Thursday Nights | ✓

FOURTEEN | 8/6/15

FOURTEEN | 8/6/15

A FEW HOURS ago, Harrison invited me to have dinner with his family tonight. It surprised me to no end because I'm pretty sure everyone in the Gage family, aside from Harrison and Lucas, hate me. As I look at his text message, everything in my body is telling me to decline his offer and stay far, far away. Except, I can't because he's Harrison Gage, and I can't really resist him.

I send a message back to him, finally, and say, Yeah, of course. Make sure your fam doesn't bite my head off.

His reply is almost instantaneous, babe, i got your back.

A smile spreads on my lips when I see the word babe. It sends a good feeling down my spine, like we're comfortable enough with each other to be flirty or be sarcastic or anything, really.

Seeing that I didn't reply, Harrison sends another message, arden*

sorry if i was too straightforward.

um.

i feel awkward. please respond.

I laugh at his awkwardness, perfectly imagining him scratching the back of his neck and staring at the screen with hopeful blue eyes. I guess it's another sign of how well I now know him.

To put Harrison out of his misery, I respond with, Lol, don't sweat it, babe. What time and what should I wear? ;)

i'm picking you up at 6 and wear something extravagant. ;D

•••

HARRISON SHOWS UP at my door a few minutes before the clock strikes six. He wasn't lying when he said to dress extravagantly because here he is, wearing anything but his usual attire. Instead of his black hair tucked under a beanie, it's nicely combed. Instead of a t-shirt and ripped jeans, it's a button down -- with a tie -- and a pair of slacks. His dirty Converses are replaced with dress shoes.

He looks handsome, and I don't hold back from telling him that.

"And you look beautiful," Harrison says in reply, smiling at me with his pink lips and his twinkling eyes.

I look at my outfit -- a black dress with nude heels -- and shrug, "It's nothing."

He scoffs and says, "That's not nothing, Arden Banks."

I happily smile at him before changing the topic, "Anyway, we should head out. It's gonna be a long night."

"Yeah," he sighs before casually taking my hand, "I'm sorry in advance for anything my family will do or say."

"Hey, don't worry, Harrison," I reassure, squeezing his hand, "They're only people, not loaded guns."

"Yeah," he repeats, "Let's hope their words don't kill you."

We enter Harrison's old car, which contrasts against our fancy outfits. It makes me realize something, "Your parents are businesspeople, right?"

He nods in response, drowning me with a question in his ocean eyes.

"They didn't buy a car for you?"

I watch as his long fingers grip on the wheel tighter than before, and I want to take back what I said. Harrison isn't comfortable enough to be asked such a question, but he bitterly answers anyway, "No, but they did try to shove one down my throat in hopes that I'll follow in their footsteps."

"And you went out and bought yourself a car?"

"Exactly," Harrison nods, "and I wanted to be independent."

Honestly, he's the greatest person I've ever met. There are some people in the world who would live off their parents' money. There needs to be more people like him, I believed, people who are raw and good and different and beautiful. I can't believe it took me this long to come up with that conclusion.

With that in mind, I allow the conversation to change into something else. So, we chat about other random things until we reach his house.

His house is huge, but Harrison understandably looks embarrassed when we pull into the lonf driveway. I don't say anything but admire from afar, especially eyeing the beautiful garden in front of the house. It reminds me of when I would help my mom garden several years ago.

When we pass the aligned flowers, Harrison, as if knowing what I'm thinking of, mutters, "Nobody ever touched that garden except for landscapers."

I look at the flowers again, but this time, they're not as pleasing.

Finally, we enter the house, and Harrison immediately leads me to the dining room, not leaving enough time to admire the framed pictures on the wall. The dining room is empty, but soon, his family starts trickling in with other distinguished-looking people.

I lean closer to Harrison and whisper, "Who are those people?"

"Business associates," he whispers back, "Don't look them in the eye because they'll turn you into stone."

I let out a laugh, which Mrs. Gage seems to hear. She walks over to the two of us, her steps deliberate and steady, and she looks absolutely scary. I don't realize that Harrison grabbed my hand until he runs his thumb over my knuckles in a reassuring way.

"Harrison," her blue eyes, so similar to her son's, glance over me, "I see you brought the Sheriff's daughter."

His reply is cold and distant, and for a second, I almost forget who he is, "Yes, I did. Is that a problem?"

Mrs. Gage eyes me once more with distaste before looking at her son, "Yes, I do. She doesn't belong here."

Ouch.

"Well, excuse me," I interrupt, hoping to prevent anything that will happen, but it turns out more sarcastic than expected, "Hi, hello. I can hear, thank you very much. Also, if I don't deserve to be here, then why am I still here?"

Harrison tugs me away, leading me to the dining table. He doesn't look mad at my comment, though, instead he looks proud, "Arden?"

"Yeah?" I ask.

"You're so great," he laughs, "Amazingly great. Hot damn."

I blush at his comment and think that the night won't be so bad.

Thankfully, it isn't. Lucas and Harrison sit at both my sides, and they manage to direct any questions away from me. I observe the family from the seat, collected and calm, but not warm and comfortable. Even though other people here, there aren't any previous familial vibes.

They're not loaded guns, but they might as well be sharp knives.

____________________________

Sorry there wasn't any actual conversations between Arden and the Gage family, but I really wanted to get this chapter out to you guys because I'm already late af.

However, this isn't Arden's last interaction with them.

Also, sorry if this chapter sucks. I wrote most of it today because I was oh-so busy.

BUT ARDISON IS SO CUTE. SO YAAAAAS FOR THEM.

I love all of you.

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--islandarc