Tight Strings: Rules Were Made To Be Broken (COMPLETED)

32: Party invites

"So I was thinking we should have a party." I suggested as I finished off my sandwich and patted my lips dry and free of breadcrumbs with the napkin that had been placed beside my place.

"And what for?" My father asked as he sipped his pitch black coffee.

"To celebrate Rhy's coming in." I smiled and glanced down at Rhy who had been nibbling on his jam sandwich that he didn't seem to like at all and yet my father insisted he had it.

"Is that anyhow relevant-"

"Sometimes I feel like we're different people." My mother sighed as she glared at my father who shrugged his shoulders. "Yes Riley, we will have a party."

"Closed. A closed party. Just us and that is it." My father concludes and I pout my lips as I glanced at my mother with pleading eyes.

"He's lying. You can invite those new friends of yours. Ash?" My mother grins out and I feel a shiver crawl up my spine. "Ash and a few friends you made right?"

"Why are you expressing that name so much?" My father asked my mother who giggled and sipped on her hot chocolate. "Is he the young man you've been talking to? So I heard."

"Uh." I glanced down at my plate instead.

"I hope he's intelligent." He clicked his tongue and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Perhaps I'll see him myself when he comes at the party."

And there it is.

"Since you are all... Uh... Whatever-"

"Since when did you start stammering?" My father asked and I frown at him as I stood up.

"I'm going to invite them." I said flatly and glance down at Rhy who eventually looked up at me. "Come on, Rhy."

He stood up almost in an instant and I held onto his hand, directing him out of the house.

If my suspicions were right, Sarah should be there, if not then I guess I would have to call her and tell her to come over, otherwise, there was no way I was going over to her place.

As we walked, Rhy couldn't stop skipping every now and then. He wasn't saying anything at all and didn't seem to intend to so I didn't bother as well. He seemed to be enjoying my company than my father's and I wouldn't blame him.

Our father was the definition of evil.

We finally got to Ash's place and to say I began to shiver in fear was an understatement. I was terrified to the core of my bone.

What will I say?

What will I even do?

Should I really invite anyone!?

"Are you nervous?" Rhy asked and I glanced down at him with a soft smile. "Oh no no no." I chuckled and patted my cheek with my free hand. "Just... Thinking of the lines."

"You're stammering again." He pointed out with a teasing smile and I couldn't help but frown at him for taking up our father instantly.

"Well look at you for being a smarty pants." I hissed and dragged him towards the door. I clicked the door bell only to gasp in terror when it opened only to reveal Mrs Briton, Ash's mother well dressed in her sports attire and seemed to have just come from a workout.

"Oh it's lovely Riley Marker!" The principal exclaimed in joy as she clasped her hands together. "What are you doing here so early? It's seven." She smiled so widely and I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. "Oh my, oh my, who is this young handsome devil?" She directed her eyes to Rhy who stared at her with wide big eyes.

"This is Rhy, my brother." I smiled and she gasped as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I swear people said you were the only child on social media." She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "I guess the media always lies."

"Oh no, we got him recently. He's part of the family now." I said and glanced down at Rhy who squeezed his hold on me.

"So what brings you by?" She asked and I sighed out as I glanced at my feet with a blush burning my cheeks.

"Is Ash and Peter home?" I asked and she smiled with a nod as she stepped aside, giving us room to pass.

"Oh he's home." His mother smiled deviously as I walked in.

"You mean they?" I asked and she paused for a moment then nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes. They." She sighed as she shut the door then simply stared with a smile. "So, I've recently heard you and Ash had been seeing each other."

..... From whom you say?

"Uh..." I cleared my throat and smiled slightly.

"Just out of curiosity." She smiled in assurance. "Ash is very hard to control, even for me. So don't feel too pressured by his outbursts or something close to that. I just heard you had a fight with him because he literally just rushed into the house the other day and demanded I remove you from the school." She chuckled as she placed her hands on her waist.

He went that far!?

"But I slapped the sense into him and he started explaining things I don't really remember." She said as she clicked her tongue and stared at the ceiling. "Do keep mind that he was very hostile since yesterday and if you could manage to get him to talk, bring him down for breakfast." She smiled and I sighed with a small nod of the head.

I grabbed Rhy's wrist and pulled him towards the stairs, shaking from the centre of my knees with each step I took.

"Is he that terrifying?" Rhy asked and I chuckled forcedly as I hurried up that rest of the stairs. Not wanting to expose him to my own problems.

I firstly rushed to Peter's door and instantly knocked only to gasp in surprise when he opened almost immediately.

"Oh Marker." He smiled down at me and I could tell from the fresh lemon scented shampoo and rose petal soap plus the bathing towel hanging on his waist that he had just come from a taking a bath. "What brings you by?" He asked and I couldn't ignore how big his eyes still were even without his glasses on.

"I want to invite you to a party." I said and he glanced down at Rhy instead.

"Who's child have you stolen?" He chuckled as he fully opened the door and leaned onto his knees, trying to equal the height of Rhy and him.

"I haven't stolen anyone." I chuckled softly. "This is my new brother. Rhy." I smiled and he blinked a few times at me. "He's... Gotten." I gave him a hint and he nodded softly before glancing down at Rhy who hardly said a thing to him.

"I'll be there." He smiled then reached out and patted Rhy's head. "I guess I'll get to know you more, Ray."

"By Rhy I mean R.H.Y. not R.A.Y." I explained as he furrowed his brows at me.

"Riley always going over board." He chuckled softly only to suddenly reach out and grabbed my shoulders, bringing me to him. "Thats why I like you." He said before placing a small kiss on my cheek and letting go. "Meet you... When?"

"The party is at six." I said and he nodded before closing the door.

Now Ash...