Stars Landing [Book 3]

Chapter 13 - Cheater

"You sure it's okay for me to be here?" Rhea peered into her brother's apartment cautiously. After his pit-stop at Static, she told him she never wanted to talk to him ever again, and now she was at his place, risking another fight because Sera was tired of being the mediator.

"You're fine," Sera droned, pushing Rhea inside. Forcing her hand wasn't easy but Sera knew how to make Rhea feel guilty. Friends were supposed to support each other no matter what. Harry was a hurdle they were going to have to overcome together.

"Ou, it's nice!" Rhea gushed finally paying attention to the apartment. It was decently sized with two bedrooms, one washroom, an open living area and kitchen. "Good find."

"Right?" Sera grinned. "Come check out my room."

Rhea tailed behind her friend as she opened one of the two bedrooms. "Please tell me you didn't get the short end of the stick."

"Girl, there was no stick." Sera scoffed. "Your brother knew before we moved in that I was going to get the bigger room. I have more stuff."

"Fair."

Sera had a queen mattress sprawled in the corner with no frame to support it. Despite that, she had managed to decorate the space with two tall dressers, a book shelf and a fancy lamp. "It's a work in progress but it's getting there," she defended. "I found that lamp on eBay. Brought it with me from Ottawa."

"Ou, I really like it." Rhea threw her handbag on the mattress and stretched her arms. "I've been so exhausted lately. Work is tuckering me out."

"By work you mean that supervisor you were briefly dating?" Sera didn't hold back her punches and why should she? It was perfectly normal for her to feel a little excluded after she found out about Red and Warren. Rhea could only imagine how disconnected she must have felt.

"I thought it would be awkward to see him at work everyday but it's surprisingly not."

"Uh-huh," Sera drawled.

Both girls heard a pair of keys jingle outside the apartment. Quick on their feet, they stepped into the hall, and found Harry waddling in with a gym-bag. His eyes fell to his sister as he dropped the duffle by the coat closet. Rhea couldn't help but look displeased by his arrival. "What the hell are you doing here?" Sera asked her roommate. "You said you were going to be out until eight or so!"

"I changed my mind," Harry answered turning the corner so he could get comfortable in his bedroom. "And what happened to I never wanna see you again, Rhea?"

Annoyed, Rhea went in the opposite direction and took a seat in one of the dinning chairs. "Sera, I'm a little hungry, is there anything to eat?" she asked.

"I have some ramen if you want," Sera replied moving into the kitchen. While she rummaged through the cupboards and pantry, playing host, Harry came to take a seat beside his little sister. Rhea was not in the mood to deal with him. If her brute of a brother wanted to fix their relationship then he was going to have to apologize first.

"Stop being so childish." Harry poked her. "And stop dating that obnoxious tool."

Rhea focused on what Sera was doing. Her friend had already started to boil water for the ramen, her hands holding out a bottle of apple juice and almond milk to share. Rhea got off the chair to help Sera with the cutlery. Just then Harry grabbed her arm. "If you made smart choices I wouldn't have to get involved," he told her. "You're not only holding a grudge against me but mom and dad. Leaving Ottawa to start a career is fine but you don't get to ghost us and then start dating some rando."

"He's not a rando!" Rhea stepped on her brother's foot. He bounced back glaring daggers. "Don't act like I'm a fifteen year old girl rebelling against her family. You all ruined me! You took everything I cared about away from me! So you don't get to meddle in my life anymore and you certainly don't get to decide who is good enough!"