Young and Menace the companion book

🖤🔎 : Steve's grandmother

“Of course, I'd love to!” Liza nodded, placing her bag and skateboard against the wall.

The only available seat was next to Amelia, something the woman and Liza both failed to hide grimaces about but accepted their fates. Liza put as much distance as she could between them, her fake smile back on as she accepted a cup of tea that Clarke handed her. The group sat in a tense silence, it seemed the only one not affected was Katherine. Her eyes scanned her son, daughter-in-law and the blonde. Liza was hoping someone would end the unbearable silence and she got her wish.

"So, Liza, is that short for something?” Katherine asked, her eyes finally settling on the blonde.

“Elizabeth.” Liza felt a strange sense of deja vu was over her. “My grandmother actually started calling me that and it stuck.”

“I see, well, either name is beautiful.” Katherine mused, lighting a cigarette. Liza glanced beside her to see Amelia wrinkle her nose. “It's all in how you wear the name. I don't see you as an Elizabeth but a Liza, you are definitely a Liza.”

“Thank you, Mrs.Harrington.” Liza smiled, eyeing the cigarette. She has been trying to cut back on her smoking due to Robin's nagging but she needed one for her nerves right now.

“Please, call me Kate. Would you like one?” Katherine raised a perfect brow at the girl. When Liza nodded - a little too eagerly - she waved her hand towards the case, giving the girl permission. “How did you come to meet my grandson?”

“Oh, uh, we met in school.” Liza answered, blowing smoke into the air. “If I'm honest, when I first met him I thought he was a bit of a . . .”

“He was a little asshole.” Katherine chuckled, finishing Liza's sentence when she hesitated. She leaned forward, a smile on her lips as she spoke. “You can say it, I won't be upset. He was a spoiled little asshole who thought he was the King of every room he walked into.”

Liza let out a barking laugh before slapping her hand over her mouth with wide eyes. Katherine gave her a sly grin before grabbing her tea cup. Liza's eyes darted over to Clarke who seemed like he was relaxing a bit more than to Amelia who somehow managed to look more rigid than when Liza first walked in. This was the last thing she had expected out of Katherine. She had been expecting someone like Amelia, someone worse than Amelia.

“Now, Steve has told me about these children you hang around “ Katherine began, watching as the blonde's smile faded. The last time Liza was in a room with Amelia and Clarke where the kids were brought up, she almost became a murderer. Amelia's lips pulled back into a victorious smile, she knew she could count on her mother-in-law to bring her claws out eventually. “He talks about your brother, Dustin, the most.”

“Because the boy has latched on like a-” Amelia spoke for the first time since Liza had shown up but was quickly cut off by Katherine.

“I wasn't talking to you, Amelia. I am speaking to Liza.” Katherines eyes narrowed at her son's wife before turning back to Liza. She could see the fire in the girl's eyes, one that told her that if she hadn't said anything, Liza would have torn the woman to shreds. “Tell me about them.”

“About Steve and Dustin?” Liza asked, her brows pulled together  in confusion.

“About them all.”

Katherine knew that this was the key to getting Liza to open up. Steve had said as much when her told her that the kids were Liza's whole world over the phone. It has worked as the fire in the blonde's eyes had extinguished down to a sparkle and her face brightened with a brilliant smile. Liza proceeded to tell Katherine about each of the kids, her words spilling out so fast the woman was shocked she was even able to keep up.