip of his wine. "There's a reason why we don't usually have children at the office."

Roman, Cameron and Kai were in a heated conversation about the events that occurred earlier that day. It was more heated on Kai's end, as usual.

I had no idea how the conversation had swayed this way, I wasn't paying much attention really.

"I was defending myself!" Kai raised his voice, the plates & cutlery shook slightly as his palm hit the table after every word. "Why can't you guys see that?"

I noticed onlookers from tables nearby facing our way.

"Malachai, Arrête ça. Stop this." Cameron spoke in a hard voice, those two words shut down Kai's tantrum almost immediately.

Kai directed his angry gaze to his empty plate.

I could hear his deep breathing as he tried to calm himself down, I looked to his lap where he was digging his fingernails into his wrist. 

"You'll come back to the office, apologise to the guy and I expect no more of this for the rest of your internship." Cameron told him, no question in his voice.

What he decided was always final, I had come to realise in my short time living here.

"Is it time for dessert?" Nick asked, filling the awkward silence. "I'm hungry."

Roman beckoned over a waiter who took our orders, when it came to me, I shook my head, still full from the main course.

I looked back to Kai's lap and his wrist now had nail marks, some of which were lightly bleeding. He noticed my lingering stare because suddenly it was out of my view and I looked up just to notice his glance go from me to elsewhere.

"Excuse me." Kai stood up before leaving the table.

I'm not sure where he went but some time had passed, dessert had even arrived and he still hadn't returned. I couldn't stop myself from glancing at the stairs leading to the lower part of the restaurant, where he had disappeared.

No one else seemed to be bothered much by it, too enthralled in their own conversations.

Once again, I felt a bit out of place. I kept quiet during tonight's dinner, only speaking when someone spoke with me. I hadn't gotten used to being a part of this family and I probably never would.