𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙨 ➳ 𝘫.𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘰 [EDITING]

𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯

THE BROOKS FAMILY entered the dining room, lillie's mother casting a glare to the other two before going into the kitchen as lillie and sam sat at the table while her mother brought out the food.

"it looks wonderful, alice." sam smiles at his wife receiving a tight smile in return. they ate in silence for a few moments before the teen spoke up.

"how was LA dad?" lillie asked repeating her question from earlier.

"it was great, the people were so interesting and the food was absolutely incredible." he answered.

"did you get any deals?" alice said forwardly making lillie look at her with an annoyed expression.

sam laughed nervously, "no, but i have a feeling the next one will be a winner." he said hopefully.

"please." lillie's mother scoffed sipping her wine. the teen looked down at her food, pushing the brocoli around. their dinners were always like this when her father came home.

"what's that supposed to mean, alice?" sam said, his jaw clenched.

"it means, you've been saying that for the past five years, sam." she said glaring at him. lillie could tell where this was headed.

"it's different this time."

"i've heard that one before."

"mom, please." lillie begged, her mother's girl now directed to her.

"stay out of this, young lady." she snapped. "you're too young to understand matters like this."

"alice, can't we talk about this another time?"

"i don't know, can we? you'll be out of town again before we know it."

"that isn't fair. i'm trying my best."

"and so am i."

"mom, dad.." lillie pleaded again, going ignored by the adults.

"this is important, it's my dream."

"our daughter is more important. you haven't even been here to see her grow up. no doubt you'll miss her graduation too."

"stop." the blonde said quietly, tears building up in her eyes.

"i love lillie more than anything. i'm doing this for her."

"bullshit. you're doing it for yourself. you're selfish, sam. you always have been."

"alice, that is enough."

"do you not think i had dreams either sam-" lillie stood up before her mother could finish, grabbing her denim jacket. "where do you think you're going, missy?"

"out." lillie replies shortly, holding her tears back as she glanced at her dad who looked at her with an apologetic look before she stormed out of the house ignoring her mother's calls.

she put her jacket on, hugging it tightly, cold from only wearing the sundress. she didn't know where she could go so she just walked aimlessly until she found herself in front of luke's diner. she stood outside contemplating going in. he might not even be in. she thought, biting her lip, looking at luke's apartment window.

"what are you doing?" a voice startled her causing the girl to spin around and throw a punch to the person, immediately gasping as she saw the boy that was now on the floor. "oh my god! jess, i'm so sorry." she said going to help him up making him flinch.

"that's one hell of a punch you've got there." he laughed hissing as he touched his cheek before getting up. "didn't mean to scare you."

"are you okay?" she said looking at him with worry in her eyes as she gently, cupped his cheek to look at the damage.

"i think i'll survive." he said, a smirk tugging at his lips as he watched her.

she took her hand off his face with a frown, feeling awful. "i'm so so sorry. it was just reflex and i-"

"it's okay, karate kid. i'm a big boy." he laughed, shoving his hands in his pockets. they stood in silence for a moments before jess spoke again. "so what are you doing here? and what are you wearing?" he asked with one brow raised, noticing her dress as opposed to her usual t-shirt and jeans combo.

"don't mock." she glared at him, shivering slightly as she remembered she was wearing a sundress in early winter. "and i don't know exactly. i needed to go somewhere that wasn't home." she said.

"and you came here?"

"i guess so."

"to see me?"

"no!" she denied immediately as jess' expression grew more cocky.

"then why?"

"i feel comfortable here."

"you could've gone to rory's."

"she doesn't have pancakes."

"so it has nothing to do with me at all?"

"nope, not at all." she clarified and he nodded, unconvinced.

"uhuh." he smirked making her roll her eyes playfully.

"shut up."

he smiled, narrowing his eyes in thought as he looked at her. "wanna go inside?" he asked receiving a nod as an answer before he unlocked the door and they both walked in, sitting at one of the tables.

"want anything to eat?" he asked, twiddling his thumbs. she simply shook her head, suddenly quiet making him frown. he noticed the subtle redness in her eyes which just caused his frown to deepen. "are you okay?" he asked carefully.

the blonde girl shrugged, sniffling quietly as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "parents suck." she simply stated as her answer.

"that we can agree on." he said reaching out and holding her hand in his to attempt to comfort her. "whatever happened, it'll be okay."

she scoffed and shook her head, "unless my parents divorce, i don't see how." she shrugs, squeezing jess' hand slightly. "thanks, i know the comforting thing isn't really your specialty."

she smiled gratefully as he ran his thumb over her knuckles which sent shivers up her arm and down her spine.

"and sorry for coming here." she said, looking at their hands not meeting the boys eyes.

"don't be sorry."

"i can't believe i punched you." she laughed looking up to see his cheek had gone significantly red.

"me neither." he said grimacing in pain. "for someone so short, you can hit."

"hey! i'm not that short." she frowns in offence.

"are too."

"do you want me to punch you again, city boy?" she threatened and he held his hands up in defence as the two laughed at the newly formed memory.

the two teenagers fell into silence. jess didn't know what to do, he could see the girl was clearly upset but obviously didn't want to talk about it. she didn't seem like the type to want to cry or hug it out so instead he decided on trying to distract her from whatever happened.

he pulled out the chalk and police tape he had been out to get in the first place. "wanna help me prank taylor?" he asked.

a smirk tugged at her lips. "i'm offended you had to ask."