Chapter 30

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I watched as Caleb's gaze shifted from Dallas and onto me. I gave him the sharpest warning glare I could, but he seemed unfazed. My grandma walked over to Dallas, a permanent grin on her face as she skipped right past the hand shaking phase and went in for the hug with Dallas. He didn't seem surprised at all and chuckled quietly as he reciprocated the action. 

"It's so good to meet you. I've heard so much." My grandma enthused, grabbing his hand gingerly as she spoke. 

"Oh yes, we've heard so much." Caleb whispered under his breath, trying to suppress laughter. Being as though Mariah was sitting next to him, she got the honors of punching him in the arm. I walked over to my cousins, kneeling beside Caleb. 

"I swear to everything good and pure on this earth, if you do or say anything, I will murder you." I hissed under my breath. Being as though my grandma had already launched into deep conversation with Dallas, my mom, and my aunt, only Caleb and Mariah heard me. 

"Sadie," he started, wrapping an arm around my neck, pulling me close to him. "I know I'm not a genius, but I'm thinking that if you didn't want me to embarrass you, then you probably shouldn't have brought him to the family Christmas." He raised his eyebrows after speaking, clearly trying to provoke me. 

I growled lowly, shoving him off me. I gave Mariah a desperate look of support, but she didn't seem to have any. 

"I hate you so much." I seethed, standing to my full height. He laughed airily, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Good thing I don't care." 

"Caleb, look-" Mariah tried to intervene, but Caleb scoffed loudly, cutting her off. 

"I don't want to hear it. Especially from you." He muttered, shooting Mariah a venomous glare before he sauntered off to the living room. Mariah sighed heavily, plopping down in the chair Caleb was previously sitting in. 

"Jeez, bitter much?" I questioned, nodding towards Caleb as he settled down in the living room and turned the TV on. 

"He's still mad I told that girl he liked to go screw herself." Mariah grumbled under her breath, crossing her arms across her chest. I chuckled quietly to myself. 

"Well, that is something most people would take offense to." I reasoned, earning a side glare. 

"You don't understand, this girl was a real jerk to put it nicely. I don't even know why Caleb gave her the time of day." 

"He must have saw something in her that you didn't." I answered, trying to take both sides in my cousins's disagreement. She shook her head, clearly not wanting to hear it. 

"Then he's dumb and desperate if he tried to convince himself she had any redeeming qualities whatsoever." 

"You should go tell him that. I'm sure he'll forgive you in a heartbeat." I joked, laughing at my own comment while Mariah just stared judgmentally at me. Before either of us could say anything else, Dallas sat down in the chair next to me. Mariah immediately perked up, a smile on her lips as she leaned forward in her seat. 

"So, what do you think of my family?" I asked as he settled down. I looked at the glass of water in his hand, noticing my grandma was rather quick to be hospitable and get him something to drink. 

"They're great." He smiled brightly, causing Mariah to practically swoon beside me. "Your grandma sure likes to talk." 

"Oh, I know. I'm surprised she already let you get away from her." I said with raised eyebrows, throwing a cheesy smile in my grandma's direction. 

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