Yasmine Sinclair, tall, and gorgeous flipped her dark hair to the side, and took a seat on the dining table.
"Come here darling. Sit down." She beckoned on Faiza.
"Right there boo," Faiza replied, as she took a seat next to her.
They sat down at the other side of the table with Freya, so they were facing Aveline and the rest.
"Why do you all look like you've seen a ghost? Surely, you didn't think I'll miss Atlas' wedding for the world, did you?" She moved her seductive eyes over to Atlas.
Atlas, who had already gotten over the surprise of Yasmin's presence, relaxed into his seat.
In the absence of the elders, he had taken the head of the table. Theo was right next to him. Riley, and Aveline respectively, were after Theo.
Atlas' seated position enabled him to both see and communicate with everyone without much stress. Easily, he shifted his gaze to Yasmine.
"I knew you wouldn't miss it. You should have called me to pick you up from the airport." His features relaxed, as he simply stared.
She shrugged. "You know we Sinclair's love our independence. Isn't that right, Riles?" She shifted her attention to Riley.
The tension in the air grew, as Riley took her time to take a sip from the bottle of water she grabbed from the table.
Aveline watched silently, wondering whose sibling Yasmin was, and what the relationship amongst them really was.
The only thing she got so far was a bit of friction hanging wordlessly in the air.
"The nerve of you to say my name when your company still owes me a cover," Riley finally replied, after swallowing.
Yasmin's smile returned. "Well, I'm back to the states, baby. You know fashion covers could never be an issue. Not between us as a family." She threw her a wink.
Freya released the breath she was holding. "Jesus Christ! What was that tension about?"
"It's the Sinclair way," the girls said in sync, and burst into laughter.
Suddenly, Aveline couldn't feel any of the tension she had sensed before. It became clear to her that everyone in the room had known each other long enough to form a friendship, even outside of the family bond they had.
She began once more, to feel like an outsider. Her phone became her companion as everyone ignored her to catch-up.
Only when the door opened again, did the voices quiet a little.
The kitchen staff began to serve breakfast onto different plates. And immediately they were done, they bowed and walked out of the room.
"Ugh, I've missed breakfast in this house," Yasmin said, as she dug in almost immediately.
Freya laughed. "You eat so much, yet never gain any weight. You models amaze me."
"You talk as if you're huge, yourself. If I had your ass, I would never sit down," Yasmin teased, and all of them laughed again.
Aveline chest squeezed. She didn't know if she was supposed to participate or not. It felt like she was intruding on something personal.
Her face remained glued to her plate, for fear of looking up and someone seeing that she was an imposter.
"I love this family," Theo said.
"Sign the papers, and you'll legally become a Sinclair, pretty boy." Yasmin threw him a wink.
As she spoke, she discreetly glanced at Riley, seeing the exact moment she tensed up a little.
A knowing smile crossed her face, as she returned her attention to her food.
"I actually like the Charmings. You all are so posh and British," Faiza chipped in.
"That they are. That they certainly are." Freya nodded in agreement.
Atlas, who was engrossed in his phone, paused when he heard Faiza's voice.
It was as if he had been transported back to reality, but this time, his awareness was filled with irritation.
Faiza wasn't supposed to be seated comfortably in their midst. Not after her very grave sins.
At that moment, he looked towards Aveline. At first, he brushed her silence off, thinking she was only just enjoying her food. Until he saw her pale knuckles.
"Av—"
"Atlas darling, drop that phone and talk to me." Yasmin pouted dramatically.
Very briefly, he fought between ignoring her and proceeding with talking to Aveline.
"Start being in control," that voice returned to his head, louder than a horn.
"You pay her to find her own voice," he said to himself, as he returned Yasmin's gaze.
"All you do is talk Yasmin," he said, and everyone began to laugh in agreement.
They were deep in their chatters as they ate, when the door opened, and Reese Sinclair walked into the room.
Silence descended like a wilderness. It was that silence that gave Aveline the courage to finally look up.
Reese was looking at her too, with an amused expression on his face.
He took a seat, but kept his eyes on her. "Are you bored?" He finally asked.
Everyone else, wondering what he was talking about, followed the direction of his gaze to Aveline.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry, Ave. I should have introduced you to Yasmin since you haven't seen her before," Freya began to apologise.
"No it's nothing. You all clearly needed to catch up. I'm fine," she said with her soft voice, her eyes pleading with Freya to take the spotlight away from her.
"I think you're bored. Shouldn't your man entertain you? Yet you're two seats away from him. Really sure you want to get married so fast?" A mischievous glint twinkled in his eyes, as he reclined into his seat to watch the seed of discord he had just planted, germinate.
"Really Reese? You just walked in here to talk shit?" Riley hissed.
"Oh don't be a saint, little sister. It's not like I lied. Look at her face. I bet you all she'll much rather be anywhere else than here. Do better, Atlas," he said, and followed it up with a baiting chuckle.
Atlas inhaled sharply, but kept his words to himself. He knew what Reese was trying to do. He was used to it enough not to fall for the bullshit.
"No, I'm really fine. I—"
"I agree with Reese. You haven't really paid much attention to your future wife, Atlas. Why is that? Is it because you're still in love with Faiza, and you don't want to throw your new relationship in her face?" Yasmin lifted a quizzical brow that twitched mischievously too.
Atlas still didn't respond. They were baiting him. It was what they did best. The only thing he wondered was how Aveline was fairing. And if she was really ready to fight her own battles.
"Sick of this shit," Riley dropped her cutleries loud enough for everyone to hear. "Seriously?!"
"What is it darling? Why are you so offended? It is no secret Atlas loves Faiza. Surely the poor girl marrying him has to know that, right?" Yasmin held Riley's gaze.
"Don't patronise me, Yas. If Atlas loves Faiza, wouldn't he be marrying her?"
"halyuhibualfatata?" Yasmin asked in Arabic.
"He clearly does," Riley replied.
"lahu la yafeal." Faiza scoffed.
Atlas sat up, now interested in whatever the heck they were talking about.
"Maybe you three should consider those of us that don't understand Arabic?" Reese said, annoyed he wasn't a part of the mess he started.
The three ignored him, and continued their conversation.
"fahaltuhibuhaleahirat 'iidhn??" Yasmin asked again.
"Truly, like I do?" Faiza added.
Riley opened her mouth to reply, but someone else beat her to it.
"naeam 'afeal," Aveline said.
Everyone swiftly whipped their heads her way.
"I love Atlas. He loves me. We're getting married. And no, I'm not a whore," she said clear enough for everyone to hear. "Excuse me please." Rising to her feet, she hurried out of the room, her pounding heart, singing like a turbulent siren in her ears.