Chloe’s POV
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask still startled.
“Us?” Ashton asks confused “what are you guys doing at Luke’s step sister’s house?”
“I live here” I say as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Wait...” Calum begins “you’re the snob?”
“Apparently” I laugh slightly despite the fact the he just called me a snob.
“So you’re his sister?” he says eyebrows furrowed as he slowly puts the pieces together, while I try and do the same.
“Step sister” Luke and I say in union, glaring at each other as we do.
“This is so fucked up” Michael chuckles from the back of them all.
“You can say that again” Luke whispers, more to himself.
“This is so fucked up” Michael repeats completely oblivious to the fact the Luke hadn’t literary meant for him to repeat it, he’s so dime sometimes and I can’t help but smile slightly at his oblivion.
“Okay, wait let me get this right” Swaide finally specks up, shaking her head in what I suppose is a way for her to get her head around this totally messed up scenario, “when you we’re talking about going to your mates, you actually meant his new step sisters house, who coincidentally happens to be Chloe” she clarifies and the boys all nod their heads slowly.
“Hang on…” Alisha has now joined us at the front door, “Swaide how do you know Luke?”
Swaide and Luke look at each other for a moment before Luke quickly averts his eyes to the floor, slouching under Swaide’s glare; he looks so vulnerable and childlike, it’s quite weird seeing him with all his defences down. Although I kind of like him being in this state…it makes me wonder why Swaide has such…power over him, nothing about right now seems to be adding up.
“Oh, Luke and I go way back…” Swaide says somewhat sweetly, but I’ve been friends with her long enough to know that there is so much more behind her sweet voice and steady eyes.
“So are you going to let us in or what?” Michael says after a few seconds, “I’m starving” he pushes through the rest of the boys letting himself in, “it’s good to see you Chloe” he smiles, kissing my cheek, god I love Michael.
He’s one of those people that you really can’t judge and make your mind up on from first glance, because at first Michael honestly seems like that loner kid with no friends and weird coloured hair that changes every time you blink. But when you get to know him you get to see the real him, the him that is so sweet and gently, so caring and selfless, Michael was one of my first friends when I first moved to our school even before Swaide and Alisha, without Michael I would have never been a part of the little group that I now cherish so much. I love Michael more than anyone could possibly understand, he was the number one person I would call when my parents were arguing and he was the only person that would sneak out late at night to come to my house, than spend the night while I cried into his shoulder. And on top of that he is just damn hilarious, he’s so blind sometimes and he’s one of the stupidest people I’ve meet, but that is just what makes Michael, Michael and I love Michael.
“Help yourself to the food” I laugh.
“Oh I was planning to” he smirks, “this house is much larger than your last one” he says looking around, not really directing it to me but more just making a statement as he goes off in search for I assume the kitchen.
Now that Michael’s let himself in everyone decides to follow in his steps, walking in and placing their bags on the floor as they head over to the living room. Ashton is the last to enter, shutting the front door behind him; the foyer is empty now just leaving the two of us.
“I can’t believe you’re Luke’s step sister” is the first thing he says.
“And I can’t believe you though I was a total brat” I laugh.
“Well actually…” he smiles throwing his arm over my shoulder pulling me into him as he guides us towards the living room slowly, “I was just repeating what Luke had told me, but I couldn’t disagree with him more” he declares, “because I happen to think you’re quite the opposite of a snob” I smile at this, “you’re great kiddo”…and there it is.
I hate the way he calls me kiddo, I really do. I am only two years younger than him, I am not a kid. I don’t know what it is that makes him think I am such a kid but I want nothing more than to figure it out and change it, so that maybe he will be able to look at me as something more than just a ‘kiddo.’
Ashton gives me one last squeeze before releasing me from his hold and joining the others in the living room, he takes a seat between Calum and Luke on the three seater by the window at the same time that Alisha and Swaide stand from the four seater on the far wall.
“This is so weird” Alisha is the first to talk as we stand in the archway of the living room in a line, just staring at the three boys who are completely oblivious to us watching them as the wrestle like boys do, on the couch.
“I can’t believe you’re new step brother is friends with our friends” she continues, her face scrunching up in disgust.
“I can’t believe Luke is your step brother” Swaide adds.
“I told you his name was Luke” I defend myself, it’s not as if I was supposed to know that they knew each other.
“Yeah I know” she sighs, “but I didn’t realise you meant that Luke.”
“And who exactly is that Luke?” Alisha asks one of the many questions currently on my mind.
“Just someone I haven’t seen in a while” she mumbles before turning and walking away from us.
Alisha and I turn to look at each other both raising our eyebrows and shrugging at each other, we both clearly know that there is more to this than Swaide is letting on, but Swaide being Swaide it’s going to take her some time coming around before she enlightens us on the entire story, and until then both Alisha and I know it’s best not to push her into telling us.
“Where’s Michael?” I suddenly ask, Alisha shrugs as if to say ‘I don’t know’ before walking back into the living room where the boys still remain sitting, now in a deep conversation of some sort. I however decide to go find Michael; I’d much prefer his company than anyone else’s at this stage.
“Michael?” I yell throughout the house, “Michael?”, “Michael” I continue to sing song until I get an answer.
“In here” he yells from what sounds like the kitchen, I guess he found it.
“What are you doing?” I laugh leaning on the doorframe as I see Michael turning around from the fridge kicking the door shut whit his foot as he struggles to carry a tub of chocolate ice-cream, carton of milk and bottle of chocolate syrup.
“Making a milkshake” he simply answers, dropping the ingredients to the bench as I walk further into the kitchen, “where is your blender?” he asks turning to face me.
I point up to a cardboard smiling to myself as he turns to retrieve the blender.
“So this is going to be interesting isn’t it” I laugh as he stretches to grab the blender.
“What do you mean?” he says uninterested as he plugs it into the nearest power point.
“I mean all of us being in the house for the next two weeks.”
“Well yeah I guess” I walk and sit on the kitchen table cross legged facing him as he has his back faced to me, “I mean that’s kind of expected when having two love bird couples in the house” he mumbles, not intentionally but he seems to be concentrating really hard on making that milkshake.
“What are you talking about?” I straighten my back as I sit up, now somewhat more interested in this conversation that I originally started because I just wanted to talk to someone.
“Well for starters Alisha and Calum…”
And he’s right there, I probably could have guessed that one myself. Regardless of how much the two don’t want to admit it, they both have rather overly obvious feelings towards each other. For at least a year now there is constant flirting, the kind that is cheeky and very playful. It’s amusing sometimes to just sit there and watch the two giggle and insult each other mischievously, saying something that to others would be considered an insult but to them is a complement, because they and everyone else knows that they really mean the opposite to what they are saying. What I still find weird however is even though they can both clearly sense the feelings from one another, they still deny it and neither has yet made a move to convert this flirt fest into a relationship.
“And then of course we have Swaide and Luke.”
“Swaide and Luke?” I gasp. No, there’s no way they like each other, if Swaide had feelings for someone I would have been one of the first to know.
“Well maybe not so much anymore” he begins at the same time that he presses the button for the blender creating a loud and irritating noise.
“But they used to be” he says over the noise as he walks over to where I am standing, leaning on the bit of table in front of me, “until Luke did what he does best and ruined it for himself.”
“I’m not following” I say confused.
“Luke cheated on Swaide, and so she left him” he shrugs, “I don’t blame her, I mean he’d done it before so it was bound to happen again.”
“No way!” I whisper looking down as Michael turns to walk back to the blender switching the button and shutting the sound off, only now do I realise he probably did that when he did so on one would over hear our conversation. And I am glad he did, because this is the most shocking thing I have heard in a long time, well since my mum told me she was seeing someone else, if anyone else knew about this……
“Who else knows” I suddenly ask, “about Swaide and Luke?”
“No one, just those two and me” he states, “and well you now, I guess” he quickly adds.
I jump down from the table to walk over to him, standing directly next to him as he pours the blenders creation into a cup.
“How do you know about all this?”
“I guess I’m just the gossip queen” he smirks, adding a little light to such a heavy conversation. He’s acting as if it’s nothing. As if my bestfriend once dating my now step brother isn’t the most scandalise thing to ever happen.
“Don’t worry about it though” he suddenly says seriously, placing his milkshake filled cup on the bench as he turns to face me cupping my face, “that was over a year ago and there shouldn’t be any problems” he assures me, pinching my cheeks causing me to smile before he lets go and picks his cup back up taking a sip.
“You’re right” I breath out, “It’s just so weird” I laugh, as both Michael and I walk towards the exit, “My step brother and bestfriend once dated!” I physically shiver at the thought making Michael laugh, “ew” I giggle.
I steal his cup having a mouthful of the delicious chocolate milkshake as we step into the living room, everyone is still in here, well that is everyone besides Swaide and Luke…
Swaide’s POV
“Swaide” someone says from behind me, but before I can turn to see who it is they’ve grabbed my arm and pull me into the closet underneath the staircase.
The closet is pitch black, and if I didn’t know any better I would think that whoever this is plans on killing me here where no one can see us.
“What’s going on?” I question as a small light bulb ignites, lighting up the small space, illuminating the face of my kidnapper, Luke.
“What do you want?” I grumble before he can even speck.
“I didn’t know you were friends with Chloe” he says ignoring my question.
“That would be because I never told you” I laugh dryly, “we aren’t exactly friends Luke.”
“I know…” he mumbles, before it goes silent. Luke is looking down at his feet, appearing to be in deep thought, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I hadn’t seen Luke in about a year I would have already left this closet, but instead I decide to take a moment to look over the boy I haven’t heard from or planned to see since the last time I said goodbye.
He’s changed quite a lot in the past year, for starters his grown at least a foot and I only make it just up to his shoulders now, he’s hair also seems to look lighter and he styles it a lot better, his quiff is a remarkable change from his silly little side fringe he used to have before, although that fringe was one of the many things I like about Luke…..liked…about Luke. He’s also a lot broader now, his shoulders are larger and his biceps are more toned. But the biggest change is that piercing hanging from his lip, I’d be damned if I didn’t admit that it looks incredibly attractive.
“Look…” he begins, thank god he didn’t notice my wondering eyes, “you need to leave” he says bluntly.
“Excuse me?” I scoff, who does he think he is?
“It’s obviously not going to work with us both being here” he’s says emotionless, the same way he’s face seems to appear right now, “so you’re going to have to leave.”
“I don’t know who you think you are, but you can’t just waltz back into my life and think that I am going to just stand here and take orders from you” I hiss, “you can’t tell me what to do, Chloe is my bestfriend and I am going to stay here whether you like it or not.”
“We both know us both being here isn’t going to work” he’s says, he’s voice is so numb that I feel like I am talking to a corpse right now, if there is one thing I defiantly remember about Luke, it’s that when he talks, he talks with emotion, lots and loud emotion. Who is this boy in front of me right now? Because it’s defiantly not the same person I was arguing with in a similar small dark space, just a year ago.
“Well than how about you leave” I practically growl.
“Swaide, don’t bullshit me. I obviously can’t just fucking leave” and if it weren’t for the hush words you’d think Luke and I were just having a casual conversation, he’s voice completely neutral.
“Well that’s not my problem” I retaliate.
“Yes it is, I’m your problem” he’s tone is a little more aggressive now, but not enough for anyone who wasn’t looking for the emotion or the anger to notice.
“Not anymore you’re not” I say causing him shift uncomfortably, “I left that burden behind me a long time ago.”
And with that I push the door open, exiting the closet shutting the door on Luke who’s made no noticeable movement to leave the closet just yet.
With my chin high and my dignity in tack I walk over to the leaving room.
“Hey” Calum smiles as I walk through the arch way, I send a smile his was before crossing the room and taking a seat next to Alisha.
Everyone continues the conversation they were having before I left, organising the bed arrangements, I already know I’ll will be in Chloe’s room with her and Alisha so I don’t really pay much attention, instead staring off into space as my mind wonders around in its own little world.
Who the hell does Luke think he is? Dragging me into a closet and demanding that I leave after we haven’t seen each other in so long. I don’t want to be here with him anymore than he wants to be here with me, but I am not going to be the one to walk out that door. I’ve already walked out once before, leaving Luke behind with his pride and that bitch attached to his back, and I’m not going to be the one embarrassing myself leaving with a tear soaked face this time. Chloe wasn’t wrong when she said her new step brother was an asshole, but only if she knew what kind. The kind that cheats, and uses people, and is just plain selfish. Luke is a horrible person and he deserves the hate from both Chloe and I, he deserves to feel uncomfortable here, in this house. And I am going to make sure he feels as uncomfortable as possible in the next two weeks, if it’s that last thing that I do.
“Swaide?” a voice and a snap of fingers in front of my face bring me back to reality.
“What?”
“Did you see Luke when you were in the hall?” Chloe asks.
“No” I lie, “why?”
“Because we need to know who’s bunking with who” she says, and I just nod, completely uninterested.
Almost as if Luke could sense someone talking about him, he appears in the doorway. My eyes instantly find his glaring at me before he looks over to Ashton.
“I’ll bunk with Ashton” he says, “Michael and Calum can just have the guest room right?” he asks Chloe. I hate the way he stares at her with such hate and disgust. If anyone in this room is disgusting it’s certainly him.
“Yeah that’s fine” Chloe smiles, the fakest smile I have ever seen plastered on her face.
….
“Well, what a day” Alisha laughs as she lays back on the mattress laid out for her on the floor of Chloe’s bedroom.
“I’m still so confused” Chloe laughs from her bed, “I mean how did we not put all the pieces together? They were going to stay with their mate and his new step sister the same day that you guys were staying with me and my new step brother” she babbles, “I feel like we had a major Michael moment” she jokes and we all laugh.
The room falls silent for a moment before Alisha specks up again.
“Swaide?” my eyes are closed now as I lay on back, my arms under my head as I try and forget some of the anger that I have boiled inside me from one of the most obnoxious assholes in the world.
“Mmm?”
“How do you know Luke?” she asks for the second time today.
“I told you” I sigh “just someone I know from way back.”
“But how do you know him, I mean you’ve always gone to school with me and we’ve always been bestfriends, and you’ve never mentioned a Luke before.”
“Look” I grumble opening my eyes and sitting up, Alisha’s already sat up on her mattress and Chloe on her bed, “Luke and I dated once, and then we broke up that’s it” I tell them, I’m not exactly lying just not being totally honest and adding in all the details, that’s not lying...
“Why did you break up?” Chloe pushes and any other day I would just assume she’s being nosey but today I can tell that there is something more to the way she’s asking me. I just stare at her for a while as she waits for me to answer..
“God I’m tired” I finally say ignoring her question, I see her roll her eyes at me but I just lay back down anyway, “goodnight lovelies.”
“Goodnight” they say in sink and in least most enthusiastic way might I add, before Chloe turns the lamp off beside her bedside table. The room becoming black and silent. And I thought that, that was what I wanted so that I no longer had to put up with my besfriends interrogating questions, but now I’m just left to lie here and think about that idiot.
I haven’t had to worry about him in so long, and I thought I’d never have to. I thought I would never be faced with him again, and now here I am lying under the same roof as the person that I hate the most.
Well, sort of hate.
(quick chapter….lol, enjoy I guess. Sorry for any typos or whatever, I’ll fix them later. Vote and comment ning nongs ^.^)