starlight, luke hemmings

in front of our lawyers.

Vivian Hemmings went to school the next day with anxiety as her best friend.

"Viv," Olive said. "It's fine."

Olive, mostly known as Liv to Vivian, was her dad's good friend's daughter who moved to Rhode Island a month before Vivian herself, which was an odd coincidence.

"To you, maybe," Vivian said. "Tonight – I have a soccer game and both of my parents are going to be there and they are currently tense."

"You're overreacting, sweetheart." Olive puts a hand on Vivian's shoulders and smiles. "My dad and I are both going to be there if you need familiar support."

Olive's dad, Niall Horan, has always been sort of a 2nd dad to Vivian. Ever since Vivian moved to Rhode Island – they've always been a phone call away. If Vivian did end up living with her dad, it wouldn't be the same.

"I know." Vivian said as the bell to signal the next period rang. "I'll see you after school, Liv. I love you."

"I love you, too!"

Back at Cassandra's house stood Luke with Ashton behind him and Cassandra with Benjamin behind her. They were trying to talk about agreements between two existing parents for custody.

Cassandra had her hips against the counter and her eyes having anger written behind them. "Luke," She seethed. "You're not getting her for more than a month and a week the whole year."

"If I remember, our custody agreement is 50/50." Luke said. "It's more like 10/90."

"I really don't know what to tell you." Cassandra said back, "What do you want me to do, truly? I need some time during the summer with her as well."

"You get her 11 months out of the year." Luke said back. "I want at least 3 months out of the 12 months out of the year."

"I need her in my house!" Cassandra shouted. "I need her help as much—"

Luke put a hand up quickly, which shut Cassandra right up. He inhaled sharply. "This isn't..." He breathed. "This isn't about you. Why are you always making it about you?" Luke narrowed his eyes down. "This is about Vivian! Our daughter. What's best for her."

"I make enough money to provide for her, me, and possibly another person." Cassandra said, tilting her head to Benjamin who was staring.

"I give you a hell of a lot of money for you and Vivian each week. And, if you needed money, all you needed to ask me." Luke said. "Which leads me to my next argument – Why are you letting a grown man, who I'm sure Vivian doesn't know, in the same house as her."

"I trust Benjamin." Cassandra says, offended.

"Does Vivian trust Benedict?" Luke snapped, purposely saying Benjamin's name wrong which made his jaw slightly drop.

Cassandra opened her mouth, trying to find the words. She knew her daughter didn't like Benjamin, but Cassandra believed she should value her happiness over her daughters.

"Right." Luke scoffed.

Ashton stepped forward and bit his lip. "I don't mean to interrupt, but Vivian has her soccer appointment in an hour."

Cassandra darted her eyes to Luke before saying. "This conversation isn't over."

"You're right," Luke nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. "This conversation shall continue when we begin to reconsider our custody terms in front of our lawyers."