Chapter 21 Dinner With The Devil

I was putting on a little bit of makeup as I got ready for the late lunch we were headed out to where we would meet up with Mirah and Adam.

Wes walked out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel hanging loosely on his waist. He used another towel to ruffle through his hair, drying it up faster.

I sucked in my lips, continuing to stare at myself in the mirror in a weak attempt to keep my eyes off of Wes's very toned and perfect upper body.

"Hey, I'm confident. No need to avoid looking, love." Wes smirked at me as I looked at him through my vanity mirror.

I rolled my eyes. "Put some clothes on before someone walks in and gets the wrong idea."

Wes quirked an eyebrow, his eyes dancing with amusement. He walked up behind me as he put the towel he was holding around his shoulders.

He stood directly behind me, looking at me in the mirror. His body was so close to mine I could feel his body heat radiating off him and onto me.

My whole body tensed, my face glowing red and hot.

Wes continued smirking. He placed his hands on my shoulders, gently giving them a squeeze like he was about to massage them. "Wrong idea? We're dating, hauled up in the same bedroom. What do you think they're assuming goes on behind closed doors?"

I inhaled deeply, trying to keep myself from squirming. I was not going to show him he had any sort of affect on me.

I was so flustered that I nearly poked my eyeball with the mascara wand. I tilted my head to the side, looking at him in the mirror. "Whatever they're assuming is based on a lie, Weston."

Weston snorted, rolling his eyes at me. "It's not a lie that you can't keep your eyes off me." He wiggled his eyebrows at me suggestively.

I twisted myself away from his hold. My heart was racing. He was standing right behind me, touching me, basically naked. "Put some clothes on!" For an extra dramatic effect, I placed my hands overtop my eyes, covering them.

Wes moved away from me. "I won't mind if you take a peak but I am warning you now, the towel is off." His tone was filled with amusement.

I gritted my teeth, almost tempted. "Exciting offer but I don't want my eyes to catch an STD."

Wes scoffed. I could hear some shuffling, indicating he was indeed changing in the middle of my bedroom. "You're the one who sets me up on dates. I will make no excuses to where some of them escalate to."

I rolled my eyes, that were still covered by my hands. "There is a perfectly functioning bathroom you could change in."

"Decent," he mumbled. When I slowly uncovered my eyes and turned to look at him, he was buttoning up his shirt. "And for the record, if we're dating, I see nothing to hide from you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Too bad we aren't dating then."

He looked at me, a grin tugging on his lips. "We could change that."

"In your dreams, pretty boy." I turned back to look at myself in the mirror, finishing my makeup.

"Oh you have no idea," he spoke quietly, flopping down onto my bed and propping himself up onto his elbow to look at me.

"So," he spoke softly after a moment. I quirked an eyebrow, looking at him behind me through the mirror. "You and Nate were going to move in together?"

My body froze. After a moment, making sure I heard him correctly, I placed down the eyebrow pencil I was holding and turned on the chair I sat on to face Wes. "You heard that?"

Wes shrugged softly, a look on his face that was no longer readable. "I didn't mean to but yeah, I did overhear that."

I pursed my lips, pausing for a moment. "It wasn't set in stone, obviously. Just an idea. His idea, actually." Wes nodded, waiting for me to continue so I did. "It would be the same price as what we pay for the dorms. There was no reason not to."

"Was the breakup the only reason it can't happen?"

I shrugged. "I guess so. We didn't talk about it much, figured we would revisit it once the year is over."

Wes nodded, sitting up. "Are you okay?"

"What?"

"You never really talked about the breakup. It's still pretty fresh."

I chuckled weakly. "There's nothing to talk about." I stood up, walking over to grab my purse so I could put some of my things in it.

Wes frowned. "I don't believe that. You guys dated for a long time, Fia. All reasons and circumstances aside, you're allowed to be sad and have time to mourn the relationship."

I stopped in front of the bed, putting on a strong face. "I don't want to talk about it but thank you. I am okay." I'm not sure that was truthful and I don't think Wes believed me either but he nodded nevertheless.

He stood up, holding his hand out to me. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I took his hand in mine as we exited my room and made our way down the stairs.

"She-devil just walked in," Sage whispered, leaning closer towards me.

I held back a laugh as I watched Adam and Mirah walk into the restaurant, hand in hand. Her ring was so big, it was easily spotted a mile away.

"You guys made it!" Mirah had a bright smile on her face as she hugged Stefan and Sage before her and Adam sat down.

"I want to know the story of how he proposed," Sage grinned, leaning forward on the table and looking at Mirah. Already, I knew Mirah was about to go off on a rant.

And for the millionth time, she started going on and on about the proposal story I had heard one too many times. Of course it was sweet and I was happy for her, it was just nauseating how much my sister loved to hear herself talk.

They went on a trip to Paris, dinner on top of the Eiffel tower the night there were fireworks, she turns around and he's on one knee with a whole crowd around them

Yes, perfectly cliche in the most romantic way possible.

"Do you guys have any plans to tie the knot?" I was confused when I realized my sister was looking between Wes and I.

"They've barely been dating for a few months," Sage laughed, giving my sister an odd look. I knew Sage was just piping in before my sister had a chance to bash on me.

"Not to mention we're nineteen," I muttered quietly.

"Maybe one day," Wes spoke. "Just not yet. We're still young."

"Age is just a mindset," Mirah heaved out a dramatic sigh as she held up her hand and analyzed the stone on her finger. "I would have been ready to get married to Adam years ago."

I forced a smile on my face. "Not all of us are trying to fit a timeline." Of course I was happy my sister was in-love and getting married. I just didn't understand why it was necessary for her to bring me and my life choices into it.

Mirah tilted her head. "Aren't we? You have your whole life planned out. Med school, where you want to go for residency. If you wait to finish school, your eggs will be all dried out by the time you're ready to settle down and start a family."

Wes smoothly placed his hand on-top of mine, giving me a comforting squeeze. It was his method of getting me to remain calm when I was on the verge of snapping.

"Seeing as things continue to go the way they are going, I won't mind waiting until Fia is ready." Wes offered my sister a small smile.

I shot him a grateful look. I bit my tongue, letting his comment be enough because I was afraid if I said anything, I would lash out on my sister for being such a jerk. After all, it was her time to shine brighter than ever considering she was getting married.

"Where did she find you?" Sage drawled, peering endearingly at Wes.

I clenched my jaw, for some reason being bothered by the lovestruck look she was giving him. I shouldn't be bothered. Wes and I's relationship was fake, one big lie. Not to mention Sage fawned over every guy. To add, Sage was drawn to Wes's perfect words, the words he was saying for sake of the charade we have to keep up.

Under different circumstances, I would have even rooted for Sage and Wes to get together. Maybe playing the fake girlfriend was bringing out those jealous emotions, for the sake of show.

"Hands off that one, Sage," her brother rolled his eyes at her. "Taken, by your best friend."

"I know, idiot." She slyly threw him the middle finger. "I'm just saying, you did good, Fia."

I knew Wes's ego was definitely inflated but I refrained from rolling my eyes. "Thanks, I think."

"I did better," Wes mused, looking me dead in the eye with a soft smile on his face. "Won the jack pot if you ask me."

Stefan made a gaging sound. "The love in the air is beautifully sickening for a single person."

I smiled, not being able to tear my gaze away from Wes. I knew it was just for show but his words still pulled a string because he spoke so genuinely with real passion in his eyes.

I had to remind myself that it was all for show before I got too flustered.

"Anyways," Mirah cleared her throat. The lack of attention she was receiving was bringing out her beast. "So much love my sister has to give. One day Nate, the next day Wes. Who, by the way, none of us had heard of before you brought him home." The bitterness is her voice was evident. She didn't even try to hide it.

I snapped my head towards her. "I'm sorry, what?"

She gave me an innocent look. "I mean no disrespect, it's just that everyone was expecting to see Nate here with you."

I could sense Wes also tense beside me.

Of course it would get him to tense up. Neither one of us wanted this lie to unravel right in front of us.

"How much do you or our parents reach out to me for you to have any idea what's going on in my life?" I retorted, pulling my hand away from Wes and no longer being able to be the cheerful, happy little sister. "If it weren't for your wedding, I wouldn't be here nor would any of you reach out to me to begin with."

"Oh that is just not true," Mirah rolled her eyes at me, like usual seeing me as the dramatic little baby. "You're the one who didn't want to stay close to home when you left for university. Hell, you could still be here and work at the company."

"How many times do we have to go over the fact that I don't want to work for dad!" I exasperated, shaking my head in utter disbelief. My tolerance was running out by the second.

Wes placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me but even his touch wasn't going to be able to help me relax right now. "Fi," he spoke softly, his voice in a whisper. "No need to reciprocate."

His words went mute to both Mirah and I.

"You are so ungrateful for what this family has to offer," Mirah scoffed. "I try to throw out an olive branch but you just have to turn everything into a scheme against yourself."

I narrowed my eyes, not sure if she was even hearing herself.

My cousins and Adam were just looking between the two of us like we had grown second heads.

"Really? From the second I have gotten home, all you and mom have had to say to me is some snarky comment about my life and what I'm doing wrong or what I have yet to do." I shook my head, standing up. "I'm sorry I can't be the sister or the daughter that everyone wishes I could be."

I didn't wait another second before pushing my chair back, grabbing my purse and walking out of the restaurant.