Until The Morning After

Welcome to Briarwood Hills June's Pov Mom's silver Honda rolled to a stop in front of one of the biggest mansions I’d ever seen. “Here we are kids.” Mom said, sounding nervous and excited from the driver’s seat as she puts off the engine of the car. My little brother Joey leaned on me, staring out the window with wide eyes. “Ooh...” he breathed shockingly pressing his nose to the window, before letting out a disbelieving laugh. "Freaking hell, Mom.” “Language, Joey,” Mom snapped immediately, though she couldn’t quite hide her own excitement. Outside a man in a white top and black jeans stood waiting at the steps beside the gravel path toward the porch, Mr Blackwood Hart, Mom's soon to be husband, with Rally, his seven years old blonde daughter. My palms became grimy on my jeans shorts as I swallowed hard, still not used to the....irksome idea of a whole new family. Just a few days ago, back at our dinner table in beacon hills, Mom had dropped the bombshell that she was getting married and that we're moving. I'd nearly choked on my drink when the words left her mouth. I'd known Mom all my life and know she doesn't exactly have the best record when it came to men. Totally it to my own recent, messy relationship with my best friend and ex boyfriend was why I tried to talk her out of it, but a part of me couldn’t bring myself to ruin it for her. Mom hadn't been this excited about anything in a long while, which saddens me especially on days I had to see her drink heavily while getting a hangover the next morning. “Hart!” Mom called like a teenager getting out from her sliver Honda with a big smile on her face. Mr Blackwood expression softened immediately at the sound of her voice. He approached her, giving her a soft kiss on her cheek, while keeping his hand on her back. His eyes came to rest on me and Joey who slowly followed after her, giving me a clearer look at what he looked like outside the photo mom showed me, suddenly making so much sense why Mom had fallen fast for him. I mean, the man was hot, ridiculously hot for someone in his late forties, how is he almost like fifty and still look like this kind of hot. His black hair was brushed back in waves, while his jawline was heavenly positioned, however allowing women doing a double take. I mean who wouldn't do a double take. And his arms, veins, muscle, strength. I couldn't stopping the image from going through my head of what they could ...would be capable of if they weren't stuffed in Mom's back. It was a bit inappropriate to think about him this way, but Mr. Blackwood was ideal for Mom. I mean ideal in a way that made me feel guilty for noticing just how absolutely attractive he was, and I can't deny suddenly knowing he was going to make mom very happy. “And you must be June,” he said hoarsely, stealing my breath away which..heavens, would again leave any woman’s s*x throbbing just by hearing him say her name. “Your mother talks about you all the time. It’s good to finally meet you. Welcome to Briarwood Hills.” “yes..I mean...hi,” I said quickly, my palms resting on my jeans from nervousness. “Your house… it's amazing...and big...and...beautiful.” He gave a small laugh. “Glad you think so June.” he said stepping aside and gestured towards the door. “But come on in, let me show you around. This place is yours too now.” He said beckoning us inside. We followed after him my breath catching as soon as we stepped into the mansion. The inside was... unlike anything I had ever seen. The floor was gorgeous and clean reflecting a lovely chandelier light above. There was a staircase leading up and the walls beside it were covered with a few paintings. And again looking over the bottom of the stairs a piano was at corner which appeared to not have been played very often. Joey let out a surprised gasps beside me moving up the stairs, that I hadn't seen in a while, no, I hadn't seen at all, this was essentially disney world for someone who was typically buried in books or video games all day. Mr. Blackwood laughed. “I’ll give you both a proper tour later. For now, Rally can show June to her room.” “Come on!” Rally said, grabbing my hand with all the strength her seven year old body could muster. “It’s upstairs, you’ll like it.” I let her drag me toward the stairs, her blonde curls bouncing as she took two steps at a time. “You like pink?” she asked, glancing back at me with big curious eyes. “Uh, sure,” I said, a little out of breath from trying to keep up with her energy. “Why?” “Because your room’s pink. But don’t worry, it is not too girly. Just a little girly.” I couldn’t help smiling. “That’s fine..thanks” I said my eyes, suddenly catching movements up the stairs. A girl gently ran down the stairs, With the looks of it, twenty-three, with beautiful light brown skin. She was putting on a tight crop top that merely covered her, and a skirt very short I was afraid I saw more than I wanted. Her hair was this wild, black beautiful cloud of curls mixed with blue, bouncing with every lazy step she took. And her nose you could see a silver ring that caught the light as she kept her eyes glued to her phone. She didn’t turn to look at me until she was right next to us. Then she finally dragged her gaze up from her phone, her eyes going over me head to toe. “Cute hoodie.” she said flatly and raced passed me, her hips swaying down the hall. Rally stopped at the top of the stairs, and turned to me. “Who's that?” “My brother’s f**k buddy.” I nearly tripped on my last step. “I’m sorry…what?” She grinned, showing the gap where one of her front teeth was missing. “That’s what she is.” I turned staring after the blue head’s disappearing figure, my mind scrambling. Okay, a seven year old should not know words like that.