We Lost Ourselves

Piper sighed when Thomas's mom came to find her. She was once again at Thomas's side and listening to him talk. She smiled like she figured she was suppose to do. Piper just wanted to relax a bit and get some sleep. The party seemed to be going forever.

---

Tanner glared at her, "Throw it around?" he said, "Oh i will throw it around." He said. He pulled out his wallet then threw a bunch of money all over the floor. "Clean that up too would ya." He said as he walked out of the garage and went to the living room.

@ momentai.

A few people occasionally asked who the girl at Thomas' side was and, despite himself, he introduced her like he was supposed to, as his fiancée. He tried to sound pleasant about it and forced himself not to roll his eyes when people eagerly started questioning the girl about the news.

---

Mia frowned as she watched him leave. "Asshole," she muttered with a scowl before she went ahead to pick up the money, setting it on a shelf before she went back to work on cleaning. She'd give him back his money once she was done cleaning, she decided.

Piper was relieved when the party was over and they could finally relax. She sat in one of the chairs at the bottom of the stairs. She took off her heels then looked up when Thomas walked in. She looked at his mom when she followed. "Tomorrow we are going to the Derby and i'm sure you are going to love it." She said. Piper nodded, "I hope so." She said. She stood up and said goodnight to them. She walked upstairs, feeling Thomas follow her. Piper looked at him, "Goodnight Thomas." She said as she opened her bedroom door.

---

Tanner sat in the living room watching tv and sighed. He was glad that he didn't have to deal with the stuff that Mia did. He was lucky that he lived in a place with money. Perhaps he was being too harsh on her though. He didn't know any other way though.

@ momentai.

Thomas stuffed his hands in his pockets as he eyed her for a moment. "You're going to sleep already?" he asked, arching an eyebrow with slight curiosity. It was a little early, he supposed. But, then again, he was used to things like this. She likely wasn't, so it could have tired her out. He wasn't entirely sure.

---

It took Mia a while to finish cleaning the garage and, once she did, she grabbed the money and made her way back inside. Seeing Tanner on the couch in the living room, she dropped the money down on his lap. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to head home to shower," she muttered before walking out of the living room.

Piper looked at him, "There really isn't anything else to do around here is there?" She asked as she let her hand rest on the doorknob. If he had something in mind there was no way she was going to turn him down. They had to get to know each other some how.

---

Tanner sighed as she put the money in his lap. He had half thought she would take some of it. Maybe money wasn't as important to her as he thought. Tanner stood up then followed her out, "Mia wait." he said. When she stopped he froze, not knowing what to say.

@ momentai.

Thomas thought over her words for a moment, wondering if he should allow her to follow him to where he was planning to go. After a moment, he nodded. "Come with me, then," he told her before he led the way out of the hallway and down the stairs, planning to lead the way outside to the garden.

---

Mia visibly tensed at the sound of his voice and frowned slightly, turning to face him. "What?" she asked with a sigh, figuring he was probably about to order her to do a bunch of ridiculous chores or something.

Piper smiled, "Okay." She said as she walked with him. When they got to the garden she looked around amazed, "Wow this is beautiful." She said, looking back at him. Piper held her dress in her hand, keeping it from hitting the ground.
--
Tanner sighed, "I just um....wanted to apologize for being a dick earlier." He said as he looked at her. Even he knew when he over stepped his boundaries.

@ momentai.

Thomas nodded in agreement to her words, watching her for a moment. "There's a fountain in the middle of it. I usually come out here to relax after the stressful events that we throw," he told her.

---

Mia, admittedly, was fairly surprised to hear him apologize and she couldn't help but to stare at him, her eyes slightly wide. "Wow," she eventually murmured, "I don't think I've ever heard you apologize before."

Piper nodded, "I can see why." She said as she walked with him. She sat down with him on the edge of the fountain. She looked over at him, "So how often did your parents make you go on dates before they got me to come over?" She asked. She was curious about how often he did this.

---

Tanner shrugged, "Yea well whatever." He muttered. He crossed his arms, not wanting her to think that he was weak or anything like that.

@ momentai.

"Dates? Never," Thomas told her with a slight shrug. "In fact, they weren't quite fond of anybody that I attempted to date. I suppose they probably had this planned out from the beginning."

---

"Why do you do that?" Mia asked bluntly, staring up at him. "I mean, you do something kind of nice for the first time ever, then your guard is up and you're distancing yourself. It makes no sense."

Piper looked at him, "They didn't even give you a chance to find skmeone?" She asked. She was surprised his parents would do that. "That's awful." She said.

---
Tanner frowned, "You don't know my life so don't question my attitude." He said as he watched her. Tanner knew one thing and that was being harsh was how you got places in life.

@ momentai.

Thomas shrugged in response as he looked towards the garden. "It's easy to get used to," he said simply. "I always assumed it was because they wanted me to focus on the fact that I would one day rule, but that's not the case, it seems."

---

Mia rolled her eyes in response. "There's the Tanner we all know and hate," she muttered bitterly before she went back to walking away. She couldn't deal with being around Tanner for long periods of time, not when he was such a jerk.

Piper looked over at him, "Do you think you are ready to rule?" She asked. She was so nervous that they wouldn't do what people wanted. Piper looked at her hands and skghed.

----
Tanner groaned then walke away. He walked inside and sat down, running his fingers through his hair. He hated he couldn't relax around new people. It was a major flaw he had.

@ momentai.

"I've been trained to rule ever since I could walk," Thomas said honestly, turning his attention to her. Seeing that she was preoccupied with looking at her hands, he sighed. "So, yes, I like to assume that I'm ready to rule."

---

Mia stuffed her hands in her pockets as she made her way home. It was a long walk from the rich side of the city to where her family lived on the poor side, but she didn't mind. As soon as she got home, she took her shower.

Piper nodded, "well i'm glad that you feel confident about this." She said as she ran her fingers through her hair. She looked over at him and smiled a little. She hoped he knew what he was doing.

---

Tanner woke up the next morning and made his way to the kitchen. He sat down and began to eat his breakfast. He knew that mia would be there soon.

@ momentai.