Loving the Enemy

27

Aria

"Ah, first love. The birds are chirping, the days are brighter, the flowers dance in the wind and the world just seems like a better place" Jerome sang as he lay on my bed while I applied the last of my make up in my room.

"Shut up, Jerome" I scolded but the 40-watt smile across my face said something else.

"You shut up, Miss Love is an overrated fantasy" he retorted

"Will you let that go already"

"Have you admitted that you were wrong and I Jerome the ever knowing was right?"

"No!" I answered rolling my eyes

"Well then my answer is also a no, I will remind you till my last breath"

I resolved to stay quiet, shaking my head to myself and finishing up my make up. It had been a week since Xander and I had admitted that we loved each other. Surprisingly, everything was going great till now, our dads didn't suspect a thing cause they were too busy with the upcoming election and even though we acted low key in school it was pretty obvious we were a thing but as it was right before exams season no really cared much.

"Don't you have to get ready?" I asked Jerome putting my Chanel jacket that came with my Chanel suit. My mom bought me like four for election events, honestly it was too much of a Cher from Clueless vibe for my taste but I wore them anyway.

"I was just about to head out" he said "I'm just trying to avoid mama as long as I can"

"Why are you avoiding her again?" I asked

"She's been trying to make me get a haircut all week and I'm planning to put it off for as long as I can" he explained

"Or you could tell her you don't want a haircut of her choice" I suggested

"If only my life were as simple" sighed Jerome getting up to leave "mama probably already has my suit and bow tie ready for the evening"

"Just promise me you won't let her brush your hair like last time" I told him as he reached the door to my bedroom.

"I'll try my best" he replied while waving me goodbye as he left.

"Aria honey!" I heard my mom call my name from the hallway "are you still not ready?"

"I'm ready!" I yelled back.

Today was debate day, where my dad went head to head with Xavier Montgomery in front of the whole town and local media. Tensions were on a high as never before had both rivals been the only candidates up for the mayoral vote. Not wanting to be the one to be blamed for making the whole family late I grabbed my clutch and ran downstairs where my mom was already at the bottom while my brothers, Patrick and Mason were huddled with my dad discussing something.

"Ashton we're all ready, you can have your little discussion with the boys in the limo" my mom told him.

"No it's alright, you're right we have to leave right away" my dad said

"Is everything alright?" I asked them my father and brother never acted this secretive before so I found it strange.

"It's nothing" my dad replied with a solemn look which gave me a weird feeling at the bottom of my stomach. "Come on we don't want to be late" my dad gesturing all of us to get out of the house and into the limo.

The drive down to the Town Hall was a silent one which didn't help the feeling I had that something bad was about to happen. I sat alone at the end of the limo, while my brothers took the middle seat and my parents took the seat in the front. Hearing my phone ping inside my clutch, I put aside my worries to check what it was.