Pure Belleza | ✔️

(64)

Five Years Ago

"I fucking hate her. Like I don't give a shit that your brother is slamming that twat. She's a piece of shit and I stand by that. I'm also going to be honest—"

"What, that wasn't honest?" I interrupted Milly.

She raised a hand. "And I hate her because she thinks she can steal my best friend and I'm telling you right now, I'll mess her up if she even tries."

"You're my ride or die," I told her over the loud music pounding through the back garden. "Forever. Stop stressing and please don't hit her. Not tonight. Mom and dad will freak."

"Your mom and dad are oblivious."

We both looked over at the huge inflatable obstacle course that was spread from one end of the back garden to the other.

She was right. Mom and dad were oblivious. Both of them were far too occupied challenging each other in who could do the course the fastest.

Tonight the twins and I were celebrating our sixteenth together. As we did for a lot of our birthdays because they were four months apart.

Mom and dad had hired a caterer. The bounce house and obstacle course. A DJ. The pool was being used and alcohol was being consumed on the down low.

No one was supposed to be drinking but I think mom and dad were pretending not to notice.

Or perhaps they just genuinely had no idea because they were too busy acting like children themselves.

The night was starting to wind down, the guests were leaving and noise control had been once so far to let Dad know the music needed to be turned down.

He promised it would be and then he shouted over the fence to our neighbour that he could put some ear plugs in and get the fuck over it.

So we could likely expect the noise control officer back in another half n hour. Maybe the police too.

"Hey."

I looked at one of the girls from school, Daphne, who appeared to be leaving.

Mills scoffed and turned around to walk inside. She was in a mood.

"Yeah?" I asked Daphne.

"Uh it was fun," she said, shifting from foot to foot. "Do you think your dad would take a photo with me before I leave?"

She had the entire night to ask and she was choosing now.

I looked over at Dad and saw that he had mom pushed up against the bounce house while he kissed her. Literally gag but aww.

"Nope," I said. "He's checked out for the night. Perhaps next time? Thanks so much for coming."

She seemed disappointed but her and her friends wandered off through the garden fence.

It was quieter by the time I walked into the rec room and found Lucas, Ingrid, Jorjia and Flynn hanging out.

Jorjia was sitting on Lucas. Flynn was leaning on the pool table and Ingrid was passed out on the floor with a giant penis drawn on her cheek.