Life Of The Party × CH

25

Calum dropped me off a block away from my house later on in the day. My dad was sure to be home from work by now.

Calum had suggested we go to his house after breakfast. It was his last day at home without his parents. Their plane was landing tonight, which meant him and Mali would no longer have the house to themselves.

When I walked up to our driveway, there was a car parked there, one I didn't recognize. It was around seven pm and dad hadn't mentioned anything about any guests.

However, once I opened the front door and stepped inside I heard voices coming from the kitchen. Mainly, I heard my dad explaining something about the specific stove we owned, which is why I couldn't make out who he was talking to. I did however, figure out there were at least two other people there. I heard a woman's voice admiring the stove, as well as a man's making small comments here and there.

I decided to greet whoever was there instead of going upstairs to my room to change first.

But when I set foot in the kitchen, I swear I felt all color drain from my face, because there, sitting on one of our dining room chairs, staring right at me, was Cole. He gave me his infamous crooked smile, to which I reacted by turning my attention to the other people in the kitchen.

His parents were standing around in the kitchen. His father was standing behind the counter with a beer in his hand, he was speaking to my dad about something. His mother was making a salad, from what I could tell. She was currently adding olive oil and salt to the bowl.

My father spoke as he stirred a pot, which looked like it had spaghetti boiling in it.

"Devin!" I heard Cole's mother say. I turned my head to face her. "Look at you!" she continued, leaving the bowl unattended as she walked up to me with a huge smile. "You've grown up so much since we last saw you."

She hugged me, which wasn't something new, she always used to hug me, and I wasn't expecting her to act any different just because she hadn't seen me in a while. I hugged her back, "It's nice to see you Ms. Turner." Much less your son, I thought.

"How've you been?" she asks me once we pull away, however she still has a firm grip on both my shoulders.

"Good," I answer, shrugging.

"That's nice, dear," she gives me a tight smile, letting go of me and turning her attention back on the salad bowl. "Cole here tells me you two saw each other yesterday."

I'm unsure on whether to look at him or not. In the end, I decide not to and give her a fake smile instead. "Yeah," I say, "He visited yesterday."

"That's good," his dad says, turning to face me with a genuine smile. Cole had gotten his smile from his dad, except now, with age, his dad's smile had grown from only crooked to a little creepy as well, or maybe that was just me?

"Hi sir," I smile at him.

"Oh honey, stop calling us that," Cole's mom interferes on our conversation. "We've told you countless times, you can call us Linda and Richard."

"Right," I say. "Sorry." The truth was, I didn't feel comfortable calling them that after what Cole did.

"So Devin," his dad started, "what's your plan for the future?" His dad always loved business talk, as well as talk about schooling. He was a business man himself and had from my very young age joked with my dad that when Cole and I got married, he'd somehow get me into the company.

"I'm currently working at an internship here, which is part of the reason I'm back," I say. "As for college, I plan on attending NYU and studying art and design."

"NYU?" Linda interrupts, "That's a lovely school!"

"It is," I say. "I love that it's in the city and has an amazing art and design program."

"I bet," is all she says in response.

"Weren't you into economics a few years back?" Richard asks me.

I was, only because your son and I were in the same economics class, I think. Pathetic, I know. "I used to be," I answer, "But I changed my mind."

"That's a shame," Richard says.

"I agree," my dad says. "If you were to study economics, you and Cole could probably work at the same office."

"Yeah," Richard agrees. "At my office."

All three of the adults laugh. I still haven't looked Cole in the eye ever since I came in. It's like he was boring a hole in the side of my head with his stare.

"Dad," I say in a light tone, trying to fake a laugh, "You know Cole and I aren't together anymore." I stress my point, trying to get Cole to stop staring at me. I still feel his stare however.

"Just because you aren't, doesn't mean you wouldn't be able to work together," dad says, laughing along with Linda and Richard again.

"Dad," I say, trying not to make the situation awkward.

"I know, I know," he gives in. "I'm aware you've already decided on your major. I'm just looking out for you, cupcake." He hugs me with an oven mit still on his hand.

"I know, dad," I say. "But I'll be fine."

"I know you will be," he kisses my forehead. "Now help Cole set the table so we can all eat dinner."

I'm hesitant, but can't really say anything about it. I take out five plates and bring them to the dining room table, setting them down and distributing them. "Go get the cutlery," I tell Cole in such a cold tone, even I'm surprised with myself.

He doesn't say anything. Instead, he stands up, finally removes his hard stare from me, and walks over to the kitchen cabinets to get forks and knives.

As soon as we set the table, dad places the spaghetti pot on it, placing a pan filled with sauce and meatballs next to it. Linda sets the salad bowl down.

I coldly ask Cole what he wants to drink before heading to the kitchen to get us both something. I return with two glasses in hand, one filled with Coke for Cole, and another filled with water for myself.

Cole and I are silent throughout most of the dinner. I wonder if he expected us to pick up where we left off once we saw each other again. I, for one, hoped we'd never see each other again, but I knew it was inescapable.

A few jokes are made here and there about mine and Cole's futures, and how they intertwine in one way or another. Not telling dad about what happened at that party had its consequences, and one of them was having dinner with the Turner's and their diabolical son.

Once we finished eating dinner, my dad, Linda, and I, all stood up to clear the table.

Dad thought it was a good idea to offer our guests some of the brownie I had baked a few days ago. I couldn't refuse, as I'd increase the risk of looking suspicious.

"Devin, bring out the ice cream," is what I was told by my dad before he left to carry the brownie tray to the dining room.

I took the ice cream out of the freezer as well as taking five teaspoons so that we can all eat dessert. I was praying for the night to end faster, but knowing my dad, and knowing Richard had been one of his best friends ever since their high school days, I knew this was going to be a long night.

As soon as I sat down, Linda complimented my brownie. "Devin, dear," she said, "your dessert is fantastic."

"Thank you," I gave her a small smile.

"Oh Cole, just marry her already so we can have brownie like this all the time," Richard laughs, being accompanied by his wife and my dad. I feel tension rise between Cole and I. The awkwardness between us seems to never fade with our parents making comments like these.

I'm not surprised by Richard's comment. It's something Cole and I had always had to deal with, but now that we were broken up, it just made this whole situation even more awkward.

What surprised me more than our parents' comments was Cole himself. He hadn't spoken to me the whole night, but I was taken aback once he did open his mouth to speak.

"I always did love your brownies."