Chapter Twenty: Babysitting
"Hazel," Chris whispers from his seat behind her. She doesn't answer.
"Psst," he pokes her with his pencil.
Still no answer.
He's been doing this for a while now, trying to get her attention.
Stephanie isn't answering because she doesn't want another detention. Even though it would be nice to spite her mum, she still doesn't want it. She's sure Mr Sato, the Maths teacher wouldn't hesitate to give out detention. And there's the fact that he's still calling her Hazel which she has told him not to.
So ignoring him it is.
Mr. Sato ends the class as the bell rings and students begin to leave. Stephanie leaves too but not without Christopher on her trail.
"Hazel," he calls as he follows her.
She still doesn't answer or even spare him a glance.
Why's she being so damn difficult? He wonders.
He has never had this much trouble with a girl and it's frustrating.
Stephanie who is still ignoring Chris begins to notice girls looking her way with confused expressions. They're probably wondering why she's with him. Some are even given her hateful glares and it's beginning to get to her.
All she wanted was to finish high school with no drama and as a - what does Brooke call it - a wallflower.
Why is that too much to ask?
From the way things are going now, with cocky Christopher practically chasing her - she doubts that.
She turns into an almost empty hallway that has Brooke's locker and sights her there.
Chris begins to get angry and pulls her by her wrist to stop her. He knows if she meets up with Brooke, it's pointless.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Can't you hear me calling you?" He bellows as she turns to face him.
Gosh!
She's annoying.
"I've told you not to call me that," she hisses and yanks her hand from his grip. Isn't it obvious that she doesn't want to talk to him?
Brooke has already noticed them so she shuts her locker and moves closer to them. The scene doesn't exactly look good as it seems Chris is livid. And it's attracting the few people around.
Chris stares at her and she stares right back. It's as if they're having a staring competition.
He's trying to keep his anger at bay.
What exactly is he angry about?
That's she isn't answering him?
She did bluntly tell him not to call her that but he still did. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.
"I'm sorry," he apologizes. He barely says sorry to anybody that isn't family but he has said it to her more than once.
Steph sighs, "A question?"
He nods.
"I need you to be honest with me." She pauses. "What do you want from me?" She asks the question that has been on her mind since he started trying to talk to her.
Chris begins to ponder her question. What exactly does he want from her? He has never really thought about that but he remembers that he wanted to hook up with her. Since he started talking or at least, trying to talk to her, he hasn't thought about that at all.
"Uhm...Err," she looks at him eagerly, waiting for his answer.
Chris can't find an answer to her question.
"To be your friend?" He answers, scratching the back of his neck.
"Really?" She gives him an 'I-don't-believe-you' look.
Brooke who has been standing behind Steph decides to speak.
"Is everything okay?"
She has been hearing their conversation and they both didn't notice her. She thinks Steph is being difficult. A lot of girls would kill to be in her position right now but that's the thing - Steph isn't like those girls.
"Let's get to class B," Steph sighs, ignoring her question. She doesn't wait for Chris or Brooke to say anything. She holds Brooke by the wrist and pulls her along.
Imagine Chris telling her that he just wants to be friends. What does he take her for? A fool?
They'd been in the same school and grade for three years and he didn't notice her.
Suddenly, it's senior year and he wants to be her friend.
Can a player like him even be just friends with a girl?
Who does he think he's bullshiting?
"What was that about?" Brooke asks in a curious tone.
"What did it look like?"
"I don't know," Brooke shrugs. "An argument?"
"Maybe that's what it was," Steph replies, not in the mood to talk right now and Brooke gets the hint as they enter their next class.
Chris watches them walk away until they're out of sight. Then he notices the few people staring at him.
"What are you staring at?" He growls at them and walks off without waiting for a reaction.
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"You know you don't have to babysit, right?" Stephanie's dad asks as he drives her.
She sighs. "I know Dad."
"Then why do you do it?" Her dad inquires, giving a quick glance.
Her mum has never asked her that but she's glad her dad is asking. It shows that he cares.
"You know I started babysitting after Brody left for college?"
Her dad nods.
"Well, I got tired of staying home all alone till you guys would get back so I decided to babysit," Steph explains.
"I'm so sorry sweetie. We got so busy with-" he starts apologetically but she cuts him off.
"I get it."
She really doesn't want to have this conversation with her dad.
Her Dad sighs, "But do you enjoy babysitting?"
She smiles. "Yeah. I love kids."
A few minutes later, her dad drops her off at the house she's to babysit.
"Bye Dad."
"Okay, kiddo. Do you want me to come get you later?" He asks.
"No, I'll take a cab," she declines his offer. "And this is why you should get me a car," she adds before shutting the door. He rolls his eyes and drives off. Steph notices the car on the driveway before walking up to the porch.
She takes a deep breath and then rings the doorbell. A few seconds later, the door opens to reveal a woman with blonde hair. She's all dressed up and she is beautiful. The woman smiles at the sight of Steph.
"Hey. You must be Stephanie."
"Yeah, I am." Steph returns her smile.
"Come on in," she ushers her in.
Steph walks into the house and is amazed at how beautiful it looks.
"I'm Kate. Nice to meet you," she introduces herself as she shuts the door.
The design of the living room is stunning.
"Wow!" Steph voices out. "You have a beautiful home."
Kate smiles at her compliment and the look of awe on her face.
"Why thank you. I did all the design work myself. I'm an interior designer."
"Wow!"
Kate chuckles. "Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable. Let me get my daughter from her room."
She walks up the stairs and Steph continues to take in the beauty of the room.
After a while, Steph hears a little girl's voice.
"But I don't want another babysitter Mum. Can't you or Chris stay with me?"
It sounded from the top of the stairs which is invisible from where Steph is seated.
"I've got things to do Em and Chris has basketball practice today. So be nice to her, will you." Kate scolds.
Emily pouts before following her mum down the stairs.
Steph didn't pick up Chris' name when it was mentioned. There are a lot of people named Chris and she is only interested in the little girl she is to babysit.
She hears them descend the stairs and she stands to meet the little girl.
Emily who has been hiding behind her mum finally shows herself.
Steph's smile drops when she sees her.
Wait, why does she look familiar? Steph asks herself.
Kate watches them, waiting.
Emily recognizes her too and begins to wonder where she has seen her as she walks closer to Steph.
"I've seen you before," Emily says with a thoughtful look on her face. Then a virtual bulb lights above her head.
"You're the girl with the cute dog at the park on Saturday!" Emily exclaims.
That answers Steph's question as she replays that day in her head.
From what she remembers, Emily was with Christopher that day and he called his sister. Does that mean.....Yikes! She's babysitting Christopher's sister.
"Yeah," she affirms after the conversation in her head. "You're Emily, right?"
Emily nods with a smile.
"So you guys have met before, no need for introductions then," Kate beams.
"Emily be nice to Stephanie and show her where to get anything she needs, okay?"
"Okay Mum," Emily answers.
Kate picks up her handbag from a couch and addresses Steph.
"I have to go now. Her brother has basketball practice but will be back before me. You can go home then."
"Okay," Steph nods.
"Bye Em," Kate says, kisses her forehead, and heads out, shutting the door behind her.
"So you're Stephanie," Emily says as she sits.
"Yeah. And you're Emily," Steph says in a 'duh' tone. She sits beside her on the couch.
"How's your dog, uhm...."
"It's Daisy," Steph interrupts. "And she's not my dog."
"Do you know Chris, my big brother?" Emily questions.
Steph lets out a breath. "Unfortunately yes. We go to the same school."
"Are you one of those girls?" Emily asks, looking at Steph intently.
"Which girls?" Steph asks, confusion evident on her face.
"Do you like my brother?"
"What?! Hell no! I do not like him," Steph exclaims at Emily's absurdity.
She doesn't see herself liking someone like Chris in the next ten years, to be honest.
Emily smiles. "Thank God! I like you already."
Steph smiles too. "So want do you wanna do?"
"Let's watch a movie," Emily suggests with a grin.
"Okay, sure. What movie do you wanna watch?"
"Frozen!" Emily answers giddily and Steph chuckles.
"Well, frozen it is."
A minute later, they're seated beside each other on the couch watching Frozen.