In Every Picture. (5SOS fanfic)

004 - conflict

The conference dragged throughout the day. After what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Grant finally let us go like the rampaging scoundrels that we are. I didn't see Luke which was a relief since I wasn't ready to confront him again. I don't know what I'll say.

It took a lot of convincing to send my driver home and need not to worry about me but eventually, he gave up. I decided to go on foot and think about the series of events that occurred today.

Crisp tangerine leaves crunched underneath my shoes, the autumn wind blowing onto my hair. I looked up above me to see small heaps of ivory clouds scattering the sky. The sun was just sitting on the horizon, its sliver of rays fading with every time passing.

Will everything go back to the way it was now?

The pensive thought surprised me. Ever since Michael and I became "friends", everything got a little bit better. But that's the catch, when I thought life would finally go right for me, it would all crash and burn. I'm afraid that if Michael gets too close, I'll do something stupid to mess it up. Like what I did to Luke. And like what I did to my brother.The condensing fear crept in my stomach.

And right next to the picture, was Luke Hemmings. He was the unbelievably dorky asshole that was always there for me. He was my bestfriend.

Was.

And now, I'm his freaking model.

Why would he choose me?

I groaned inwardly and kicked a pebble off the pavement. All these questions, but no answers.

Finally, when dusk was settling in, my eyes spotted a beige-painted house, flowers of different varieties littered the place and a wreath-iron gate stood in front of it . The biggest house in the villa, really. Automatically, my feet led me there.

Thank God, I'm home.

I opened the door lightly and I was welcomed with the alluring scent of something cooking permeating the air. My head peeped in the kitchen to see a woman putting a tray inside the oven.

"Mom?"

"In the flesh," my mother smiled a smile of class and elegance. Her shoulder-length brown curls shone underneath the fluorescent-lit room. She looked enticing and powerful at the same time. Unluckily, these traits weren't passed on to my genes. I was born with the grace of a seagull.

"You're already back?"

"Uh-huh, the head doctor finally let me go after I'd finished that awful stack of papers," she patted her palms on her apron and took it off.

"We'll be having dinner tonight with your father, Gwyn. He's just been back from Cali. Get dressed now," Meredith pranced away with her heels clicking and her red velvet dress swaying into the dining room.

"He's not my father though!" I shouted back for her to hear.

"Whatever, Gwyneth. Just get dressed," my mom exasperated, her voice beaming off the hallways.

And like that, I darted off into my bedroom. Quickly, I dressed myself in a figure-hugging slick black dress and went back to the dining room in a flash.

"Why do you always wear your converse with everything?" My mom looked disgusted but I only shrugged at her.

I sat back in a mahogany chair and grabbed a chocolate or two.

After several minutes, the door opened. My mom welcomed Ben with a chaste kiss on the lips. He lifted Meredith off the floor for a few seconds and let out a hearty laugh. He snapped his head toward my direction and instantly I stood up.