BLACK CAT.✔

Chapter Twenty-Four

Rob headed home. He found his dinner on a plate wrapped in cling wrap in the fridge. He popped it into the microwave and smirked. He had a raging hunger thanks to Trin.

"Where have you been?"

Rob, still grinning turned from the microwave. His parents stood in their pyjamas at the doorway. "Sorry. I called in to a mate's on my way home."

"We've been trying to ring you for two hours."

"Shit." Rob pulled his phone from his shorts pocket and turned it on. "Sorry. I forgot to turn it back on when I finished work." He cocked his head. "Is something wrong?" The microwave beeped before they could answer.

"Grab your plate." Rob's father jerked his head. "We'll talk at the table."

His parents followed him into the dining room and sat with him. Rob peered at them and cocked his head again because this wasn't normal for a work night. He took a mouthful, chewed and swallowed. "So what's up? Is there a problem?"

"We don't know, Rob. Is there a problem?" His father tweaked an eyebrow.

Rob frowned. "What do you mean, Dad?" He rested his fork on his plate and looked across the table at his father.

"I ran into your principal today. He said you were sent to the office last week. Something about a girl." Michael Jarvis tilted his head in question. This was new to him. Rob had been a great kid. Never in trouble.

"Yeah. It was nothing." Rob picked up his fork and took another mouthful. He didn't want to talk to his parents about Becky Bridgestone.

"It can't be nothing, if you were sent to the office, Rob. The principal told your father you had a fight with a girl. A lover's spat."

Rob looked over at his mother. "I really don't want to talk about this, Mum. Trust me it was nothing." He took another mouthful.

"Are you having sex with this girl?" Sheila Jarvis puckered her brow. "Because if you are I hope you're using protection."

"Mum. I'm not talking to you about this. It was nothing. Okay." Rob put his fork on the table and leaned back in his chair. His mother wasn't the type to give up easily. "Seriously. We had a disagreement and I refused to sit next to her. That's all." He looked from one parent to the other.

"So why were you sent to the office if that's all it was. Surely teachers don't get involved in student arguments for no reason." His father studied him.

"Because it was my assigned seat." Rob sighed and shifted in his chair. "Maths B. The teacher makes you sit where he wants you to sit. I refused so he sent me to the office."

"You refused because of this girl." Michael raised his eyebrow. "Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes." Rob sucked in a breath. "Can I finish eating now? I did it. I got a detention and that's the end of the story."

"Are you dating this girl? Was it a lover's quarrel? Do I need to buy you some condoms, Rob?"

"No, Mum!" Rob pushed back and held up his hands. "Please. Stop with the questions. If I need condoms I'll buy my own and besides she's not that kind of girl." At least he'd put money on it that she wasn't.

"So you don't want to have sex with her?" Sheila peered at him. "You are at that age, you know. When boys start wanting to do that kind of thing."

Of course, he wanted to have sex with her. Shit. Did he just tell himself he wanted to have sex with Becky Bridgestone? Well he'd wanted to on Saturday night. Rob chuckled. "Mum. I'm not going to answer that but don't worry if I have sex with her I'll use a condom so can we please stop talking about this now because it's really embarrassing."