Spitting Image • TFC 3.0 • l.t. au

Chapter Fifty Five

55

I shuffle through my bags to find my house keys for the past 15 minutes. I'm not even sure if I brought it with me but I've already given up before having second thoughts.

I rang the doorbell and wait. Not soon later I hear the padding of feet on the wooden floor. The door swings open. Blaine stands at the doorway, holding a textbook without looking up.

"Sorry it took me long. I was busy." He says without glancing in my direction.

"Next time maybe you could check the peephole before opening the door, love." After saying that, he looks up and his jaw dropped.

He turns around and shouted as I went inside, "Mum's home!" Not soon later, I hear screaming coming from downstairs. Summer's in the lead and throws herself to me, making me drop my bag.

She hugs so tight, i didn't even know she had that kind of strength. "Don't go away ever again! Things are so different here!"

I smiled at her comment although I don't know if I should be flattered or curious. It could be a mixture of both. Louise and Seth are smiling behind Blaine waiting for their turn but Summer just wouldn't let go.

Louise had to pry her off me to get her turn. "She was right," she says, "things were different here." Then she pulls away.

Everyone's head turns around as Louis comes down the stairs. The warm atmosphere suddenly turns cold and awkward. Blaine breaks the ice and tells everyone he'll take my things upstairs.

"I think I'll make tea then..." Louise says awkwardly, walking to the kitchen with the twins trailing behind her with their heads down.

Once the kids are all away, Louis comes closer with his hands in the pockets of his trousers.

"Hi." He says with a half smile.

I try to return the smile but it didn't work. All I can think of while looking at him is the event of last night with Vlad. I didn't do it on purpose and I know that but I still feel terrible keeping it away from him. He doesn't know anything and I hope he doesn't from someone else.

"Hi." I mutter, clenching my hands together. "You watched over Seth during his probation?" I ask him just to have a topic. Although every part of my screams to tell him the truth.

He nods and takes another step closer. "I took him to work with me everyday. He's been studying so I think he'll do fine when he goes back to school on Monday." He says.

"Seth? Studying? That's rare." I say, making him laugh. "I guess probation changes someone."

"Yeah I've got given a probation in my time." He says, laughing nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Kind of got told off quite a few times for being an annoying sarcastic smartass in class. Mum wasn't happy."

I chuckled and nodded, "Well we've found out one thing for sure..." I say.

He looks at me confusedly and tilts his head like a lost puppy, "what is that?" He asks.

"We know where he got his abilities... Do I have to say it?" I ask him with a smirk.

Surprisingly, this isn't as awkward as I thought.

He laughs and his cheeks turn bright red. "Fine, you win." He says, making me laugh. "Can we forget about that fight? A week of silence gave me time to calm my nerves."

There might be another fight on the way. You just have no idea.

"You're not mad anymore?" I ask him cautiously.