El Niño Garcia {An Isaac Garcia FF]

III

After school, Jackie tells me to go home with the boys, and that she wants to go into town. I agree. After a while, I notice she's still not back, and Cole left too. I text her, but she doesn't reply. Weird.

"Hey, Cali," Isaac says, walking in my room while I'm sitting at the desk.

"It's Lina."

"Got it. So what's up?" he asks.

I cross my arms. "What?" he chuckles.

I shake my head innocently. "Nothing, just wondering how hair bleach got in the shampoo."

He looks around. "Come on, it's just what siblings do. Besides, I'm not even the one that came up with it. I played like no part in it. You saw for yourself; Aunt Katherine was already gone." He's kinda right, but still.

"Then who did do it?"

"I don't know who came up with it," he says, avoiding eye contact, hiding a smile. I scoff.

"You're a horrible liar. It was you."

He gives me an exaggerated sweet smile. "So, are we good now?"

I can't believe it. I forgive him. "We'll see."

He smirks and flops onto the bed. "Do you need anything?" I ask.

"Nah, I'm just bored," he states.

"Do you know where Jackie and Cole are?" I ask. They've been gone for really long.

"No. Do you think they're together?"

"Maybe." I get an idea. "Do you have Cole's location on your phone? We can check if they're together." We check, and sure enough, they're together, by a river. "What would they be doing there?"

Isaac suddenly chuckles. "I mean, there's not much there but scenery, so they're probably just, talking. You know?" He says knowingly. I look at him.

"I see." A real romantic spot for them to be at.

Katherine calls us together and we all sit to eat. Well, all of us except Cole and Jackie. It's silent, because Katherine and George are worried. I want to say something, but I think it's best not to, unless they don't get home for a while.

We're about halfway through dinner when they walk in.

"Is there anything left? 'Cause I am starving." Cole calls out. "We were at the watering hole," he tells his parents. Alex looks disappointed. I turn to look at Isaac. He raises his eyebrows at me. I nod. We were right.

"Cole, do you know anything about a bet from this morning?" George asks. Jackie looks at Cole, betrayed.

"Nope, doesn't ring a bell." After a few seconds, he admits, "It was a joke, okay?" Why are men like this?

"Maybe ask Jordan what he's got on camera." Alex blurts out.

"Dude, really?" Lee says.

"You just had to bring me into this," Jordan complains.

"I have to go fix my hair," Jackie says, and takes off.

"Wait, I'll help," I say.

Upstairs, I help her dye her hair back to black. "You okay? I'm sorry this happened."

She sighs. "As long as we can fix it, it'll be okay." I hug her. "Boys are babies," I say.

She laughs. "And here I was thinking Cole might possibly be different." I look at her. She looks at me.

"The Cole Effect? My own sister?" I giggle. "Isaac called it."

"Isaac?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he was, um, bored, so he came in to talk to me." She looks at me with a suspicious smile. "While you were with Cole by the river for almost an hour," I say, changing the subject. "Mind explaining?" She giggles.

"I see." I laugh. "Keep me updated."

She washes off her hair dye, and her hair is back to the beauty it always is. We go to sleep.

----

The next morning, she goes out for a run, and I go downstairs to eat. Lee, Isaac, and Jordan are eating at a smaller table, all looking upset. I think they all got in trouble. Crazy how consequences exist.

Alex waves at me. "They're mad at me and Jackie cause we snitched." I nod.

Jackie walks in, and says good morning to everyone. Only Nathan and Alex and I say it back.

"Wait, are they mad at me?" She asks.

"Well, you did press the nuclear snitch button," Nathan says, "they're mad at Alex too."

Katherine walks in. "Jackie, your hair looks awesome." The boys look up resentfully. "Listen, there's gonna be no more pranks," She assures Jackie, "Right guys?"

Isaac says, "Yup."

"I saw the video, and Isaac is going to pay for your hair dye out of his allowance. He and Cole owe you an apology."

"I'm sorry, Jackie," he says, trying to sound sincere. I almost laugh at him. He gives her a sarcastic smile.

"I've decided, that the downstairs bathroom is going to be for Jackie, Lina, Parker, and Benny."

"They just got here, and they get their own bathroom?" Lee asks, indignant. He walks out angrily. I scratch my head awkwardly. Jackie runs out, and before I can follow, Alex runs after her.

I sit where Lee was. "She shouldn't have snitched," Isaac says grumpily.

I turn to him. "Maybe you shouldn't have put hair bleach in the shampoo."

"You said we were good. You forgave me," he whines, switching up his mood.

"Okay. I forgave you, so you should forgive her." I give him a sarcastic smile. He thinks for a moment, then nods in defeat.

"You win."

"I'm glad." I pause. "I'm gonna go find Jackie."

"I'll come." He winces. "I'm sorry, I still have to give Cole the money; a bet is a bet." I nod.

We walk out, and find Cole in the stables, watching Alex and Jackie from afar. Isaac holds out the money. "Keep it," Cole says. Oh?

Isaac follows Cole's gaze to see Jackie and Alex laughing and talking. "Man, again?" he asks. He chuckles and walks away. Interesting. I catch up with Isaac. "What's that about?" I ask.

He looks caught off guard. "Oh, I'll tell you later, Cali."

"Okay...We have to get ready, or we're gonna be late for school."