FIVE

| chapter song: flashlight - jessie j |

| dedication: dangerous-society - for the pretty cover <3 |

FIVE

My eyes were glued on the two people ahead of me, and even though my head was screaming for me to look away, my eyes stayed put. A gasp escaped my mouth when I saw the guy lean in closer, the side of his head covering the girl just after I caught a glimpse of her face. I didn't miss the bright smile that appeared on her face before it was obscured by her kisser.

I should have looked away then, since from a very young age it was drilled into me that staring was rude. But how could I look away? Especially with what I was witnessing and - regardless of the fact that it was happening right before me - I still couldn't decipher exactly what was happening.

Link must have felt the urge to throw salt at the wound because I heard him speak in my ears again. "That's Brandon right there," he pointed out with his voice and my heart clenched tightly behind my ribs.

I breathed out through my nose loudly, suddenly feeling too beat and annoyed. Because I always had this nagging feeling that something was going on. But I would always push it to the back of my head because I was waist deep in the illusion that we had the perfect relationship. I should have listened to my gut when he started acting up a few months ago but I feared I would lose the only thing that kept me sane. That made me forget about all the other things that were going on.

But damn, did it sting like a bitch to be slapped to the side. At my own Father's company anniversary nonetheless. I yanked myself out of Link's grip and made a bolt for it, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach and really embarrassed. I dodged the couples that were twirling around the dance floor and managed to get to the wall quicker than I thought. I placed my hand against it, to hold myself up and threw my head up.

The ceiling looked magnificent, with small mirrors plastered on top and scattered around in a way that it caught as much reflections of the people mingling on the floor. I closed my eyes when I heard my name being called and hoped that, just for a second, everyone would leave me the hell alone.

"Orianna!" someone carried on yelling and I opened my eyes to see a young brunette girl rushing towards me. I furrowed my eyebrows at her as she approached me cautiously.

"Your Mother asked me to collect you."

Collect me?

I didn't say anything to that. I wasn't entirely sure whether it was a good idea to open my mouth since I was sure nothing polite would come out of it. I breathed out heavily and pushed a curl out of my face. "Alright, I'll be on my way."

When the girl didn't turn around and leave, I questioned her with a raise of my eyebrow.

She shifted on her foot before she answered me. "She... err... she wants you to be right behind me when... err..."

I fought the urge to storm to my Mother and throttle her. Did she really get this small girl to collect me back? I couldn't believe her but regardless, I stormed past the girl and back to where I left my Mother, Father and Link's Father.

I spotted her the minute I managed to disentangle myself from the dancing couples and back to the area where people where mingling and drinking. My Mother was standing with a woman now I recognised within a second and I felt as though a hand reached inside my gut and twisted it around.

The woman spotted me first and I flinched inside when she threw a small smile my way. My Mother, who seemed annoyed someone distracted her away from the conversation, drifted her eyes towards me. She fired me an appalled look she always did as I slowly approached them.

My Father and Link's Father were nowhere in sight and I wondered where they trailed off to. Probably to collect some more greetings and best wishes.

"Hi, Mrs Hard." I greeted and leaned in for the cheek kisses. Her strong scent hit my nose unexpectedly and I suppressed the urge to rub my nose and cough. There was always something going on with Mrs Hard and it never bypassed me that she always used to look at me in a weird way.

"Orianna dear, it's always lovely to see you," she said, showing her white teeth with the broad smile she slapped on her face.

"Same here, Mrs Hard. You look lovely today." I told her and she honestly did look lovely with a knee-length black dress with green embroidery running down the front of the dress. She had pearls around her neck which looked stunning and complimented her tanned skin perfectly. Just like her boys, she had a mass of dirty blonde hair but hers were accented with streaks of greys. But no one could complain because Mrs Hard worked those grey hairs.

"Thank you dear. How's it going with the boys? Are they behaving themselves?"

I smiled at the thought of her boys behaving as a stab of pain coursed through my stomach. "They most definitely are." I told her but she didn't look convinced.

"Is he still going around the girls?" she asked, her forehead crunching up. We all knew who she was talking about.  Just as someone came to stand next to me.

"Mum," he groaned out in deep voice. I craned my neck upwards and held in my laugh at the explosive face Thomas had on. He looked well-groomed and pampered for the event and I couldn't deny his good looks. However, I stared at his face, trying to spot any cuts or bruises. He had a small cut on his chin and it was only visible to the scrutinizing eye. I wasn't entirely sure if Thomas knew Link was here as well. And I wasn't sure how he'd react to that.

"I'm just looking out for you dear." Mrs Hard replied back with a huff and I found that holding in my laugh seemed like the hardest thing to do. My Mother looked between Mrs Hard and her son quietly but she was assessing everything about them.

She opened her mouth to voice her opinion but then someone else joined us. I stiffened when their hand snaked around my waist and tugged me closer. I kept my eyes locked on Mrs Hard's face, putting on my best poker face. They could not know anything. Not right now. Not ever.

His lips came to settle on my temple and I nearly puked. I seriously couldn't deal with this. No, I simply couldn't.

I shifted so I was partially facing him, with my front kind of facing Thomas. This way, it looked like we were touching but we weren't. It gave my mind a piece of sanity. His hair looked ruffled and since I knew exactly where he had been the stench of the unfamiliar perfume hit my nose instantly. It was a feminine scent and my blood started to boil up again. And it also didn't go amiss that he didn't come back with the drinks he left to get more than thirty minutes ago.

"Mum, you being Mum again?" Brandon asked on a sigh, sticking up for his twin brother.

Mrs Hard narrowed her eyes on her other son. "No I'm not."

Thomas quickly interjected her. "Yes you are Mum. We're here to celebrate not to have you ask Orianna about my sex life."

My Mother gasped at the use of the crude word and I nearly doubled over with laughter at the look she was firing towards Thomas. Mrs Hard just rolled her eyes at her sons before she turned her body around to face my Mother. She was making it clear she did not want to speak to any of her sons.

Which unfortunately, left me to speak to them.

I shifted my gaze to Thomas' face, deciding he was a much better alternative to Brandon's. I couldn't stand to look at him right now. But I couldn't throw a show for everyone to see and shame my Father.

"How you doing?" I asked him softly, slightly concerned about him now. Everyone knew Thomas took a good beating from Link.

"Alright, just a bit annoyed that he got away."

Brandon scoffed at Thomas. "Good thing he's outta' sight."

Thomas just shrugged at his twin brother. "He's a lucky bastard now that he got away."

I stood there, awkwardly, and wondering whether I should provide them with the bad news. That in fact, Link was not away. And that he was in the massive room right now. And that I was actually dancing with the enemy just moments before I caught my boyfriend necking a nameless girl.

"I'm no lucky bastard now then am I?" Link's voice spoke from behind us and I nearly had a fit. This was not going to end well. At all.

"What the fuck?" Thomas said in a low voice, but Link paid no attention to him. He circled around Brandon so he was standing in front of me. His eyes roamed over my face, down my body and then back to my face again.

He was telling me something. I just knew he was. But I couldn't exactly figure it out until he stuck out his hand for me. I stared at his extended hand and then back to his face. His face gave me no answers.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Brandon snarled at Link, grabbed my upper arm and tugged me behind him. His touch burned my skin and I yanked my arm out of his grip quickly. His touch sickened me.

Link was playing me. He knew exactly what I was going through right now and he was playing us all. But the feeling of disgust had overridden me way more than sticking to my image because bile was filling up in the back of my throat. Staying close to Brandon would really make me bring that bile to the surface.

So I went with the most irrational choice.

I took a step out of Brandon's back and grabbed Link's hand. His fingers gripped my hand immediately and with one tug, I was plastered to his side. "Let's dance some more," he whispered near my ear and I nodded at him, hoping Brandon would be burning with rage.

I wanted him to be burning with rage.

Link dragged me away from Brandon and pulled us both back to the dance floor. I didn't dare to look back but I could feel two pairs of eyes burning holes in the back of my head. I was going to be dancing with the enemy. Right in front of their faces. And I was going to be smooth.

After some mental props to dance in a smooth manner, Link re-positioned us so we were chest to chest. He grabbed both my hands and placed it on his shoulder. Without thinking, I intertwined my fingers around the back of his head and placed it around his neck. Both of his hands were planted on each side of my waist.

"Why did you do that?" I questioned when we starting moving along with the music.

Link completely ignored my question. "You're not reacting like someone who found out their significant other was cheating on them." Link commented softly.

Something stung in the pits of my stomach. "Surprised?" I said, with a tilt of my head and managing to contain the shakiness in my voice.

"Not really, considering the poker face you got on."

I stopped breathing. "What poker face?"

Link pulled me in closer. "You're annoyed at the fact that Brandon played you."

I was suddenly really annoyed. I narrowed my eyes at him darkly. "I'm annoyed that you played me. What was that all about back then? Coming to us when you clearly know how they feel about you."

Link scoffed under his breath. "You really think I care about those scums? Thomas needs another punch and so does Brandon."

I rolled my eyes at him, clearly identifying the masculinity at play here. He wanted to show them who the Alpha Male was and the way he was getting about it was kind of comical. Stupid, but comical still.

"You've been back, what? A couple of days maybe? How did you know about Brandon?" I asked him slowly, embracing myself for the truth I knew he had. I suddenly wanted to know everything about Brandon and his cheating ways and it seemed like Link knew some shit.

He simply shrugged at my questions. "Considering he's fucking my cousin, I'd know that shit."

I gasped out loud. "Oh my god."

But Link didn't stop to put out the fire that he ignited. He carried on. "Considering she never stopped talking about him over the last five months."

Five months?

"Stop." I croaked out, not sure whether I wanted to hear more or not. Brandon was with Link's cousin for five months? That was around the time I thought we were fully in love and devoted.

"You hurt?" Link asked quietly and I nearly melted at the softness and how it travelled all the way to the back of my spine. I was surprised to find an ounce of sympathy coming from Link but I wasn't complaining. I grabbed hold of it with both hands and didn't intend to let go. Because if I did, I knew I would drop down to my knees and register the hard blow coming for my heart.

"Yes." I whispered to him, closing my eyes and letting his soft voice hug me and shield me from the upcoming blow.

"Imagine this pain but extensively more times." Link carried on saying. I frowned, not sure where he was going with this.

"Yeah?"

"That's how I felt when you killed my sister."