Page 92 of Disobedient Pawn

“Hi, Sienna,” I said.

“You look extremely handsome in your suit, Lip.”

He lost the pout and sat a little straighter.

“I’m a ladies’ man. That’s what Mrs. O’Brien says.” Lip hooked his thumbs into his vest.

“I can see that,” I said, smiling. It was easy to tell he was related to Myles. He had a slightly darker eye color but the same smile and warmth.

“I think ya have a few more years before ya have that label,” Myles said to his brother, who stuck out his tongue.

“How would you know? She never says that to you,” Lip said, and Myles grumbled as he took a sip of water.

“I love your hair.” Sienna’s eyes were filled with excitement as she stared at me. “I’d love to dye mine. I hate these plain red curls, but my mom says I’m too young. How did you get it so white and silver? It’s so cool.”

I glanced at the guys, who were very quiet as they stared at me. Even Theo, who never seemed interested in anything, was staring at me with a piece of bread halfway to his mouth.

Grabbing my water, I took a mouthful of the cool icy liquid, hoping to wet my parched throat.

“Um…well. It wasn’t by choice.” Sienna’s lips pinched together as her eyes narrowed in confusion. “It’s a condition called Marie Antoinette Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that can be triggered by extreme amounts of stress.”

“What’s autoilloon,” Lip asked, making me smile.

How did you describe this?

Theo came to the rescue.

“You know when you cut yourself, and the cut heals?” Lip nodded. “With some autoimmune diseases, your body is too eager to fix what’s wrong and ends up hurting you more,” Theo explained.

“Like you attack yourself?”

“Yes, exactly like that,” I said. I could still see the confusion in his young face.

“Oh,” Sienna said. “How much stress?”

“Enough with the questions, Sienna,” Liam said, shutting down his younger sister.

“What? I’m curious?”

Liam opened his mouth to answer, but I spoke first.

“It’s fine, Liam, but thank you.”

“Alright,” he said.

Other than the very awkward truck ride home from the party, I’d never spoken to Liam. He seemed laid back like he didn’t have a care in the world, or at least he gave that impression.

“It started after my mum got sick. It felt like it turned white overnight, but it took months. I tried to dye it back to my normal hair color for a while, but eventually, I decided that if people wanted to make fun of me, they could, and I didn’t care. I am who I am.”

“Did....” Sienna looked up the table at my father, and I knew what she was wondering without asking.

“My mum didn’t make it,” I said but left off how she passed away. This was already a sad topic without adding murder to it.

“I’m really sorry.” Sienna’s eyes dropped to the table, her shoulders rounding. “I can’t imagine losing my mom.”

“It’s alright, don’t feel bad asking. I love that you like my hair. Most people find it spooky.”

“I don’t,” Myles blurted. “I think it’s beautiful.”