Chapter Four: beautiful?
XANDER'S POV
Mom had told us all—and I quote—"Put on a welcoming smile and be nice. We have close guests coming over."
I hated this.
Guests meant noise. Guests meant pretending. Guests meant people invading my space.
The doorbell rang, and Mom went to answer it, throwing us a silent warning glance before disappearing down the hallway. We all took our seats at the dining table.
"How do you think they'll be?" Jason whispered.
"Shush," Kayla whispered back, pressing her fingertips to her lips.
"Don't shush me."
"Well, shush."
"Shussshh."
"Stop it. You're acting like babies," Kai muttered.
Jason and Kayla stuck their tongues out at him in perfect sync while Mason only sighed.
Mom walked in with the guests—a man and a woman, followed by two teenagers around our age. They took their seats, and one of the girls glanced around before her eyes met mine.
She was… beautiful to say.
There was no denying it. Honey-brown eyes and straight midnight-black hair flowed down her back making it look like her face was glowing.
Beautiful.
She looked down quickly, and only then did I realize I'd been staring too.
Alexander Silver doesn't stare—especially not at a girl.
Mom and Dad introduced them. Childhood friends. Cleo was the older sister, Riley the younger. Almost immediately, Cleo and Jason were exchanging sharp glares across the table.
Throughout dinner, my eyes kept drifting back to Riley without my permission, maybe because she was sitting directly opposite me.
I didn't think she noticed tho.
"I'll be in my room," I said abruptly—at the same time Riley muttered that she needed the washroom.
I stood up, but Mom stopped me. "Xander, show her where it is."
I didn't argue.
I led the way down the hallway in silence, her footsteps following behind me. I stopped in front of the door, but she didn't notice in time and bumped into my back.
When I turned, she was staring at me again.
"Here, the damn washroom," I said flatly, gesturing to the door.
She frowned, her cheeks tinting pink. "Wh–why are you so snap?"
I didn't answer, not like I even understood.
I turned and walked away, leaving her standing there.
I wasn't in the mood for anyone—especially not tonight.
__________
"Xander?"
It was Kayla.
"What?" I snapped, already irritated.
"Relax. Mom called you."
I didn't respond. She shrugged and walked away.
I went downstairs to the living room. Almost everyone was there—except Dad and Kai. She noticed me immediately and smiled, patting the seat beside her.
I ignored it and sat across the room instead.
"What?" I asked.
"Well," Mom began carefully, "like I mentioned earlier, Riley will be attending the same school as you."
"You never said that," I replied.
"You left early," she said, her voice rising slightly.
I stayed silent, staring at the wall. I wasn't doing this with her tonight.
"I just wanted to ask one thing," she continued softly. "Please don't let Riley get bullied. She's had problems with that before."
My breath sharpened at the word almost immediately.
She noticed immediately. "I'm sorry, dear. I know I shouldn't have—"
"But you did and It was all your fault," I said quietly.
Her gaze dropped.
I sighed and headed upstairs. Halfway up, I stopped sighing. "Sorry," I muttered.
She looked up and gave me a small smile.
No matter what she did to me, I hated seeing my mother sad.
The next morning, my mind replayed the night before whether I wanted it to or not.
She'll be attending my school
Mom's words echoed louder than they should have
.
I showered and got dressed, preparing for school—what used to be hell, though it had gotten better over time.
"Little bro, Maximilian is here!" someone shouted.
"Keep it down, idiot."
"Can this morning get any worse?"
"With anyone named Mason around? Yes."
I ignored them. It was easier that way.
"Max," I said when I saw him.
"Morning to you too, best friend."
"Don't you have a car?"
"Unfortunately, it's under police custody. Again."
I wasn't surprised.
Max was the closest person I had to a friend—the only person I could actually talk to sometimes.
Author's Note
Hi loves 🤍
Thank you so much for reading this chapter. This story is a slow burn, so some things may seem subtle now but will make sense as the chapters unfold. Please be patient with the characters—especially Xander. He's layered, flawed, and learning in his own way.
Your comments, votes, and feedback mean a lot to me and truly motivate me to keep writing. Let me know what you think of this chapter and what caught your attention the most.
Don't forget to use your PS🥲
Enjoy reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter ✨📖
— Author 💫