I took a deep breath and opened the door to Dad's office. He was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands.
"Dad?"
"Isabella."
"Can I talk to you?"
"Sit down." He gestured to the chair opposite him. "I'm disappointed in you, Isabella."
"It wasn't just me though!" I argued. Dad put his hand up.
"Let me speak. I have spoken to your brothers as well." He continued. "Isabella, what you did today was dangerous. I know you like to prank your brothers every now and then, but today was too far. Messing around with fire is not something to laugh about." His voice was firm.
"I know that now." I said quietly. "Felix said that you grounded me for a week, yesterday."
"Yes. I did. I take it he grounded you again?"
"He just added another day."
He took a deep breath. "What did you want to talk about?"
"I just need you Dad. The boys don't get it. I just suddenly really miss Mum again and I need you!" I burst into tears. I've cried way too many times today.
Dad stood up and walked round to me. I got up and he pulled me in for a hug.
"I miss her too, Bella. Everyday."
"I really need her at the moment but she's not here and- and-"
"Hey, it's okay, calm down, take deep breaths."
I pulled away and rubbed my eyes. Dad pushed the hair out of my face and tilted my chin to look at him.
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
He let go of me and I turned to the fireplace, wiping away the last of my tears. There was a family picture hanging above the mantle piece.
"We had a such a laugh that day." I said, referring to the day we took that picture. "I can't remember the last time we spent a day together as a family."
"It's been too long. I've just been so focused on work recently, it's pretty stressful at the warehouse everyday."
"I remember what it was like." I said to myself. "It was so.... nice. Just being there. With people who wanted to be there." I looked at Dad. "Sorry."
"Don't apologise, Bella. I know you miss it. But there's nothing I can do about it."
"You could let me join again." I suggested.
He chuckled. "How do you manage to fit that sentence into every single conversation we have?"
"Because it means a lot to me." I sighed. "I'll leave you now, Felix said you were busy."
I heard him sigh as I walked out.
The next day, Monday.
"I fucking hate school." I said to my reflection as I got dressed. I was woken up at the ungodly hour of 7:30am. It was awful. And then I took so long to dressed that I was very nearly late.
I shoved some food in my mouth and ran outside to the car where Felix was waiting with Joe.
"Chill, brother, I'm here." I said as I slid into the back seat. "You'll wake the neighbourhood if you keep beeping the horn."
"It's not my fault that you can't get up early." Felix rolled his eyes.
"And it's not my fault that you wake me up super early on a Sunday so I have to catch up on sleep on a school night and then wake up late." I explained.
"And you tell Felix to chill out." Joe muttered.
"I heard that." I kicked his seat.
———
As me and Joe walked into school, Lexi came running up to me and I thought she was going to hug me. So I went in for a hug.
She slapped me instead.
"What the hell, Alexis?!!" I screamed. Joe was laughing his ass off so I punched him which shut him up.
"You got grounded twice over the weekend!! So now you can't come shopping with me all week!! She cried aloud like it was the most awful thing in the whole world.
"What can I say? I'm just so amazi-" I started, and then received another slap. "Fucking hell!! Stop slapping me!!"
"Language." Joe said.
"Shut the fuck up Joe." I snapped. "My cheek is red! It look like a fucking tomato!"
"It's kinda funny." Lexis said quietly.
"Why am I friends with you?" I said to myself as I walked away from my idiotic friend and brother.
Lunch.
Me and Lexi walked over to Joe's table at lunch and sat down. For as long as I can remember, ever since I started school, the Cole's have always sat together at lunch.
"Hey girls." Joe said as we took out seats. "This is my mate Jason Hart, he's a Lion."
"Hey Jason, are you new?" I asked.
"Yeah, joined a few months ago." Oh god. His voice was hot. You know when men have those really deep, sexy voices? He had one of them.
"Cool, what do you specialise in?" Lexi asked.
"Anything, I'm pretty open." He shrugged. "What about you girls?"
"I used to train newbies, Izzy used to be our top fighter."
"Used to be?" Jason asked, a little confused.
"My dad didn't want us involved after my mum died. But yeah, not to boast, I was the best at hand to hand combat. I'm a little rusty now."
"I'm sorry about your mum." He rested his hand on top of mine and smiled at me. Joe coughed and he pulled away quickly.
"I gotta go, but I'll catch up with you after school Joe, yeah?"
"Sure, see you later bro."
"Don't say 'bro' Joseph." Lexi told him as Jason walked away. He had a nice ass.
"Oi, Isabelle."
"Yeah what?" I quickly turned away.
"Stop staring at his ass." Joe said.
"I'm not." That was the least convincing thing I could have said.
"Don't you dare think about it."
"Joe, I do not have crush on Jason. I literally said 5 words to him." I think I might have been convincing myself more than Joseph. Why do I fall for people so easily? He's probably such an douche bag as well.
After school.
Felix's car was waiting outside the gates after school. I saw Joe walking to the car in front of me. I ran forward, pushed him out the way and shouted "SHOTGUN!" and the jumped in the passenger seat.
"Hey! That's not fair! You pushed me!" Joe whined.
"Don't be a baby, Joe, rules are rules. She shotgunned it." Felix said as I laughed at him.
As we drove down the road, I saw Jason walking ahead. We got the level crossing and Jason had to stop because the barriers were down. That meant I could stare at his ass for like 2 minutes.
"Why are you staring at that guys ass, Isabella?" Felix asked, narrowing his eyebrows.
"That's Jason. And I'm not staring at his ass." I replied.
"How do you know Jason?"
"He was with us at lunch today."
"What the hell Joseph?!" Felix turned to Joe
"Woah! She literally said like 5 words to him! I swear!" He replied.
"Don't talk to him again." Felix turned to me.
"Are you serious?" I raised my eyebrows at him.
"Do you wanna get grounded again?" He asked, kinda threateningly.
"No." I mumbled and looked down.
"That's what I thought." Felix said as the barriers rose and we drove away.
~~~
What are your thoughts on Jason at the moment?
Does anyone else get crushes really quickly and regret them later? Or is it just me? Okay just me.
Thank you for reading! Comment and Vote!
- K