Of course mom and dad both have to work late tonight. I try not to pout as I flit around the kitchen, throwing things into the pan on the stove as I frantically prepare a last minute dinner. But the frantic screaming coming from the family room as Bear chases Bug around gives me a headache, making my already short patience grow even shorter. I look up from the stove in time to see Jazzy drift down the hallway toward the front door, her hips swinging dramatically from side to side as her t-shirt dress switches with it.
"Where are you going?" I bark out at her, trying to make sure I don't burn the ground beef I'm browning in the pan. "And what are you wearing? I can see your buttcheeks!"
"The basketball game, duh." She rolls her eyes but keeps walking. "And no you can't, I'm wearing spandex underneath."
I roll my eyes at her too, considering picking up the tub of butter on the counter next to me and chucking it at her sarcastic, spandex-clad ass. "So you're just going to leave me here alone with all of these demons?"
"I can't stay home, it's the last home game of the year!" She whines, throwing open the door before turning to smile at me, the light from the porch forming a halo around her perfectly shaped hair. "And besides, you've been taking care of all of us practically by yourself since mom went back to work a few years ago. I'm sure you can handle one more night, sis."
I can't even get another word in before she wiggles her fingers in my direction and slams the door behind her. My anger grows as I start to feel overwhelmed.
Just take a breath girl. You got this. You just got to last until the twins go to bed. Only three more hours. What can go wrong in three hours?
Now that I've calmed down slightly I yell at the twins to settle down and watch what's on the tv so I can finish preparing dinner. It takes me another 40 minutes, but I'm finally dishing out enough servings for the twins, Kahlil, his friend, and myself to eat dinner. Just as I am about to call everyone down the doorbell rings.
"I'll get it!" Bug yells, jumping up from the couch and running to the door.
"Rowan if you open that door you'll go to bed right now!" I hiss, darting out of the kitchen and down the hall in any attempt to catch up with her so she doesn't let a stranger into the house.
She stops with her fingers wrapped around the door handle, a challenging smile on her face as she considers how serious I am. Before she can rebel and fling it open anyway I scoop her up and hold her on my hip, as I look through the glass panes on the side of the door to see who it is.
"Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me," I groan to myself once I spot the man awkwardly standing there.
"Ooooooo you said a potty word!!!!" Bug tattles, giggling as she squirms in my hold. "I'm gonna tell Momma!"
I ignore her threat as I put her down. I push her toward the kitchen and tell her to let Kahlil know that dinner is ready. Bear grabs his food and goes into dining room to eat, while Bug runs up the stairs to get Kahlil. Once they've disappeared into the room off the kitchen I open the door, a scowl on my face as I glare at Shills.
"What're you doing here?" I huff, my patience running extremely thin after everything that has happened over the past few days. "I thought you would have figure out by now you can't just show up to my house like this!"
"I needed to talk to you," Shills tries to explain, shifting from one foot to the other. "I think I know what's going on now and I know how to fix it."
I take a deep breath, trying to stretch my waning patience a little bit longer until I can get him off of my porch. "I don't have time for this right now, Shills. Just leave."
"No!" He bursts out, his hand reaching out to hold the door open so I can't close it. "You have every right to be mad at me but now you need to liste—"
"Skills!" Bear yells from behind me, interrupting Shills mid outburst. I turn around to see him run down the hallway and push past me.
"Hey little man," Shills smile doesn't reach his eyes, but he smiles at Bear nonetheless, reaching out a hand to rub Bear's head.
"I told you to go eat," I scold Bear.
"I was getting something to drink," Bear shrugs ignoring me as he turns back to Shills. "Did you come back to play with me? Did you want some dinner? It's really good I can get you some!"
"Bear, go finish your food." I pull him back inside before he can say anything and push him back down the hall. "Shills isn't staying for dinner."
"Bu—" he tries to convince me otherwise, but I'm not having it.
"Now, Reagan." My tone doesn't allow him any room to argue, and I glare at Shills as I listen to Bear stomp down the hallway and back into the dining room.
Shills and I just look at each other; his eyes seem apologetic but I'm not buying it. I can't just forget about what he told me on Tuesday. Does he even know how humiliated I feel? He had to bet his friends that he could get with me? I mean, I know I'm not one of the most popular people at school, but I didn't think I was so bad Shills would be embarrassed to even be seen me with. And the fact that he is the one that started calling me Kil—
"Listen Killer I—"
"Just stop right there," I hold up my hand to stop him as I close my eyes, no longer able to keep looking at him. "I don't want to hear any of the sweet excuses you've probably prepared."
I take a few deep breaths before I finally open my eyes again, but I don't look up at him. Instead I stare at his shoes, clenching my teeth at the expensive Nikes on his feet.
"Do you know how stupid I feel?" My voice drops as I ask him. "Over the past couple days all of my friends have told me that you were bad news. That literally nothing good could come of associating with you. Hell, even some of your friends told me nothing good could come of this.
"But I ignored them." I can't help but laugh at that, just now realizing how stubborn I've been over the past week. "I thought I could help you. I really did, but I think you need to just help yourself at the moment. Or go to someone who really knows what they're doing."
"No, no, this isn't how this was supposed to go." Shills rakes a hand through his hair as the other waves back and forth between us. "I know what I did wrong! I know how I messed up! You're supposed to forgive me and things can really start between us."
I smile sadly at him, crossing my arms over my chest as I shake my head. "I'm happy you figured out some of the things that you did wrong and this is probably a really big step for you. But right now it's not enough. I can't just forgive you."
His entire face drops, along with the hand that was drifting between us. "You don't mean that."
"I do," I rebut. "I mean, hanging out with you wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but we should probably take a step back for a while."
"No," He refuses, taking a calculated step toward me. "I don't want to take a step back."
"Well right now this isn't about what you want."
He frowns at that but all I can do is shrug, moving back so I can swing the door closed.
"So, what now?" He questions, some untold emotion making his voice sound gruff. I stop shutting the door, my hand gripping the cold wood as I look at him closely. "I mean, I said I'm sorry. What else am I supposed to do?"
"Now, we just go back to the way things were." I try to smile at him, but my lips barely pull up. Why is it so hard for me to smile? This shouldn't be that difficult!
"And if I don't want to?" He asks.
A genuine smile crosses my face at that. I finally look up at him, staring into his clear blue eyes as he glowers at me.
"Then you'll just have to figure out some way to make me change my mind."
A/N Hey Y'all!! Thanks for reading this chapter! I know I'm posting way earlier than I normally do, but I have stuff to take care of in the morning so I got to get to bed early tonight. Sucks right? Hahahahakillmenowhahaha
So anyway, what do you think about Killer's reaction to Shills showing up at her house? First of all, have y'all ever had to deal with some random sliding up to your residence without an invitation? How would you handle that? Because I don't know about y'all, but I have no tolerance for an invasion of my privacy.
But anyways....Do you think Killer was justified in still being upset with him, or should she cut Shills a break and let him off the hook?
What do you think Shills is going to do to get back in Killer's good graces, if he does anything that is?
What are you hoping to see in the next few chapters?
Wellll, you'll just have to stick around and find out! Thank you for the dedicated readers and commenters! I love y'all and thanks for sticking around!
Much Love,
Naomi