Chapter 0305

I got home a little too late to see anyone. I mean, Rafe was probably awake somewhere, but I didn't really feel like going to find him, so instead I

simply cracked open the door to my parent's room and called softly inside to let them know that I was home — groggy affirmations greeted me from

both, which made me smile. I left Rafe’s special cake on the coffee table with a little note of explanation, laughing a little, and then I went to bed.

I wake up late, and immediately looked for Daphne, but then I sigh when I remembered that mom moved her to her own bedroom last night.

Scowling, I pull myself out of bed and dress casually for breakfast, wishing she was here so I could tell her what happened with Luca's uncle last

night and get her perspective. Daphne’s really even-headed - she'd definitely give me good advice on how to handle this.

My stomach growls as I yawn and pull a hairbrush through my hair, so when I finally set out for breakfast I'm definitely eager to get there.

But when I push open the door to the breakfast room

Instantly, I know that something's wrong. The room goes from hushed, angry whispers to absclute silence as heads turn and see me standing at the

door.

"What," I say, freezing with my hand on the door, my eyes going wide. “What's wrong?”

Rafe, Ben, and Jesse sit at one end of the table, Daphne between them, all huddled over a copy of a magazine. Juniper lounges at the other end of

the table, sighing like she’s so bored by all of it, and Markie freezes stock still at the sideboard, where he is loading up probably his third plate of

bacon and eggs for breakfast, staring anxiously my way. Cora and Roger stand with him, but Cora just grimaces when I come in and Roger looks at

me with a great deal of pity that makes me feel even worse — because if even Roger isn't teasing me!?

God, something really is wrong

Frantic, I move my gaze to my parents, who are sitting at the center of the table right in front of me. "Come in, Ariel,” my mom says on a heavy sigh,

putting down her own copy of the same magazine that Rafe and my friends are looking at. When I glance around the table again, I see another copy

at Markie’'s seat, and one more in front of Juniper.

“What?” I ask, worried. “What is it?”

“It's nothing, baby,” mom murmurs, standing up and starting to come around the table towards me as my dad stays stoically in his seat, his arms

crossed, looking pissed as hell.

“It's obviouslyrot nothing,” I reply,

my voice getting higher as I become

more frantic. I look around the roof

suddenly;realizing tha Jackson isn't

here. (asp, and stumble backa

step.starting to freak out. “Where is

Jacks? Did he — he didn’t —Where —

“Ari” Mom says, finally reaching me

and taking mé.by the shoulders and

looking mei the eye. “Jackson is

fine, he'sgjuist late for breakfast, like

you. Probably figuring out how te

put afya pair of jeans — it's all-a very

news wor d for him. Okay? .~

Just. come in, darling, close the

door. We'll talk about it as a family.”

A huge sigh of relief rushes from my lungs at my mom's assurance that Jackson is fine, just late and struggling with fashion. Because she wouldn't lie

to me — she wouldn't say that he was okay if she knew he wasn’t.

Still, something is happening, and with the whole way the room is looking at me right now, it's obviously got something to do with me.

"Mom?" I ask, my voice tight with worry as she guides me around the table to the seat next to her, where Cora brings me a cup of tea with milk and

sugar. "What's — what's going on?

“Sweetheart,” my mom says, sitting down next to me, and taking both of my hands in hers. "Now, I don't want you to freak out —"

"Oh, just tell her, Ella,” Cora sighs, putting her hands on her hips and rolling her eyes as she stands straight. “You're making it all worse with all this

coddling.”

“[ am not!” mom protests, her jaw falling open as she gapes up at her sister.

“You totally are! You —

Jesse comes {0 my rescue, standing

and 0ssing &-¢copy of the magazine

halfway down the length of the table

so that ifsmacks right in front of

me. It's upside down so I don'tcatch

all the details, but my eyes gorwide

when I see my own face ontone half

ofthe cover, beaming. Cantent

"Someone spilled the beans, Ari,” Jesse says, crossing his arms and glaring at me — not at me, of course, but angry and looking me steadily in the

eyes. "About you being mated to Luca.”