Jaxx Is In Town?

Graham's Point Of View   The sharp clink of metal on porcelain rang out louder than it should have, echoing across the thick silence of the dining room as I dropped my fork. My hand trembled slightly from the tension bubbling inside me, the sound louder in my ears than the hush that followed Elena’s dramatic exit. She was gone. Again. I could still hear her voice, laced with false cheer, echoing in my head as she’d chirped into her phone, pretending to speak to a boyfriend that didn’t even exist. The way she’d smiled… that sly, defiant twist of her lips felt like a blade slicing across my ego. She knew exactly what she was doing. My jaw tightened. I turned slowly to my mother, who sat at the end of the table with her lips pursed like she’d bitten into something sour. "Mom," I said, voice strained. "Why would you say that to Elena?" My mother scoffed, waving a manicured hand like the very idea of civility was beneath her. Her platinum hair was immaculately styled, makeup flawless, pearl