Reach (Love Me Now Series #2) | Complete

👑 Chapter 11 👑

Mariah's POV

As Lacey and I were walking back to the sofa, we bumped into this young couple. It was so cute to see young love.

"OMG, I'm so sorry. Josh, you need to slow down."

"It's fine, my friend and I weren't paying attention to where we were going."

I noticed Key walking our way and I felt butterflies in my stomach. Actually, the best way to describe it was stalking. He was quickly making his way over to us, and he didn't seem happy.

The young couple was just beginning to walk away when Key quickly spun her around. She was about to slap him until she saw his face. Her eyes were so wide, they almost swallowed her face whole.

"One sister at a party I can handle. Now two sisters is another matter. Aren't you supposed to be somewhere other than here?"

"Oh hi big brother, we were just leaving, nothing to see here. I'm just a figment of your imagination."

"What the hell are you wearing!?!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him.

"That's it, we're leaving. Leya, I trust you to make it home safely. Arleigh, you're coming with me. I knew this boy was a bad influence on you."

"Actually it was her idea to come here; I was just making sure she didn't do anything crazy once she got here. Do you know how hard it is to change your sister's mind when she wants to do something? I almost got expelled for her, but that's another story."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Josh, and I'm Lei-Lei's boyfriend."

"Listen here Josh, Leigh is not allowed to have a boyfriend, ever."

"That doesn't change the fact that I am her boyfriend that just means you're not too thrilled about it. Truly tho, you're not going to take her away from me."

"Listen here kid; age is nothing but a number to me. If you hurt my sister, I will make you wish your parents had left you in that condom instead."

"Since you want to be man enough to speak for you and Lei-Lei, how bout you be man enough to make sure my sister never sneaks out in whatever that is again."

I could understand him being protective of his sister but this was going overboard. The dress she had on was gorgeous. I guess he didn't want to face the fact that his little sister wasn't little anymore.

The look in her eyes began to dim and I just felt like I had to step in and defend her. My heart began to beat a staccato rhythm. I avoided confrontations like the plague yet here I was about to enter into one that had nothing to do with me.

"I actually quite like her dress. It fits her perfectly and just look at the sparkle in her eyes. That is the look that comes only when you find the perfect dress."

His head swung in my direction so hard, I thought it was going to fly clean off his neck.

He said, "It may be a nice dress, but it's not appropriate for my 14 year old sister, she is practically still a baby."

"She is not a baby; she is a beautiful young lady. You need to begin to treat her as such or she may grow to resent you."

"Who asked for your opinion in the first place?"

"You did, as soon as you made the smile disappear from her face. How could you be so insensitive to your own sister?"

Did he not understand that young girls have enough on their plates without adding self esteem issue to the problem? I'm not saying that they should be coddled from the outside world, but she shouldn't be scolded because of her beauty. The teenage years are a critical point in a young girl's life.

The corner of his lip tilted upwards, "Maybe I need someone to teach me to be sensitive. How about you teach me to be sensitive and I will teach you something that will make you sensitive?"

"How about instead, you bring your sister over to my boutique and she can pick out a dress that both of you agree on? Maybe then she will take into consideration how protective you are of her."

The smirk dropped, but he still stared at me intently.

"Where is your boutique? Mark told me earlier today that he would take me shopping again soon."

"143 Market Rd. It's called..."

"Just a Bit of Magic? OMG we stopped by today but the shop had already closed. Mark I promise to go back to your house and stay for the night, just please take me to the boutique tomorrow. Please, please, please."

"We can go tomorrow; I see it as a win-win situation."

A bright skinned girl behind Key began to laugh. "She has you wrapped around her finger Mark."

Who is Mark?

"On the contrary, Arleigh is getting what she wants tomorrow and I am getting what I want tonight. How does that make it seem like I'm wrapped around her little finger Leya?"

"See, I meant the beauty with the curly hair. Nobody talks to the Markey Monroe, 'architect extraordinaire, multi-millionaire, hottest bachelor alive,' like that and gets away with it."

She walked over to me and held out her hand for me to shake. "I'm Marley, Markey's twin sister. I am only younger by 5 seconds, no matter what he says. I have a feeling the three of us are going to be great friends."

I shook her hand saying, "My name is Mariah and this is Lacey."