Chapter 5: Chapter 5

We walked back together with Cole and I each holding one of Kyles's arm as we lifted him now and then. From an outside perspective, we probably looked like a happy couple with their child. When we got back I was happy to see the house was still in one piece but my ma was nowhere to be seen while Haley was typing away vigorously on her phone.

"What we miss?" I asked sitting on the couch browsing through the tv channels

"Nothing much the bitch might have had a heart attack," Haley said nonchalantly while my heart skipped a beat,

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Cole said with sympathy in his eyes

"She's not dead you dingus just at the hospital hopefully never coming back again," Haley said

"Oh thank the heavens cause I can't stand awkward family deaths they are the worst," Cole sighed

"Tell me about it," Haley agreed

"So she's fine right?" I asked worriedly

"As far as I'm concerned I hope she croaks in her sleep," Haley harshly said, picking up Kyle to place him in her lap as he seemed to be dozing off.

"Why should you care anyway?" Cole asked me

"I care for everyone," I said exasperated

"That's your problem, you care too much and that's going to get you killed. You need to know when to say enough is enough or people are going to use you for every cent you own," Haley warned

"Pretty harsh but true," Cole agreed

"Ok fine I got it I'll try being more strict how does that sound?"

"Better than nothing," Haley said I couldn't say anything else when 'Bitch Better have My Money' by Rihanna rang loudly making Kyle jump

"Seriously, that's your ringtone?" Haley asked in disbelief

"That's not my ringtone," I said

"Shit that's Veronica's ringtone," Cole cursed. I locked eyes with him in shock, freezing on the spot as I didn't know what to do.

"Don't answer that, just check who's calling," Haley ordered firmly and I obeyed. I got up to fetch the phone and check the Id caller, it read Daddy.

"It's her dad," I said wide-eyed

"No shit we can read," Cole panicked

"No swearing around my kid," Haley smacked Cole across the head before she took Kyle to the other room to let him rest.

"Don't answer it," Cole warned as my finger hovered over the decline button

"Does this look like the answer button?" I asked incredulously

"Don't give me attitude I'm freaking out here man"

"Good for you then go make yourself some tea might calm you down," I suggested

"Do I look like I drink tea?"

"Then coffee I don't care just don't stress me out more than I already am," I said wondering what the password to her phone was

"Try LiamxV saw her type it once," Cole said, so I entered it and lucky us it was the password. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at how ridiculous this was all.

"What does her dad want?" I quickly scanned her messages with her dad.

"Just wants to know where she is,"

"Say Italy she was planning on going there next week," Cole quickly said to which I raised my eyebrow. I tried to mimic her writing style and ended up with this conversation,

Daddy: Pumpkin I won't be mad if you're lying to me just please tell me you're still in Canada and not Italy?

V: Sorry daddy but you know I would never lie to you I am in Italy

Daddy: Young lady you get back here this instant, how could you do this when you know where on a tight budget

V: I needed to distress this was too much for me to handle please forgive me I won't be back for awhile

Daddy: How long is a while?

V: Please don't rush me daddy I'll come back when I'm ready

Daddy: ok love just don't spend too much and be very money-wise, I love you xoxo

V: I love you too daddy xoxo

Who knew Veronica had such a tight relationship with her dad.

"Is it just me or did that sound kinda sexual?" Cole asked

"It's just you,"

"Right," Cole said awkwardly looking at the screen,

"You know to make it seem less suspicious you should post about her leaving on a vacation," Cole suggested

"Wow why didn't I think of that," I said and went into her Instagram

'Heading to Italy to distress just got major bummer bad news #fuckpolotics'

That was the caption Cole and I decided on with a cute selfie of Veronica in a plane she took a couple of months ago hopefully no one would notice it.

"You know we're kinda good at this, I might even say we might live to tell this tale,"

"Don't push your luck," I warned him

"What did you idiots do?"Haley came back into the room

"Nothing, what's it to you?" I asked

"You look guilty," She said

"Well can you blame us," Cole sad

"You're starting to get on my nerves Harris," She only ever called him by his surname when she was about to give him hell.

"You know what I think I'm just going to head home and just get some rest, talk later," Cole said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek and a wave bye to Haley who flipped him the bird.

"Why you never chose that fool to date is the dumbest thing you've ever done,"

"Excuse me I tried he said he didn't see me that way and you said you didn't like him," I argued

"That was because he was eighteen and you were sixteen, but as far as your love interests go he's your best bet," She said

"I'm not going to ruin our friendship just to gamble on whether he likes me back or not it's better this way anyway,"

"Your choice not like I'm the one who's going to die alone with my seventeen cats and dogs," She shrugged her shoulders

"Nothing wrong with that," I said

"Moron" She shook her head

"Imbecile" I fired back

"Idiot"

"Stupid"

Our bickering was interrupted by the door opening and my mom coming in with groceries, my mouth hanging to the floor.

"What's wrong with dimwit number two?" our ma asked

"I told her you had a heart attack," Haley laughed at my confused stare

"As I'd die of something as ridiculous as that," She rolled her eyes heading to the kitchen to unpack,

"You bitch," I angrily said hitting Haley on the shoulder

"Don't blame me that your so gullible," she laughed

"Die," I angrily said, heading out of the room to take a shower. Throughout my shower, I couldn't stop wondering what would've happened if Cole and I did get together. Would I still be this insecure wishy-washy failure or would he have made me more me than I am today? Truth be told every time his skin glazes mine an electric spark ignites but I knew not to pursue my reckless feelings because they would only make our relationship awkward and I didn't want that I wanted us to stay this close for as long as possible because if I didn't have Cole then I truly was alone in this world.

"Don't cut it like that, what is this cheese," I heard ma yelling at Haley once I finished my shower and headed to the kitchen to eat something.

"Correct me one more time and this onion is going to be you," Haley threatened

"Ungrateful cunt you are, I'm trying to teach you something here and all you do is point a knife at me. Unbelievably, were you raised by a pack of wolves?" Ma grumbled

"Theoretically speaking only one wolf," Haley said narrowing her eyes at ma

"What smells so good?" I awkwardly asked trying to change the subject

"Stew, now be useful and make some potatoes" ma ordered

"Yes chef," I saluted making Haley chuckle

We made dinner with the occasional bickering but we did enjoy each other's company even if we didn't say it out loud. Once the table was set and food was on the table Haley went to wake Kyle up to feed him, he ended up wanting to sit on my lap so I allowed it and let him eat in peace. He was practically dozing again by the time we all finished eating,

"I'll tuck him in," I said as I got up picking Kyle up and heading to the guest bedroom to tuck him in. Haley and I cleaned up while our ma went next door to spend some time with her neighbour.

"That woman is unbelievable, how you manage to put up with her for days is astounding honestly you should be rewarded with a medal," Haley complained as she dried the plates.

"Thank you," I chuckled, my heart was doing flips in joy at spending some time with my sister. I loved our family gatherings even though they may be brief and not often but they meant the world to me.

"So Kyle tells me you're coming over this weekend for a sleepover"

"Ya thought of dropping by but I'm mainly coming to be treated like a queen" I chuckled

"That's my staff for you they know how to treat a lady," She said

"You can say that again,"

"You better not bail he's excited for the weekend, he practically considers you his second mom," Haley laughed making me freeze in my tracks

"Really?" I asked in disbelief

"Of course do you know how much he talks about you when we're home, its auntie this auntie that he adores you,"

"That's music to my ears," I sighed in content

"Good just don't let it get to your head,"

"Ya I won't," I smirked

The evening went by pretty quick and soon I was even tired, Haley and I made ourselves makeshift beds in the lounge like a sleepover. We didn't sleep till the early morning as we spent the night talking, drinking and watching Netflix. I wasn't even tired when our ma came to make coffee at around eight, making noise on purpose to wake us up.

"She doesn't like us here does she?" I asked with a yawn

"Not in the slightest," Haley said yawning

"Get up you good for nothing brats it's ten in the morning" Ma complained, contrary to what she said it was only eight-thirty.

"We're up ok" I groaned getting up feeling a bit light-headed

"God I feel like I just got hit by a bus," Haley groaned

"You can say that again," I agreed, heading to the kitchen to make some coffee.

"Your kids are hungry so go feed him before he tears my house down," ma grumbled, eyeing Haley who covered her head with the blanket.

"Harley go feed him," Haley said

"What why me he's you, son," I said

"I'm tired and he likes you more," she mumbled under the blanket

"Wow, it takes two of you to take care of one kid, what has the world come to," Ma said, sitting on the couch and putting the tv on.

"God why is that so loud" Haley grumbled

"Bunch of pansies you all are," ma said

"Wow thanks, ma I'm feeling the love," Haley sarcastically said, throwing the blanket off herself.

I chuckled and began making an egg sandwich for Kyle with some apple juice. I placed the food on the table with an extra plate for Haley and went to call Kyle.

"Morning love how did you sleep," I greeted him, he was already awake playing on his iPad.

"Great thank you how did you sleep?" he asked

"I slept great," I Lied

"That's good your phones been ringing," he told me handing me Veronica's phone,

"Oh thanks love, why don't you go brush your teeth and have some breakfast while I make a quick call," I told him

"Yay breakfast," he excitedly said, running out of the room. I checked Veronica's phone only to see ten missed calls from Liam and twenty messages. The guy was worried about her and it kinda triggered me that I nearly smashed the phone across the wall. I recollected myself and began reading the messages one by one,

Liam: Roni please answer your phone I'm worried about you

Liam: I promise things are over with Harley and I thought you would be happy about this

Liam: Roni god damn it answer your damn phone even your sister is annoying me asking where you are?

Liam: Why didn't you tell me you were going to Italy I thought we were going to go together

And it carries on with Liam nagging her to answer her phone and voice notes from him about how much he cares about her and wants to make things work between them.

I could not believe what my eyes were seeing, I scrolled through their text and I nearly barfed at how many vulgar pictures of each other they shared. I ignored his next couple of texts and turned the phone off, hiding it back in my bag. I took out my own and found some apologetic texts from Liam now he wanted to get back together I could not believe him. I simply sent the middle finger emoji and put my phone on silent heading to take a shower and brush my teeth. By the time I finished Kyle and Haley were done with their breakfast and were watching tv with ma, the makeshift beds we made on the floor was cleared and the lounge was as we found it last night clean and undisturbed.

"Thanks for breakfast sis sure hit the spot there," Haley sighed lazily

"Thank you for breakfast auntie it was delicious," kyle said

"Anytime," I said, heading into the kitchen only to roll my eyes at the dirty dishes, Haley was never a fan of doing dishes and I see that stuck till adulthood too. I wasn't hungry so I cleared the kitchen then made myself a cup of coffee and watched some tv with the family. Kyle was enjoying watching Johnny Test while the adults were on their phones uninterested in the tv show. By the late afternoon, Haley and I decided to head back to our places.

"Thanks for harbouring us guess we'll see you next time Harley gets her heart broken again," Haley said to ma

"Indeed but a heads up call would be appreciated, thank you very much," Ma said and waved to Kyle who waved back then she shut the door in our faces.

"Typical mom," I said she didn't even acknowledge my existence.

"Don't mind her, you know how she is, any way we'll see you this weekend right?"

"Ya see you this weekend," I said

"Bye Auntie," kyle waved enthusiastically

"Bye Kyle," I waved back and let Haley strap him in his seat before she drove off. With a sigh I got back into my car that reeked, I needed to get it cleaned out. My plan for the day was to go fetch my things from Liam's apartment without a fight but I was going to need Cole for that if he was even awake this hour the guy slept like a rock, not even his alarm could wake him.