Strong(sequel to Still the One)

Lauren
Jordan, Paige and I ran out to get the boys before coming back inside and playing music as Mrs. Caudell requested.
"Hey, do you guys know All of Me by John Legend?" Jordan asked.
"Yeah, I think so," Paige and I replied .
We quietly began to play as Jordan and Paige softly sang. We were surprised when we heard seven boys joining in.
"Give your all to me. I'll give my all to you. All your curves and all your edges. All your perfect imperfections." The lot of us sang.
Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang, but Mrs. Caudell instructed us to keep playing while Edward or one of the maids answered the door.
I would never have guessed that our parents could invite the two boys who walked in. How could they bring up such an awkward and embarrassing thing? Invite our exboyfriends to a house where our current boyfriends were also?! I don't think so.
The boys immediately stopped singing when they saw who entered the parlor.
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Caudell! Mr. and Mrs. Huhn," Adam and Ben greeted.
"Why hello boys! So nice to see you again!" My mother smiled.
"Thank you so much for inviting us to your lovely second home!" Ben cooed.
"Hi Jordan. Hi Lauren," Adam blushed.
Apparently they still liked us. Which was unfortunate for Jordan and I because our parents were friends with Dr. and Mrs. Parks. That's right, Ben and Adam's dad was a doctor, and not just any doctor, a surgeon. He was constantly flying around for surgeries and that's why Jordan and I had seen so much of them as children. Their mom usually went with their dad, so they stayed with us or the Caudells.
"Well, hi boys. What a pleasant surprise seeing you here!" Jordan stated blankly, putting extra emphasis on pleasant. She walked over and offered them hugs, which they gladly accepted. I quickly nodded and did the same.
Okay, so maybe it wouldn't be soo bad they were here, I mean, they're ridiculously attractive and, have you seen their abs? Damn. Even Liam's don't compare. But their degree of hotness, as Jordan and I called it, would make them harder to resist, especially when they and our parents were clearly for getting us back together.
"Hello, nice to meet you," Liam stuck out his hand. "I'm Liam Payne."
"Zayn Malik," Zayn did the same.
"Louis Tommo Tomlinson." Always count on Lou to crack a joke. I bet he'd make one at a funeral- not that I want to find out.
Niall and Harry seemed to be holding back. Finally, Niall moved forward and shook hands with the boys.
"Niall Horan, how ya doin'?"
Something kept Harry from shaking hands with them. I could tell he didn't want to be rude, but he left anyway.
"Excuse me, I think I'm going to step outside for a moment," he said casually.
"Um, I'll just go check on him. Be right back!" I dashed out to the balcony where Harry had run off to.
I was a little upset that Harry couldn't do something as little as shaking hands with my ex. Put aside the fact that we had ever dated, and Harry could be their best friend.
"Okay, what was that about Hazza?"
"I don't like them Kitten." He balled his hands into fists.
"I'm sorry and there's nothing I can do about that. They are family friends and Jordan and I broke up with them. They didn't break up with us. They were actually pretty chill through the whole thing. What if I went around hating all your exes? Caggie, Caroline, Sarah, Taylor? Well, Taylor I don't hate, but you get the idea. I'm sure you don't hate Caggie or Sarah, do you?"
"No, I guess not. I just...They know we're dating and they're still trying to hook up with you." Harry looked at me.
"I know. I don't know why my mom thought it would be okay to invite them. Like we've all graduated, they don't need us to babysit them anymore!" I flushed.
"Tell me about it, Kitten."
"Are you calmed down enough to shake hands with some well behaved rich boys?" I asked. And then it occurred to me why my parents wanted so handle for us to get back together. They were rich. But then so were Harry and Niall. And why would it matter? We were wealthy too.
"Haz, I think my parents want us together because Adam and Ben's parents are rich."
"I'm rich. So are you. Why would that matter?"
"I don't know. But I think my dad and Jordan's dad have always wanted to do something business related with Dr. Parks."
"Why Jordan's dad? I thought he was like an FBI agent or something," Harry looked confused.
"Yeah, but he also has a huge family business that he lets my dad partner in. So they really just own the company, they don't actually do any work for it. Jordan's dad was an FBI agent before he inherited the company and my dad's a politician, but they're best friends so Mr. Caudell let him in." They'll probably retire soon just because they can."
"Well that explains a lot."
"I guess it does. So they want to do some kind of merger with Dr. Parks, but I don't have a clue why since he's a surgeon of all things!"
"Yeah, I don't really get it either, Kitten."
"So, can we go back in and be polite for dinner? And then you can 'retire' early? As my mother would say."
"Yeah, okay, Lauren. But only because I love you." He smiled.
I giggled. "Okay. I love you too Harry."
We walked back inside hand in hand before he finally shook hands with Adam and Ben.
"Harry Styles, what a pleasure to meet the two...fbnkakamjakmajqnkart," Harry flashed an obviously fake grin. The last part sounded like "the two pricks who keep trying to steal our girlfriends' hearts", but I couldn't be sure.
"Harry Styles? The Harry Styles?" Adam stammered.
"No, I'm a phony. That's why I have the rest of the band with me," Harry said icily.
"Hey, let's all play nice Hazza Boo!" I chided.
"That's marvelous! We have a younger sister, do you think maybe later we could get an autograph or something for her?" Ben asked with a genuine smile.
"I'll have to check my schedule."
I kicked Harry's brown boot.
"I mean, yeah sure. We could do it now if you wanted. The rest of the boys'll sign too!"
"Oh, no need to fuss. We'll get it after dinner." Adam smiled.
"Speaking of dinner, it's served," Annie smiled.
"Well, then let's all make our way to the dining room. I hope you have sixteen places set?"
"Yes ma'am, I sure do," Annie said cheerily.
"FabuLOUIS."
I choked on my saliva. Did Mrs. Caudell just say fabuLOUIS? I raised my eyebrows at Jordan. She stared back at me with a confused smirk. Jordan usually looked confused though, so it was probably her normal face.
When it was finally time for the main course, it was very noticeable that Jordan had a small amount of steak, and Niall of course had a large amount. The boys and I knew that in order for Jordan not to throw anything up, she had to eat next to nothing.
Bur obviously no one else knew this.
"Jordan, don't you think you should be getting more after what you've been through?"
Jordan put her fork down on her china plate. "What?"
"Don't play dumb dearie! We all know that you've been harming yourself." Mrs. Caudell said confidently.
"How would you know that?" Jordan was incredulous.
"Honey, do you remember that all if your purchases get sent directly to your father and I? And we've both noticed the insane amount of swim suits and clothing you've gotten over the past few months. All getting increasingly smaller until you were a twenty-eight again." Mrs. Caudell looked like she had just won a war.
"Mom, I don't think this is something to talk about right now, especially in front of everyone."
"When has there been a better time?"
"Anytime but now!" Jordan scowled.
"Then I suppose you don't want to know about Louise?" Mrs. Caudell raised an eyebrow.
"Of course I do mom!"
"Well then it looks like we'll talk about things when I say we should, won't we?"
"Yes, mother dearest," Jordan said sarcastically.
Mrs. Caudell held up a white piece of paper about three inches wide and too thick to be four inches tall. The paper suddenly unrolled itself till it was taller than my dad, six foot four.
"This is a list of all the purchases you've made from Swim Outlet in the past four months. Thirty-four...thirty-two...thirty...twenty-eight...catching the trend? Either you've lost a lot of weight, or you've been sponsoring needy swimmers."
Everyone else was absolutely silent. Not even Carson and Nick dared to take a bite of their beloved steaks.
"Mrs. Caudell, could you tell me about your new scrapbooking club?" Liam asked.
"Liam, don't interrupt. You know it's rude."
"Hey, can we just finish dinner?" I whined.
"Lauren, don't think this doesn't have anything to do with you. I've seen the tabloids. You've been cutting yourself." My mother finally spoke.
I looked to my dad for support. He shrugged and put his napkin on the table. Next I looked to Harry.
"Mrs. Huhn, if I may interrupt-" Harry started.
"-You may not Harry Styles!" My mother snapped. "This is a family conversation that needs to be handled immediately!"
"Well, I'm not exactly part of the family, you know, yet," Harry stated.
"Then you can dismiss yourself, " my mother said rudely.
"Mother! I am ashamed of you for how you're treating me and our guests! If I had been behaving like this at one of your dinner parties we all know I wouldn't live to see the sun rise, so why is it any different for Jordan's and my guests? Our boyfriends? Our friends? Our exboyfriends of all people? Your mother did not raise you to treat people like this, I know that for a fact. Boys, Jordan, let's get out of here."
"Yeah if you need us, we'll be in our rooms. We don't have to take this mom. Paige, Carson, Nick, pick the side."
Carson and Nick stood up together.
"That behavior was uncalled for Mom," Carson sneered.
"The same for you Mom," Nick said as he pushed his chair in.
"Annie, can we get the usuals at ten tonight?"
they asked, referring to the hot fudge cake they always ate.
"Sure thing boys!" Annie said as she rushed to clear all our plates.
I had never seen my mother behave worse in my entire life.

Notes