Hey guys!!! Sorry I'm seven minutes late, again😭😩😩😭😭. I'm sooooooooooo sorryyy!!!! I really hope I'm forgiven. I had some network issues aside the work I had to do. Plus this chapter is pretty short. Honestly, I'm really sorry😩😩❤️❤️❤️!!! I wish you a great read!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
64- I FOUND SOME PAPERS.
I couldn't believe my eyes. What was going on? I thought Mr Brown said Carlos was gone for the holidays. He never said anything about him joining us, soon! I hadn't even had time to prepare to face him, given our last encounter. And here he was, walking up to where Caleb and I stood, Shayne following immediately.
"Hey guys!" Shayne greeted as soon as they stood in front of us. The three boys did their bro hug, much to my surprise of Caleb doing a bro hug with them! But then I recalled what Sam said about them. They fight a lot but they do almost everything together!
"Hi Samuel!" Shayne said, immediately he turned to me. I frowned.
"With this, I'm not sure I'm glad to see you." I mumbled. He laughed, ruffling my hair a bit. "Don't you dare!" I scolded, smoothening my hair, making him laugh again.
Carlos, on the other hand, didn't spare me a glance, as he walked over to where Delaine sat. I saw that she stood up immediately she saw him and they hugged each other. I wasn't exactly bothered about that until I heard a voice.
"Well, if it isn't my future son-in-law!" From nowhere, Mr Simpson emerged. But it was what he said that got to me. Did he say "future son-in-law???" I blinked.
"Hello Mr Simpson." Carlos said, but even from a thousand miles, one could sense the coldness in his voice, but of course, his face didn't give any expression. He then received Mr Simpson's firm handshake, one would think they were in some business partnership.
I stilled at the thought of that. Was Delaine the girl Mr Brown planned an arranged marriage for Carlos with?? But Delaine was fixed with Ryan some time ago. What was even going on?
I glanced at Caleb to see him glaring at Mr Simpson, only for me to glance at Shayne and see him with the same expression. As for Delaine, she all but wore a seething expression. You could see the anger radiating through her. It was official- none of them wanted this, and none of them seemed able to do anything about it.
I sighed as I turned back to my mural. By the seconds, it was seeming more and more like a 'family' issue and I didn't want it to look like I was intruding, so I made sure to block them all out and concentrate on my painting.
I didn't know how long I did that for, but soon I felt like no one was around, so I turned my head only to find Shayne staring at my painting. When he noticed I turned, he smiled at me.
"That's some talent there!" He commented. "Ever thought of being an artist?" He said, moving closer to my painting.
"Yeah, severally." I mumbled. "I don't even know what I want to study in college."
"Same here." He said. I glanced at him with a surprised look.
"Oh, don't be surprised." He commented with a crooked smile. "Whatever I'll study will definitely be in the sciences, that's for sure. I believe it'll be clear with time." I nodded, smiling.
"I believe God for me too." I turned back to my painting and I gazed at it for so long that I barely gave Shayne a reply when he took an excuse to go freshen up. As I stared at the complex painting, I couldn't help but think about how complex my life seemed right now.
Deep down, and strengthened by Caleb's attitude, I felt there was a lot I need to know. I remember Lucas once told me there was more to Crystal High than meets the eyes. But right now, I knew there was more to my family, the Browns and even the Simpsons, than meets the eyes!
***
"I really do not like any of these." I said, pacing about my room.
"Calm down, Sam!" Shayne said, looking genuinely concerned. Theresa nodded in agreement. The two of them, including Melody whose attention was concentrated on a game on Cory's iPad, were all seated in my room. Well, Shayne had decided to stand, refusing the seat I offered. According to him, he's been seated all day and wanted his legs to be "up and about".
"I can't be calm right now, guys." I stated. "I had no idea Carlos was going to be eventually be around for the holidays. Do you know how mentally stressful it is?"
"Of course I do-"
"No, you don't!" I cut him. "It means for the next few days, I can literally run into him anytime!"
"Carlos won't stay in your way, trust me." Shayne said, and suddenly I became calm. It was like my eyes got opened. Carlos himself had been avoiding me. I hadn't even seen his hair as soon as they had all gone into the building while I painted.
"I guess you're right." I said.
"And if he does see you, he'll probably just look away." Theresa said, Shayne nodding. "Cheer up girl. Besides, he seems harmless nowadays, unless he's being a wolf in sheep clothing."
"He made a mistake, guys." Shayne said.
"And how're you sure about that?" I snapped. "He told you the details, didn't he?" Shayne shook his head, making his bangs fall across his eyes. He pushed them aside before speaking.
"Carlos respects your privacy, Sam." I snorted 'sure'. "He simply told both Caleb and I that he messed up, according to him "big time". He regrets his actions."
"Well then, he should apologise!" Theresa said, pointedly.
"He did apologise." I mumbled. "But- but, I don't trust him and much more I find it hard to forgive him." Tears suddenly brimmed at the corner of my eyes.
"Oh Sam!" Theresa said, standing up to pull me into a hug. "I know it's really hard, because not only was what he did awful, the timing was awful." She said, referring to mum. I noticed Shayne's forehead crease into a frown.
"I don't know what to do." I whispered.
"Shh!" Theresa whispered back as she rocked me a bit in her arms. "I'm praying for you."
***
"You boys eat like wolves!" Mrs Brown commented, during dinner.
"Leave them alone, Becca." Grandma Shannon cut in, from where she sat at the dining table. "They need all the good food they can get before they get back to all the junks they eat in Downtown."
"I agree with Nona." Shayne said. "The food here's great!" He reached out to pat his grandmother's hands, who grinned back at him. They seemed like a happy family, until...
"I must say I'm really glad our holiday with your family is starting to get more meaningful." Mr Simpson said.
"No doubt." Mr Brown beamed, lifting his wine glass to his lips as he stared at Carlos like a predator. I noticed automatically, all the boys wore frowns on their faces, including Carlos, but his was slight. Delaine wore a blank expression. I craned my neck to have a stare at Sam but I saw him picking thoughtlessly at his food. Mrs Brown and Grandma Shannon didn't have any expression on their faces.
It was then I noticed Dad hide a wince. Anya herself looked like she was going to puke any moment. This piqued my interest. I was definitely glad my parents didn't share the bizarre idea, but the fact that they still came along to spend their holiday with this family and still call them their friends made me question them a little.
Definitely, there was something going on! I turned my head to whisper to Cory and Theresa.
"Guys! There's something creepy about this whole holiday itself."
"I thought I was the only one." Cory whispered back.
"What?" Theresa inquired.
"I found some papers."
A/N:
Hey guys!!!! How're you all doing??!!!
We bless God for a successful week!!! I especially had an eventful week and I also got to talk to some of you guys here on Wattpad!🤭❤️❤️ I also believe you guys had an amazing week too!!!
What're your thoughts on this chapter?? Feel free to share! I would love to hear!😃❤️❤️❤️
Stay safe and blessed by God Almighty! And always remember that Jesus loves you and died for our sins (past, present, future!) He paid the price for our sins with His life, shedding His blood on the cross of Calvary! And He rose again for our justification and to guarantee us eternal life!!!! He will come again to take us home to be with Him. And even if He doesn't come before our death, we'd still go home to be with Him where He's prepared for us.
Jesus invites us to live His life. He's taken away our filth and dead life to give us a new life, free from God's judgment and condemnation! God so much loves us that He gave His Son to die for us! John 3:16. Never forget this! You're worth more to God that He came Himself (JESUS) to die for you, me and every human being, born and yet to be born!!!
"That if you confess with your mouth 'JESUS IS LORD' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED." Romans 10:9
NEXT UPDATE WILL BE NEXT WEEK SATURDAY, 6PM, GMT.
Shirley!!!