Hallows: Duets

Snacks & Prank Calls

Bad Bunny & Bomba Estereo- Ojitos Lindos

Ashley:

I can't get the look on her face out of my head. I don't think I will for a while. It was the look of someone who's been heartbroken for a long time, someone who only knows how to be alone. We're all sitting in the back of the Tahoe eating what Anthony got us. He got her a Monster Energy drink to get some sugar in her. She looks better.

"Is this your first double date?" Anthony asks.

"Yes," the three of us answer at the same time. We all laugh.

"None of you have ever been on a double date?" he asks.

"Does going on a date with Dante and David count?" I ask. Lily snorts and then looks up at the two of us.

"Wait, you're dating both Dante and David and you're cool with that?" she asks him.

"I'm dating both Ashley and David," he shrugs. Her mouth falls open and she starts to laugh.

"You freaky fuckers just get freakier and freakier," she shakes her head. "No, that doesn't count. Have you?"

"I have," Anthony nods. "None of them have ever ended well,"

"Why not?" Dante asks. Anthony and I look at him wondering if he's being serious right now.

"Is it obvious?" Lily asks looking him over. "I don't see anything out of place. Nor have I seen any reason for you not to close,"

"What?" Anthony laughs nervously.

"So, what is it? What are you two BFFs hiding?" she points between the two of us.

"Nothing," he clears his throat. "Kelly would always show up and f**k up my dates,"

"Oh, s**t," Dante sets his drink down. "My bad, man. I didn't think,"

"It's cool," Anthony shrugs it off.

"You and Kelly?" Lily asks.

"Uh, kind of. We never made anything official but it did get out of control once Carter came back. She didn't know what she wanted for once in her life and it got out of hand, but we're cool now,"

"Are you?" Dante laughs.

"Yeah, we're good," he grins.

"How did you guys officially break up?" Lily asks. scooping hot Cheetos with cheese into her mouth with a fork. A black fork she took out of her purse. She has a little pouch with eating utensils in them. Who does that? That's next-level rich girl s**t.

"I uh- I put a gun to her face," he whispers. Lily almost spits out what's in her mouth.

"What did she do?" she demands.

"Nothing, I told her I was done. Even if she wasn't. Then she took her knife off the girl's throat and left,"

"Dang, your love life sounds like fun," Lily giggles and takes another drink from the black and green can she's been clinging onto for dear life.

"Have you ever been on a date?" I ask her.

"No, I don't usually have time for that. I didn't start doing normal s**t until Carter came along," she shrugs.

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah, before that it was just school, violin lessons, and training. After my mom died, my dad was all I had left and he's way too paranoid for a babysitter so, I would always go with him and s**t. When Carter started taking over for his dad after he retired he convinced my dad to let me do my own s**t. I think he expects us to get married when we're older or some s**t,"

"Does Carter know that?" Anthony asks.

"If they've talked about it. I have no idea, but I have heard the maids talking about him being the next man of the house," she snorts. "He could have picked someone worse, I guess,"

"And you're okay with that?" I ask.

"Yeah, I mean it's business. Carter and I getting married has nothing to do with us being in love. It's another contract. The emotional stuff is optional. I'll be a Kennedy. It'll open insane opportunities should I ever want out of the family business and Carter would be the King of the Docks. Not that he isn't now. After we can do what we want. He can be with Kels for all I care,"

"Kelly wouldn't like that," Dante shakes his head.

"She doesn't have to like it. None of us do, but this isn't about us. This is about our houses, our people, and the obligation to everything we've built. If she can't get behind that, she's not the one for him. But I've seen her, she's worked with Carter for a while now, and I think she understands what we are,"

"I think I need a drink," Anthony groans letting his head fall back against the back seat.

"You know what I've always wanted to do?" she smiles. "Go to a theme park like the Flags one,"

"You've never been to a theme park? Have you been to the fair?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"My dad didn't like letting me out of his sight. I couldn't go anywhere without an escort. I was surprised when he let me come here. Carter told him he got more security because Dante had some crazy ass fan girls on him. I am not excited about his return. I apologize in advance if he gets in your guys-es faces. He's an overprotective piece of s**t,"

"What is that?" Dante pokes my side. I look over at him to see him placing his hand on his chest.

"That's fear," I answer. "That is the scariest s**t I've ever heard and Carter has threatened to kill me a couple of times now. It might also be all the stuff you just tried. It might not have agreed with you,"

"I don't like either of those options, Ashley," he glares at me.

"This is why I wanted you to come out with us,"

"To give me a f*****g stomachache?"

"No, sweetie. You're being super agreeable and you're just stuck in your head. Redirect that focus. Get some s**t done. You just finished Phantom of The Opera. What's next? I mean obviously don't decide now. Just think about it. Get reacquainted with your friends and your peoples,"

"David talked to you, didn't he?" he sneers at me. Lily grins.

"Did David say the same thing to you?" she asks him.

"I get what you're saying," he sits back. "I've been working all f*****g Summer, nonstop. Let me f*****g enjoy where I'm at right now. Have you guys seen what our schedule looks like this year? We're having the producers over for the music videos. We've got talk shows, award s**t, meet and greets. I'm trying to sit still for a bit before it all takes off again. On top of that, I promised Carter to be part of the f*****g festival bullshit this year. I owe him for killing Aubrey,"

"That's not what I meant," I groan reaching for the mango and watermelon slices. "I just think you shouldn't stay in your room and I kind of feel bad about David,"

"I knew it," he shakes his head. "Yeah, we'll hang out with him more. He's in class right now," he checks his watch. "He actually got out of class at nine. It's almost ten,"

"We usually stay out here until eleven in case Kels needs anything last minute," I tell him.

"What do you guys do when it's slow?" Lily asks. Anthony and I laugh.

"We smoke and sometimes we f**k with people on the burner," he says taking it out of his pocket. Her eyes go wide.

"You mean like prank call people?" she giggles excitedly. He grins wide loving her reaction. Even Dante cracks a smile.

"Who wants to go first?" he offers her the phone.

"Yes, please," she takes it. "I've always wanted to do this,"

Dante is silent for the rest of the night. We all head back after the snacks are all gone. Despite it being late, I head up to my suite with Dante. He sits on the couch outside the room while I get some alone time on the piano. Tonight really let me appreciate everything I have. Even my parents. I can't imagine what it would be like to be Lily.

I'm starting to see why Carter is very protective of her. He's not a total asshole after all. But I knew that. He seems like he had to grow up way too young and I get that. Hellbourne is relentless. Money or not. It's survival of the fittest and if you're not at the top, you're being dragged through the dirt. I understand him a little more now. Carter is just the big brother all scared little girls who wish were there to protect them when there's no one else. He just hides it better than the others.