Let's talk this over 
It's not like we're dead

Was it something i did?
Was it something You said?

@van Outfit

Since the festival things had been a little insane. Though she was sure that that wasn't even the right word for it. She hadn't planned any of this. Love was never ever on the table. Hell she had been forming feelings for Jaxon, but then he had been busy and she had been bored. Van had been there, and they had spent time together, then more time together. Sex was always a thing when it came to them, but watching the sun rise wrapped in his arms because they weren't tired yet, partying it up at their concerts, hanging out at his flat... Tickle fights and strip popcorn toss... It wasn't something she had ever thought that she would have but he made her happy. He made her want things that she had never wanted. He had turned her world on its head. 

No one knew about it but Alayla. Not a soul, not even her journal. She knew better than to leave things like that around. She knew better than to get caught, it had been a secret for a reason, but that night at the festival, when he had pulled her up on the stage, when he played her favorite song, the one that was how she felt she had melted. She loved him, and she knew it. Even if she didn't tell him, she knew that he knew. The her birthday had come, and he had blown her away again. He was so generous to her and she knew that she didn't deserve it, especially given that she was betrothed to his brother but she couldn't help it. Merlin help her, but she loved him. 

So when she had gotten the letter from Lady Parkinson she had panicked a little before finding some clothes. Van had gone to meet with the band and Fenix, finishing up stuff for the album or something he had said. She did her make up in a fun  style and put on a simple bodycon dress her favorite heels and some star jewelry. She was going to make a good impression, she was determined even if she hadn't before. She was going to be good. So she walked up the walk way with her head held high and was reaching the door when the sound of apparition jolted her and she turned around to see her lover. A slow smile formed on her face, the one that only he got. It betrayed so many things about her, but before she could even step towards him the front door opened. 

"You two inside now, and keep your hands to yourself. I will separate you if you can't behave like I did with you and Donna. Do not test me today Van Parkinson." Caterina knew that look, it was the same one that her Jidda gave her and her sisters when they broke a vase when they were kids. She looked back at him and bit her lip before doing what Lady Parkinson said. "Drawing room. Now."

Whoever said it ain't the end of the world

You can find somebody new
Must've never met you
@caterinas | outfit

Van's attention span was next to nothing ever since the festival. All he could think about was how insane this entire thing was. How he, Van fucking Parkinson, actually caught feelings for a girl. Not just any damn girl either. Caterina Shafiq, bride to be of Michael Parkinson. How the hell did this happen? Part of him wanted to go back and re-trace his steps and find out just where things took this strange turn but he knew it hadn't been any abrupt maneuver. There was no wrong turn, bad directions. No, it had been a slow curve the entire time and he hadn't realized how blind he had been. Not until the festival. After he had pulled her up on stage and kissed her in front of thousands of screaming fans, he knew. He fucking knew that he was screwed.

He was in love. Something he honestly never thought possible but he couldn't argue with the fact that he had been falling into it for a while. A while, ha! It wasn't as though they had even known each other long! Two months, a while, yeah, OK! Wait, had it started that very first meeting? Watching her sip her milkshake with the light bouncing out of her eyes and straight into his fucking soul? Probably not, honestly. But somewhere between there, his flat, the nights she spent over, the playful chasing each other through the flat, playing her songs he wasn't quite finished writing.... Somewhere in there he had fallen blindly into love. It all finally came to a head the second night of the festival. All the realizations swarming him at once as he kissed her on the stage. How blind could he have been to not see this coming? He had covered that song, her favorite song, just for that night. And when he saw her there had been  no hesitation, only action. 

Sheryl had reamed both of their asses for it, and probably for good reasons. Van knew that in pureblood society what they were doing was wrong. It was fucked up and it could tarnish both of their families names as well as the arrangements that had been made between her and Michael. But Van didn't care. He realized that he really, truly, didn't give a shit. He just wanted her to be with him. Nothing else, no one else, mattered. Still, he had promised Sheryl to quit sneaking around, quit with these silly games. So he had done that. Quit sneaking and playing games instead he chose a different route. He would do what he wanted, no matter the consequences and what he wanted was to be with Cat. For her birthday he had taken her out, only casually avoiding places Sheryl would hear about it, and he took her on a real fucking date. He was done playing games, he wanted this to be real. 

So it hadn't come as a huge surprise that his mother wanted to speak with him. He should have known Sheryl would have told her, she had warned him after all. He had told her that he would come after his business for the day was finished and fully expected to get an earful. Mum would shout, holler, scold and he would tell her the truth. That he loved her, that he didn't want to end what they had, and that he thought she should cancel the betrothal. What he hadn't expected was seeing Cat.

Van apparated in just beyond the front door only to see a very familiar figure in front of him. She turned around to him, giving him that stunning little smile she had and he could feel himself returning it. Playfully he bit his lip rubbing his hands together and acting like he was going to smack her ass when the front door came flying open and his mother appeared wasting no time in her demands. Van's lips turned down in an oh-shit sort of way when he and Cat exchanged glances. Entering into the house he followed behind his mother and Cat going to the drawing room, where they had been ordered to go. "Mother, listen..." he started with a groan, knowing full well she'd probably start in on him the moment he spoke.