𝚌𝚑33. 𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎

                                    

                                          
✧ december 25th, 2020 ✧
                          
usually, christmas was kassidys favorite time of year. this year though, was different, this year, christmas just felt like a constant reminder of her crumbling relationship with the man she was so in love with, and spending it with him and his family certainly did not help. 
                          
she checked herself over in the mirror for the third time, making sure she looked presentable enough to have dinner with justin and his family. she was too engrossed in her thoughts to hear the soft knocks at the door to the bedroom she was sharing with jc, and had definitely missed jaylyn discreetly making her way into the room. 
                          
"you look great" 
                          
the blonde jumped, holding her hand over her racing heart and locking eyes with the brunette teenager through the mirror. "you scared me" she gasped, "i didn't hear you come in" 
                          
she smiled sheepishly, "i knocked but i guess you didn't hear me" 
                          
"i'm sorry, just was really deep in thought" 
                          
"about my brother?" 
                          
kassidy sighed, turning away from the mirror and walking over to take a seat next to jaylyn on the bed. "that obvious, huh?" 
                          
"i'm just really observant" 
                          
"i'm sorry" kassidy frowned, "i didn't.." she trailed off, not really knowing what it was she was apologizing for. sorry for making things awkward? sorry for not hiding it well enough? sorry for even coming on this trip at all? she cleared her throat, "did you need something?" 
                          
jaylyn shook her head, standing from the bed and making her way to the door, "just wanted to check in on you." she paused once she'd made it to the door, turning back to face the blonde, "you love my brother, right?" 
                          
kassidy nodded, replying without hesitation "i do." 
                          
"then you should really talk things out with him. he's pretty distraught over everything that happened" upon noticing the look on kassidy's face, jaylyn smirked, "we know what happened, kassidy, justin told us." 
                          
"but you guys have been so..."
                          
"so what?" jaylyn cut her off, "so welcoming?" kassidy gave her a slight nod and jaylyn sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, "we wouldn't treat you with anything less than respect, kassidy. jc loves you. we wouldn't ever purposefully make you feel unwelcomed just because you guys are in a rough spot." 
                          
truthfully, kassidy had to hold back the giggles that threatened to escape her. the whole situation was quite humorous if you really think about it ; here she was, seated in an unfamiliar room and getting relationship advice from her ex boyfriends little sister. 
                          
"you'd get along with my sister" was the only thing kassidy could manage to come up with, "like really get along with her" 
                          
"stop being so damn stubborn and maybe i'll have the chance to meet her" 
                          
and with that, the door closed behind the teenager as she made her way out of the room, leaving behind kassidy, who had a hint of a smile on her face and way too much on her mind 
                          
♡ ♡
                          
kassidy was tense; on the edge of a breakdown (or breakthrough, she wasn't sure) and this dinner seemed to be lasting centuries.
                          
she sighed, shifting in her seat and allowing her eyes to scan the table — anything to keep her mind and eyes from lingering on her curly headed lover boy. 
                          
this had been routine for the past few minutes; her mind would wander too deep, she'd catch herself, and then she'd scan the table as a way to keep herself distracted and make it seem like she was engaged in the conversation.