Blackmailing Aria Original Version

12

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How her lips curve upward when I grab her hand.-Xander

"What took you guys so long?" Marco bounces up and down the stairs to us as soon as we step outside.

The backyard of Xander's parents house can only be described in one word; gorgeous. Instead of having a large yard, they have a large garden with every color of flower blooming. In front of us are about fifty people, much more than there were the other day, so I assume it's not all family.

People stand on walkways that are surrounded on either side by bushes of flowers, talking and clinking their glasses of white wine. Isn't it a little early to be drinking?

"We got caught up." Xander smirks down at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Realization dawns on Marco's face. "Oh, you guys were busy doing the dirty," he says a little too loud with a teasing smile.

My face turns as red as a tomato and I look away. "Watch it or I'll knock out your teeth," Xander threatens. I've come to realize that I need to get used to their sibling antics.

"Aria!" Maria pulls me into a bone crushing hug.

"Hello Mrs. Stavros," I try to say with the little breath I have.

"Oh you don't need to call me that." She says with a wave.

"Ma's right, you'll have that name soon anyways, so it will be too confusing." Marco waves his hand in the air, acting all chill and everything, but I see the small smile playing on his lips.

"You will?" Maria asks me with wide eyes and a giddy expression.

Before me or Xander can say anything, Marco says, "Oh yeah, they're already getting tangled in the sheets."

Xander speaks up, but instead of standing up for us like I thought he would he says, "There are no sheets involved, we hardly ever make it to the bedroom."

Maria gasps in shock and my face burns with humiliation as both Marco and Xander laugh.

I slap Xander's chest when we hear a feminine voice holler. "Oh Xander!"

Coming towards us in a beautiful, white summer dress with her brown hair perfectly curled, is the woman from a few days before. Haley, I believe.

"Riley, it's good to see you."

Eh, close enough.

Xander pulls her into a quick side hug and then quickly wraps his arm around my waist.

"My grandmother just got back from the Hamptons, she wants to see you," Riley gushes while not so secretively pulling him away. "You know how much she adores you!"

With a quick kiss on my cheek, Xander is gone, attached to his arm is Riley, who I can just see as being a problem.

Maria excuses herself politely, seeming to forget about the comment her dear son just made.

"What's up with her?" I ask Marco while staring at Riley's retreating back.

"You don't need to worry about her," Marco assures me. "It might not seem like it, but Mom's really happy that Xander has settled down again."

What's up with the "again"?

I sigh in frustration, feeling the relief wash out from me. "I wasn't talking about your mom, I was talking about Riley."

"Oh," Marco draws out. "Yeah...you need to watch your back with that one."

"Thanks," I say sarcastically.