Chapter Twenty Seven: Old Lady
"Thanks for the ride," Stephanie says to Brooke as she alights in front of Chris' house.
"You're welcome. Say hi to Chris," Brooke replies and drives away.
Stephanie walks onto the porch and rings the doorbell. Kate opens the door with a huge smile on her face.
"Stephanie, welcome. Come on in," she opens the door wider for her to come in.
"Thank you."
"How are you? Your family? Everything?" Kate asks with a beam.
"Great. Everything's going great."
Ever since Steph first babysat Emily, Kate has been acting all nice and extra sweet to her and it's kinda strange to her.
"That's good to hear," she smiles before yelling, "Emily, Stephanie's here."
"Really?" Emily's voice sounds for upstairs. Some seconds later, she's running down the stairs and jumps into Steph's arms.
Kate smiles at the sight. Emily likes her babysitter who would most likely end up being Christopher's girlfriend.
"Stephanie!" Emily giggles.
"Emily!" Steph smiles and squeezes both her cheeks playfully.
"Okay let me get my handbag and leave you two to it," Kate tells them and walks away.
Emily pulls Steph by her hand and makes her sit on the couch before settling beside her.
"Can you help my with my maths homework?"
"Sure. Go and get it," Steph smiles.
"Yay," Emily says and runs upstairs.
She comes back down with her cute Frozen backpack.
Steph chuckles. "You really like Frozen, don't you?"
"I do," Emily answers as she brings out her math homework from her backpack.
"Okay girls. I'm heading out but I'll probably be back soon. Emily be on your best behaviour, okay?" Kate says as she walks back into the living room.
"Okay mum. Bye."
"See you later, Stephanie." Kate tells her and walks out of the house.
"Let's begin, shall we?" Steph begins to help Emily with her homework.
***
About an hour and thirty minutes after school ended, Chris heads home after having a quick chat with Jason. He parks his car with a smile on his face when he gets home.
Hazel is in the house.
The thought alone makes him happy.
Emily's in too.
He walks into the house and finds them on their usual spot on one of the couches. Emily turns around at the sound of the door and smiles at the sight of her big brother.
"Chris. Welcome back," Emily says but doesn't move to give him a hug. And Chris finds it strange.
"Steph helped me with my homework," Emily tells him, still at the same position on the couch.
"Wow! Less work for me then," Chris says in a casual tone. Then he acknowledges Stephanie.
"Hazel," he nods at her.
"How was practice?" She asks.
"Normal," Chris shrugs. He stops himself from smiling at the fact that she asked him about practice. "Thanks for helping Em with her homework."
"It was nothing," Steph remarks.
Chris smiles and heads into the kitchen.
"Would you like something to drink, Hazel?" He asks.
"Sure. I'm okay with anything, thanks." Steph replies.
Emily stares at her. She knows that something has changed between her brother and her babysitter. Steph isn't acting like she hates her brother anymore and she didn't complain when he called her Hazel. They're acting like friends now and Emily is happy about it.
Steph catches her staring.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Emily smiles. "I can see you don't hate my brother anymore."
"Hey!" Steph exclaims. "I never said I hated him."
"But you like him."
"No, I do not," Steph huffs.
If that happens, she'll feel like her heart betrayed her.
Chris walks back in with a can of Pepsi for Steph and an apple in the other hand. He hands Steph the drink and she thanks him then he bites into the apple.
"So are you going to the party on Saturday?" Chris asks as he sits on another couch.
His question takes Stephanie's mind to her last party- when she kissed Chris in that game and she feels weird because he's right in front of her.
"No, I'm not."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to."
Chris smirks. "Not your scene, huh?"
"Yeah," Steph drawls.
"Okay," he smiles. He was damn right. Something must have made her come to Jason's party that time they kissed.
That kiss, Chris thinks and takes a deep breath. If care isn't taken, he might find himself crashing her lips with his. At that thought, he stands and heads to his room without uttering another word.
***
"Okay, I should get going," Steph announces after Chris comes back to the living room.
"Aw," Emily pouts.
"Want me to drive you home?" Chris offers.
"Uhm--"
The front door opens, cutting Steph off. They look to see Kate walk in.
"Hey people! Momma's back," she declares as she shuts the door, her back to them.
"Oh hi Stephanie, you're still here?" Kate asks rhetorically when she sees her.
"Yeah, I was just leaving," Steph replies.
"Why don't you stay for dinner, dear?" Kate asks with a broad smile.
"Yes!" Emily exclaims then takes one of Steph's hand in both of hers.
"Please stay."
Steph shifts her gaze to Chris and he shrugs.
"Sure. I'll stay for dinner," Steph accepts.
"Yay!"
"Why don't you sit and feel at home while I start dinner," Kate suggests.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Steph asks.
"No no no," Kate waves her off. "Just get comfy."
"Okay ma'am."
"Hey! It's Kate. You're making me feel like an old Lady," Kate mutters with a chuckle.
"Ain't you?" Chris finally speaks with a chuckle of his own.
"You!" Kate narrows her eyes at her son. "You'll help make dinner because of that."
"But I hate cooking," Chris whines.
"That's none of my business, young man. Get ready. I'll meet you in the kitchen. I need to get out of this outfit," Kate says and heads upstairs.
She stops. "Hey Steph. Do you have any allergies?"
"Just pineapple," Steph answers.
"Okay." Then she says to Chris. "Get into that Kitchen."
Chris mumbles under his breath and drags himself to the kitchen which makes Steph and Emily to giggle.
"Do you wanna see Chris' baby pictures?" Emily beams.
"Uh huh. I'd love to," Steph smirks.
"I'd be right back," Emily tells her and leaves to get it.
"Who knew I'd have dinner in Christopher Hayes' house one day, huh?" She asks herself.
***
"Good morning," Steph freezes on hearing that voice. They're currently at her locker and it's a Friday morning. She's getting notes for class.
"Hey Luke, Cole." Brooke says to them with a smile.
Ah Geez!
Stephanie shuts her locker, takes a deep breath and turns around.
Her heart flutters at the sight of Luke.
"Hi," she forces the word out of her mouth. Luke gives her a smile and she returns it, trying her best not to give anything away. He's already suspicious.
"So are you girls going to the party tomorrow?" Luke shifts his gaze to Brooke.
"Of course I'm going. I wouldn't miss it but I don't know about- " Brooke gestures in Steph's direction, "- her."
"You aren't going?" Cole gapes.
"No," Steph shakes her head.
"Why?"
"Not my scene," Steph shrugs.
"You can't be serious right now," Brooke groans.
"I'm serious," Steph mumbles, feeling slightly uncomfortable under Luke's gaze.
"Come on Steph. You have to go. We're all going," Luke encourages her.
"I don't want to," Steph whines.
"Please?" Luke pleads and rests a hand on her shoulder as if in assurance.
She's starting to cave and she doesn't want to. She looks away from Luke's face to Brooke's and sees a smug look on her face.
Brooke knows that she's about to cave and she's definitely happy about that.
First, it was threat and now she's using her crush to make her go to a party.
"Fine, I'll go," Steph caves with a sigh.
"Told ya!" Brooke says smugly.
Steph glowers at her.
"Told her what?" Cole asks.
"I told her that- "
Stephanie doesn't know when she takes two steps forward and her hand covers Brooke's mouth, muffling what she was about to say.
Luke and Cole exchange a look and stare at them in bewilderment.
"Uhm why did you do that?" Luke finds himself asking.
"Nothing," Steph replies almost immediately, making the boys to furrow their foreheads.
"No reason at all. I think she forgot to take her medicine this morning. She has been saying a lot of weird things today," Steph says a little too fast and with a sheepish smile. Brooke narrows her eyes at Steph's explanation and tries to pry away the hand covering her mouth but Steph doesn't let her.
"Huh?" Cole says and looks at Steph in askance.
Brooke manages to pry the hand from her mouth.
"Uhm....we have to get to class. See you later guys," Steph blurts and drags Brooke with her, without waiting for the boys to say anything.
"What was that for?" Brooke bellows when they turn into another hallway and Steph's let's go of her hand.
"What were you trying to do?" Steph retorts.
"Wait, you thought I was going to say you like him?"
"Weren't you?" Steph asks.
"I can't believe you'd think that," Brooke face palms.
"Can you blame me? You have the tendency to say a lot of crap especially when you're excited." Steph asserts.
Brooke narrows her eyes and shakes her head slowly before giving Steph a little punch on the arm.
"Hey! What was that for?" Steph's other arm moves to soothe the slight pain in the other.
"For thinking I'd do that to you and for saying that bullshit you said," Brooke tells her.
"I'm sorry, B. I just freaked out," Steph explains herself.
"Cole would think I have some sort of mental illness now," Brooke sighs.
Steph giggles.
"You think this is funny?" Brooke scoffs and eyes her friend.
"I'm going to class, bitch."
"Love you too B," Steph calls after her as she walks off.
Steph heads to her first class and finds Chris already seated.
"Hello Hazel," he smirks.
"Christopher," she returns the smirk as she takes her seat.