I have three basic rules to live by
Don't draw attention to myself.
Make it through another year.
My brother's friends are off limits.
My junior year, each and every single one of those rules will be broken.
**~~**
Blaine has always been the type to...
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Blaine made herself scarce the last few days. Other than school and practice, I haven't gotten to spend any time with her. She had been serious about me spending more time with my wrecked family. Dad had taken a page from her book and hasn't shown his face in just as many days. Clearly things were worse than I thought.
"The Russels have invited us to Thanksgiving of sorts," my mother chirped from her seat at the table. The only place she could be found when she was home. Our home wasn't as big as Shane's, but there were plenty of other rooms she could camp out in. Instead, she chose the dining room.
"You accepted?"
"Of course." Her green eyes scanned me as she took a sip of her mug. "Loraine called it Feast of Friends. Of course the Russels will be there, and our family. The Keelers, McNaleys, Lesters will be there as well. Although, there were a few names that I didn't recognize. The Bells and the Larsons. Do you know them?"
"Keegan Larson is our kicker, and his boyfriend is Camron Bell."
"Oh," she mumbled. Her nose had been stuck in the air for so long that I half expected her to spiral from that tidbit. Instead, she plastered on a polite smile and nodded. "That explains why I never see him with a girl on his arm after the games."
"I know plenty of guys who don't have girls on their arms." I cringed as the words left my lips.
"True," she conceded. "Back to this week. Dinner at the Russel's will be Friday."
"Isn't Thanksgiving traditionally on a Thursday?"
"And it is traditionally held at your grandparents house." She set her mug down on the table and tilted her head. "Blaine is welcome to come with. Only if it is okay with her parents, of course."
"Will the James' be okay with it?"
"She's your girlfriend still, correct?" I nodded and she shrugged. A menacing smile that spelt all sorts of trouble graced her lips and made her eyes glitter. It's a shame my mother was only now getting to know Blaine. They could have been conspiring together. "They'll be expecting three of us, and Blaine will be that third."
"Dad's skipping Thanksgiving dinner with his own family?"
"You father isn't positive he'll be able to make it. He promised he would smooth things over with them at some point this week." I didn't have to stare for very long, the scowl growing deeper, before she let out a soft sigh. "I already know what you're going to say. I was hoping that allowing Blaine to tag along would ease your temper a little."
"You thought bribing me with a plus one would make me less upset about his behavior?" She shrugged one shoulder. A gesture that I was slowly beginning to hate. "He's at the office?"
"Don't go making a scene Finn. I don't care what he's done -"
"Clearly," I grumbled.
"You will not drag our dirty laundry out in front of his employees. Being degraded in front of people will only make matters worse for him. It will also humiliate me." The last bit was added as a weak reminder that all of this affected more than just me or my father. She was still concerned about her reputation and that of her marriage. Her once faithful husband was still hers, only he was more busy these days. That's all anyone needed to know, and me running in there with guns blazing was only going to chip the fragile lies she's surrounded herself with.
