Forced Affection

‘They’ll be here soon, Hallie you better be ready!’ my father yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
‘So, here goes! Oh, this is so stupid. Oh I hate it!’ I yelled breaking down for the umpteenth time. Laughing my best friend Rae Lopez said ‘Don’t worry we’re here for support’ giving me another hug, with my cousin Luka Munez.
‘Come on’ she says, ‘He could be okay’ Luka finished trying to defend Leo.
‘Doubt it,’ I mumbled walking out of my room, beginning this painful journey downstairs.
As I entered the hall entrance in our Grand House I saw my friends over in one corner. I made a quick escape from everyone's prying eyes – to my friends. Billie McKinnon, a tall blonde wearing a hot pink halter neck dress quickly gave me a hug and whispered in my ear ‘Don't worry we're here and all armed. And I dare say every other slayer is as well – even your parents’ Billie finished. I let go of her and smiled a thanks.
‘I love you guys, and nothing will change between us’ I said deeply to them. My friends Rae, Billie, Jake, Thai-Lea, Lachlan including my twin brother Alex and my two cousins, Luka and Calvin all smiled nodding.
‘Yeah except your marrying a vampire and you'll become Mrs Hallie, Princess of Darkness!’ Lachlan said laughing.
‘There’s one in every group!’ Calvin said quickly also laughing.
‘Ha, unlikely I’m keeping my last name. So it will be Mrs. Hallie Anna Cortez, new Princess of Darkness. Ready to kick butt and kill Lachlan!’ I laughed sarcastically, before laughing, trying to lift everyone's spirits.
‘Real amusing! Just freaking great. Idiot’ Alex said annoyed at his sister’s comment. ‘Already you’re pissing off the vampires’ Alex muttered to himself.
‘Yeah and they aren’t even hear yet. Only Hallie could do it’ a too familiar voice said from behind me. I turned around to see my arch nemesis, my other cousin...Piper!
Okay, that’s a little exaggerated, my cousin Piper Halliwell and I had never really got along, we’ve always had a competing rivalry between us.
As I walked away from my friends to Piper, looking her directly in the eyes I could still see her beautiful blue dress, and still managed to feel under dressed at my own party.
‘Piper?’ I questioned.
‘Hallie, I want to apologise. I'm sorry for everything. I want to put our past behind us. Believe me; I want to support and help you, I believe you'll need it to stay happy, to be your normal self.’ Piper blurted out to me unexpectedly.
After 19 years of arguing, fighting, competing and hating one another it was the last thing I expected, on a normal day I would probably laugh and tell her she was weak for just saying this, but on a normal day she wouldn’t of said it. On this day however, everything was different, so my reaction couldn’t help but be different-an hug that said it all.
‘Thank you and I want the same,’ I started before smiling and finishing ‘so answer me seriously. Where you disappointed when you where no longer arranged to Leo and I was?’
‘Tell you the truth?’ Piper asked smiling. I simply rolled my eyes.
‘Yep, I was, I wanted to marry a hot sex god like him and have power. But now I am so grateful that it is not me. I'm almost glad it you, 'coz I know your strong and you'll handle it. But, I'm here if you need help?’ she answered truthfully.
‘Thank you. Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear that?’ I asked
‘'Your whole life?’ Piper answered.
‘No actually about 4 seconds.’ I replied before laughing along with Piper.
Soon there was a shout from my Uncle Mason, Luka and Calvin's father, ‘They've arrived!’
‘Hallie its time.’ my mother said from behind me, pulling me towards the door.
‘Hold on.’ I said to her before I turned and gave Piper a hug.
‘I'm armed.’ Piper whispered.
‘I think everyone is!’ I replied as I let go and went to leave.
‘Give 'em hell!’ she said as I turned around and nodded, smiling.
I caught Alex's eye as I was walking to the entrance, he quickly got the hint and raced over.
‘Thanks.’ I mumbled as he hugged me.
‘Don't I'll be strong.’ I said to him.
‘Speaking to mum and dad yet?’ he asked as we waited for the blood suckers and their relatives to come through the door.
‘Nope!’ I said still ignoring them.
‘They know what they’re doing, don't worry.’ he said as the door opened, I looked at Alex confused. As I turned to look at who arrived I couldn't help but notice how normal and human like the vampires looked, before I noticed...