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adelia
"Wow," A voice that I never heard before says.
"Oh, come on! Way to ruin the moment," the unfamiliar voices walk in.
"Who are you?" I question, my cheeks pink as Zeke rolls his eyes and walks away from me. Aw man.
"I'm Lyndon," the guy says, his dimples showing when he smiles. I think dimples are the cutest thing on the planet.
I also think you can bite them.
"Hi," I whispered softly, waving politely at him. I hopped off Zeke's desk when more men enter. Goodness, he has a lot of friends.
They all stand there. Not moving. Just staring at me.
Goodness, is it getting hot in here? It certainly is. All their eyes remain on me, then moving to Zekes and once again, back to mine.
I hold my breath fiddling with my hands. I despise myself for having a feeling they might criticise me like most people I met had done.
People love me.
Criticising me is the way of showing it. Sweet right?
Zeke must have noticed my behaviour as he finally spoke up.
"Thought I told you to stay down there until I came back," he says, crossing his arms. He leans on his desk, muscles flexing.
I need to burp.
"Who's this?" one of them asks simply and waves his hand at me.
"Your stepsister," I blurt.
"I found my twin!" Lyndon yells, rushing over to me. His arms squish my waist and I find it hard to breathe.
"A little looser or I might die," I tell him and he apologises, loosening his arms but still hugging me.
I feel Zeke's eyes on me. He probably got a good view of my undies since the dress lifted slightly. Would it be weird if I pick a wedgie?
Probably, so I won't do it.
The men seemed to not be shocked that Lyndon hugged a complete stranger.
Wait.
We are alike!
"I think that's enough," Zeke grumbles firmly. I notice Lyndon quickly removing his arms around my waist and walking backwards, nearly tripping.
I smile sweetly and ignore my thudding heart when I feel Zeke's hand on my lower back. Sometimes I have a feeling I might just pee, but like, not literally of course. Or maybe literally. I remember going to this waterpark once when I was six with dad and were waiting in line. I needed to go pee, like real bad.
I peed.
In the line.
One of my most embarrassing moments. But I was six so it was believable that I had a bladder problem.
I also know how to burp a bunch of times in a row.
I turn to face him, he is intensely staring at Lyndon and the guys.
The guys walk in completely and head towards the coffee table before taking a seat. I hear Lyndon talk crap about a guy named Seth, and I hear another unfamiliar voice arguing with him.
Zeke groans in annoyance, his hand gripping tightly on my dress. "I should go," I explain to him. I really don't need to go but I don't want to bother him any longer.
He doesn't say anything, and then slowly nods. I smile at him softly before thanking him.
"Thank you again for cleaning it," the noise of laughing encloses my ears. It makes me happy knowing they are happy.
He doesn't say anything.
Is there something on my face? There has to be if he is sharing at me like that.
I lick my lips and wipe my face, but he continued looking at me.
He turns his body completely away from me.
I look at the view outside, the sun already settled, and his body turns back around. My eyes quickly followed his movement. He walks to his friends, and I take that as my cue to leave. "Thank you," I whisper once again, but I don't think he heard me.
"Bye!" Lyndon yells quickly and I give him a wave. I open the door of his likewise office, more like an apartment. It is bigger than my living room and bedroom combined.
I think.
That was an exaggeration, maybe.
I walk down the steep stairs, not much noise came from down the store. People must have left then.
"Thank you for the wonderful milkshake," I tell the person behind the booth, hoping maybe I would get a free one next time I come here. As I look at him, I start to realise he looks a lot like Zeke.
His face structure, and his nose looks so much liked Zekes'.
"No problem, I hoped you enjoyed it," he smiles down at me, and I laugh.
"It was amazing, my new favourite," I inform him and he huffs in amusement.
It taste like absolutely nothing.
"Love hearing that," he said softly. I smile at him but that stops when my phone dings. Who the frack could that be? I swear, if it is one more of those scam messages, I am becoming Gwen.
Mum: Don't bother coming home tomorrow.
A frown takes over my face as I stare at the phone intensely hoping maybe If I stare hard enough the message would disappear.
It's okay. You can find a place to stay. Maybe the Smiths are still at the library and would let you stay overnight for studying.
No, that won't work, they closed at 6:30.
A text earlier would have been great.
"Everything okay young lady?" the man behind the counter asked and I nod.
"Why are you staring at your phone like you're trying to break it?" he laughs and I smile.
Play it cool Adelia.
Play it cool.
"I'm seeing if I have superpowers," I tell him, playing it cool and saying something believable. He hums before nodding.
"I see, I see," his eyes instantly turn around when a young boy enters yelling.
"Dad!" he yells, hugging the man. He picks his son up and spins him around.
"Had fun with auntie?"
"Yes, she said she misses you and is sad that Zeke couldn't come with us,"
Zeke?
As in my sugar daddy. He doesn't know it yet.
"Zeke?" I blurt and they both face me. He briefly looks at me, his hand flexing around his son.
"You know Ze-" he was about to say when the little boy cut him off.
Hey! I know that boy.
Oh, wait.
"You're that girl I saw in here and I talked to you, right? My new friend, daddy that's the girl I was talking to you about!" he says excitingly. His soft voice was melodic, quite like Zeke's. Oh my, they are siblings and that is his dad.
That's where I know him from.
I give him a single nod. "You know my other son?" Zeke's dad asks, and I nod, smiling at him.
"How come? he doesn't usually talk with anyone, just the people upstairs. He even hates them." I cleared my throat and smiled.
Who said he doesn't hate me either?
"I basically forced him to get me cookies one night, this is maybe the third or fourth time I've seen him. He is my friend," I mumble to him. He smiles and walks over to the counter.
He placed his arms on the counter and snuggled his face in it, still looking at me.
"Or maybe fifth!" I inform him, my voice rising in excitement as I think of him.
I can make him a friendship bracelet. I'll do a happy colour for Zeke because he is always very happy, totally. And make mine emo.
"Come on, take a seat," he tells me and I nod. I walk over to the high gloss bar stool, plopping my butt on it. Comfy. I swing my feet around and talk to him.
"What's your name?" he asks me, and I look down at my feet.
My name is the ugliest thing ever.
"No, actually let me guess. Hm, no. Tell me," he says. Boy, he changed his mind quicker than Lightning McQueen.
"Adelia?" Good Lord.
I never told him my name.
"That my friend, is my name! How'd you know? Why do you sound younger? What happened to your vocal chords? I watched this movie, I think it was called Grown Ups. And something happened to the dogs vocal chord so he kinda barks weirdly. You know?"
I look up and find Zeke's dad looking somewhere else.
I look in his direction, scrunching my face when I see Zeke. He rolls his eyes, walking towards us. I think Zeke is pretty.
"Your name is Adelia?" His dad asks and I nod. "You're the girl my son was talking about huh?"
He was talking about me?
"Not the best name, I know." I giggle but Zeke protests. He clearly had different thoughts.
"No, I like it. It's unique," he mumbles. I try to ignore the warmth of his body next to mine and my pounding heart when his dad asks me a question.
"Dad or mum?" he asks.
"Neither I'm adopted." I blurt and he frowns. "That was a joke! I hope it was a joke. Maybe I am adopted, neither of my parents are blonde. Or have green eyes. Or owns any tap shoes. I went tap dancing once but then I got angry and kicked my foot in the air and my shoe went flying and it hit some girl. I think she'll forever hate me because she got this bump on her forehead,"
I shake my head when I see his confused look, continuing with the original question.
"My dad named me." I don't want to continue this subject. It would make me miss him more than I already do, I don't need to start crying again. I don't need them thinking I'm weak either.
I'm horrible and not jinxing things.
"Sorry," I mumble and wipe the water in my eyes.
"No need to apologise, I'm sorry for asking you such a sensitive thing," I shake my head. I'm just a sensitive person, what can I say?
Except you're welcome.
I wish I could see him again, and his new family. I'm happy he moved on and living his life. I just wish he would have answered my text messages and not left me on read.
That was a year ago, I figured he didn't want to talk to me, so I stopped. I'm not even sure if he has a family yet, he never answered, but I always hoped he did. He was an amazing father. He promised he would come back for me, and I still have slight hope he will.
I look at Zeke, his eyes were warm as he stared at me. "It's okay, it was not your fault. I'm quite the crybaby."
His dad starts to frown and I automatically feel guilty. I didn't know that would make him sad, I don't want to leave here knowing he's sad.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel bad," I quickly tell him. He laughs and Zekes lip quirk up a little bit.
"No, no, no," he starts, "I'm sorry if it seemed that way,"
"It's okay, I gotta get going, it was wonderful meeting you," I said to him in my most convincing voice.
It came out British.
He starts laughing, stretching his hands behind his back. "Where are you going?" Zeke asked and turns my chair to face his body.
I shrug. To Africa, dun de dun dun, ay-ay, Wonka wonka, aye aye.
"Do you want to leave?" his voice was rough and his eyes searched mine for an answer.
I look down, shaking my head.
I don't have anywhere to go. It's freezing cold outside as well. I don't want to get Hypothyroidism or Raynaud's.
"Good. Neither did I,"
I whip my head up to look at him, my eyes widen.
He wants to spend time with me. Me!
I would so do my dance right now. Aka the Tom Hiddleston dance. I usually do that when I'm excited or happy,
"Where are you staying?" Zeke's dad asks and I cock my head to him.
I can't tell them my parents don't want me home tonight.
"I stay with my mum and my stepdad in my home, but they aren't going to be home tonight, and the house is creepy without them. So I might stay with the Smiths," I was telling the truth.
Kinda.
It was a half-truth, half-lie. The house is creepy, and I could stay with the Smiths. Ryan and mum weren't home tonight was the only lie.
"Ah okay,"
"I'll see you at home Zeke, make sure you get your friends out soon and close up," He furrows his eyebrows at him and squints his eyes. Zeke hums in response.
I hear his dad call Zeke's brother down and the back door opening.
"So," I trail off, he glances at me before looking at the cookies.
"Want one more?" He asks me. His voice is surprisingly soft and melodic. I could get used to this.
"Yes please," I answer, licking my lips as I think of eating the cookie. He glares at me before hesitantly walking behind the counter.
"Oh, can we play a game? You're the worker and I'm the customer," I inform him and he groans.
"Please?" my eyes widen in shock when he nods.
He stands in front of me from behind the counter and I smile.
He stands there doing nothing. Does he want me to instruct him?
"Mister, this is the part where you ask me what I want," I see his hand turn into a fist. The knuckles of that hand turned white.
"Your hand," I tell him slowly. He unclenches it, looking at his feet.
"Can you put the apron on, please?" I whisper. Sue me for wanting to see how hot he looks with an apron on.
"Why?" Don't tell him the truth, don't tell him the truth.
"It would go well with the game," I answer, my teeth gritting through the lie.
He nods, grabbing the apron that was left on the counter. He places it over his head. The apron snatched his waist, barely making it down to his knees.
Oh great heavens.
"Good?" he asks slowly before continuing, "Now can I take it off?"
Heck no, you look so good right now. Be glad I'm not taking a photo.
"Can you pose?" I blurt out, my hand smacking my lips as soon as I said it.
"Paparazzi?" he said, his eyebrow raised and lips quirk slightly.
"No," I tell him nodding my head. He hums and then nods, putting his hand on his hips.
I take my phone out, struggling as I can't keep my eyes off him.
I for sure look like an idiot right now.
I go to the camera and turn the flash off.
No way am I going to seem crazy, I put it on silent, making sure he can't hear the clicking when I snap the photo.
I snap pictures of him and thank him. He nods.
I am so making that my lock screen.
"Now," I start. "Let's start the game,"
"What do you want?" he asks me, his tone strict and annoyed. That's no way to talk to your customer.
"Properly, like how the workers here say it," I tell him and he rolls his eyes. He places both of his hands on the counter, stretching.
"Hi, welcome to Cookie Man, what can I get you today," he deadpans.
It's better than nothing.
"I would like a choc chip cookie, please," I tell the man in front of me. His poker-faced glares at me like he hates himself for agreeing with this.
"I'm waiting," I tell him, giggling at myself. I look at the invisible watch on my hand and tell him the clock is ticking. This is fun.
"You think this is funny, huh?" he asks me, and I nod repeatedly.
"Very funny. You look so cute in that apron. I don't know why you hate it," I said quietly. I totally seem awestruck right now.
He shakes his head passing me the choc chip cookie.
"Thank you very much, kind sir," he nods in acknowledgment and I can tell he is proud of himself. I think.
I stuff the cookie in my mouth, probably looking like a chipmunk with my cheeks filled.
I chewed quickly as I heard voices coming downstairs.
"Ezekiel, what are you wearing?" one of them asks. They start laughing at him and Zeke rolls his eyes.
"He looks amazing, thank you very much," I inform them and they look at me, no sound escaping their lips.
"Did it for her?" Lyndon says, cocking his head slightly to take a look at Zeke properly.
"It's a pink apron," another one of them says and I throw my head in my hands to try and stop the laughter.
Forgot about that.
"Just say you don't suit it and move on," Zeke sarcastically says glaring at Lyndon.
"Oh, I see what you did there. That, my dear friend, is my thing," Lyndon says flipping Zeke off.
"Adelia right?" All of them start to approach me, a wide grin on their face. Lyndon and Zeke still fighting.
"Mhm," I hum.
"Who are you guys?" I ask, my face hot. Stupid question, Adelia. They are Zeke's friends, you should have asked for their names, not who they are.
Zeke's attention turns to us.
"I'm Seth," he points to himself. "This is Elias, Lucas, Elijah, Tobias," he says pointing to all of them.
"That's a lot of names," I mumble. "Forgive me if I forget,"
"That's okay," Seth says and Zeke mocks him.
"Shut up," Seth sneers at him.
Them fighting is very funny. They act like brothers, it's very cute. I always wanted a brother, or a sister. I also wanted a rat but mama said I was the rat.
Hilarious right?
"Take the apron off, you look like an idiot," Tobias laughs. I cross my legs on the stool and listen to them fight.
"I think he suits it," I said to Tobias and frowns.
"Pretend he doesn't," he tells me and I nod clearing my throat.
I really need to pee.
"Where's the bathroom?" I ask him, the room going quiet as I spoke.
That's embarrassing.
It's at the back then turn right," Seth responded with a light nod.
"Thank you,"
I jump off the stool and walk away.
I put my fingers up, making an L shape to see which one is left and right.
What does an L even look like?
I take my right, hopefully.
I continue walking finding the girls' bathroom. I push open the door, surprised as to what I saw. I never knew public toilets smell nice and can look clean.
Usually, whatever public bathroom I go to, they are all so stinky, and utterly a mess with writing on walls with inappropriate drawings or curse words. Not to mention the toilet paper scattered on flooring.
I wash my hands when I finished using the toilet and look in the mirror. I want someone to plait my hair and then use those pretty flower clips. I think that'll look absolutely stunning.
I get distracted by the lines on my hands. A faint smile growing on my face and swelling in my eyes. Why'd I do it?
I stare at them for another five minutes thinking staring would make them completely invisible but the knock on the bathroom sends shivers down my spine.
"Ezekiel forced me to come here to see if you're okay. He said you've been in here for quite a long time and he wanted me to make sure you are okay," Seth's voice comes from behind the door.
Does he care? Zeke cares?
"Oh, I'm uh, I'm alright," I start, "just washing my hands,"
"Oh, okay. Don't be too long," I hear his footsteps disappear and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
I walked out of the bathroom, putting the paper towel I used in the bin I found in the back corner of the store.
"Bye Adelia!" Lyndon says, the man waving at me.
Are they going? If they are going that means Zeke is closing. Then I'll have to leave as well.
"Bye!" I said, clearing my dry throat.
They wave goodbye once again and walk out the front door.
"Are you closing?" I managed to ask. He nods, walking to the front door, placing the 'close' sign at the front, and removing the 'open' sign.
"Oh," my voice trembling as he looks at me. His arms crossed against his chest.
I look like a complete idiot.
I realise he still has the apron on and that made me smile, making me forget about the crises I'm having. He walks over to the booth, tucking the chairs and cleaning the place up a little bit.
He would make a good house husband.
Why are you thinking that?
I close my eyes thinking of all the options I have.
The Smiths.
The streets.
A homeless shelter.
That's all? Oh.
"Want me to drop you off home?" he asked, taking the apron off and placing it in the 'washing basket'.
"Oh, no, I am alright. I'll walk to the Smiths," I whispered, toying with my dress.
"It's really cold outside, don't you have a car?"
"I don't have my license," I murmur.
Please don't ask why or I might start crying.
His jaw clenched, his fist turned into a ball, knuckles turning white. I walk over to him and grabbed his hands. "Please don't do that." I look up at him, his jaw eased, and his hand gave mine a little squeeze.
"You okay?" I ask, he turned his face away from mine and let go of my hands. He nods.
I beamed, happy now knowing that he is okay. He picked up his phone and keys, looking at me again.
"I'm dropping you off," his tone was strict. I know he won't let me fight him on this.
I have to try at least.
I don't have the Smith's address and I don't want Zeke to know I am going to stay on the streets, most possibly get ill. I'm always wearing a dress, so that isn't my best option.
"It's okay, I swear. I'll walk. Their house isn't that far." I hang my pinkie finger out, promising him that I'll be okay.
"Adelia."
"Yes?"
"I'm not letting you walk," he says firmly and I shake my head.
He doesn't get it. Which is a good thing, but a bad thing in this moment.
"Zek-" he cuts me off quickly and I frown.
"Truth."
"I forgot to ask the Smiths." I lie, my heart feeling heavy.
I hate lying to them, but they don't deserve the worry.
"I'll find a place, Zeke. I promise. Go home," I laugh, my body shivering from the coldness in this room.
Who turned on the air condition?
My eyes drifted away from his face and to the clock. My eyes widened at the time. He has a brother and father he needs to get home to.
"You should go home and eat dinner. You have your brother and dad waiting for you. I'm sorry for wasting your time," I tell him, and shakes his head.
"I want you to,"
"What?"
"I want you to come to my place. Please?"
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I hope you enjoyed this chapter <3
Drink water and eat. I love u❤︎
Sorry for the delay, honestly school is keeping me extremely busy. But I'm so mad because the book i wanted was in frickin' stock but i had no flippin' money and my mother has kindly banned me from buying books 💀.
*not edited*
Please vote and comment, it helps me out a lot <3
With love xx