Chapter 7

Awkwardness.

If I had to use one word to describe the setting right now, that would be it. The only noise to cut through the silent atmosphere is the sound of Mum's best china, being delicately clinked together as we eat our spaghetti and veggies in silence. Spaghetti is also the only dish my Mum can actually make without burning. Most days, we just order take-away or pizza.

I'm sat right next to Lily, which isn't so bad, I suppose. She pushes her vegetables around her plate silently, occasionally darting her mother anxious glances. I don't suppose she really enjoys eating broccoli and baby carrots.

Aaron on the other hand, is sat right opposite me. But he isn't really eating at all. Instead, he's secretly on his phone texting busily, whilst his small portion of spaghetti goes cold. I continue sulking in my chair, pushing around my peas and carrots, shooting angry glares in my Mother's direction. But she manages to keep a bright smile on her face throughout the entire dinner.

Mrs Johnson soon decides to speak up, clearing her throat politely before turning to me with a polite smile. "So, are you doing well in school, Charlotte? I hope you've made some friends and managed to adjust to the curriculum well." she simpers sweetly. I fake a smile and nod quietly before diverting my eyes back down to my half empty plate.

"Charlotte is a bright girl, when she wants to be." Mum decides to chirp in. "It's just the matter of attitude and behavioural issues in which she needs to focus on. You know how teenage girls can be..." she lowers her voice slightly, raising both her eyebrows in Mrs Johnson's direction, as if I couldn't already hear or see her. Thanks Mom.

"Goodness, it's the same with Aaron. He's so clever! But it's just the matter of getting him to concentrate and cooperate." Mrs Johnson sighs, lowering her voice also with a shake of her head. Aaron doesn't even respond, still texting away. Lily starts fidgeting in her seat.

"Lily, are you alright?" Mum asks, with concern. "Do you need to go to the bathroom, darling?"

Lily suppresses a weak nod, her face flushing deep pink. Mum then turns to me with an expectant nod. "Take Lily to the toilet for us, Charlotte, there's a good girl."

I grit my teeth and stand up, gesturing for Lily to follow me. Unfortunately, this house only has one bathroom, and it's upstairs. Lily trails behind me, her head ducked behind her curtain of blonde hair, as she shifts her feet silently. "Come on, Lily. You don't want your food to go cold, do you?" I encourage her.

She mumbles something under her breath quietly, trailing up the stairs. I wait for her at the top, tapping my feet impatiently. When she finally makes it to the top of the stairs, I point towards the opened door to our left. "That's the toilet, ma'am. Enjoy."

She giggles, but her smile instantly drops into a nervous wince as she glances inside. I sigh heavily. What could be so scary about a toilet?

"Go on then, in you go. Do your business." I usher her. She glances up and bites her lip, mumbling. I crease my eyebrows into a frown, cupping a hand around my ear. "I can't hear you, Lily."

She still doesn't speak, so I put both hands on my hips, pretending to be angry. "Well this is no good, then. Stand up straight, young missus."

Shocked, her eyes widen in utter surprise, and she quickly straightens her back and holds her head up straight, looking up at me. I smile proudly. "Now open your mouth wide and project that sweet little voice."

"I cannot go potty without my furry pink toilet seat, or the toilet monsters will suck me inside and eat me up!" she says, her voice merely a squeak but loud enough for me to hear properly. It takes everything inside of me, not to burst out laughing but I keep my straight face nonetheless.

"Well, Madam Lily, I suppose you've been put up for quite a challenge today." I grin, kneeling down to face her properly. "If you can use this toilet, and escape the bathroom without being eaten by a toilet monster, I will give you a reward!"

"A reward?" her eyes double in size, and I chuckle, nodding my head.

"Yeah, a reward. Now go inside that toilet and make me proud!" I raise my hand up to my forehead as a salute, and Lily mirrors my action confidently. She turns to the bathroom door and hesitantly steps inside, the door closing firmly behind her. "I'm coming for you, toilet monsters!" she cries from behind the door, and I rise to my feet with a grin.

Just as I turn around to face the stairs, I collide with another figure and the close impact causes a slight shriek to leave my lips. I clasp both hands over my mouth and look up to come face to face with you-know-who. I can feel Aaron's heated gaze traveling down my stature. He continues eyeing me shamelessly, not bothering to deter his hard chocolate-brown eyes. Great.

"What are you doing up here?" I blurt out breathlessly, my heart hammering in my chest. Damn it, why do I feel so nervous? He can't really be that intimidating...

"They wanted me to check on the both of you. You've been missing for quite a while." he says gruffly, with no sense of emotion in his voice whatsoever. My lips press together as I just nod my head, curtly.

"Where's my sister?"

Just that second, the bathroom door opens and Lily charges out with a warrior yell, waving her arms around like a fighting suricate. She charges up to me and salutes, nodding her head. "I accomplished the mission!" she announces with a proud nod. "Gimme my reward!"

"Hey there," I laugh, leaning down to pick her up and balance her on my hip. "Congratulations, Lily! See, I always knew you could do it!"

She grins smugly, and Aaron watches the both of us with a smirk, but I chose to ignore him as I lead Lily to my bedroom. I set her down on the floor and move towards my bedside drawer, in search for a packet of sweets. Lily instantly starts exploring my half-unpacked bedroom and Aaron leans against the door-frame, watching me intently.

I pull out a packet of Haribo gummy bears, just as Lily sends one of the boxes crashing down. Deciding to ignore the mess, I hand over the packet and Lily clutches the Haribos to her chest with a cheesy grin on her face before charging out of the room, past Aaron and down the stairs. It's like she's already on a sugar-high but she hadn't even opened the packet yet!

"Where's mine?" Aaron asks, his eyes dancing with sarcasm. I scoff and start packing away the mess, just as Aaron answers the ringing call on his phone. I watch as he rolls his eyes, pressing the phone to his ear. "Kennedy." he mutters tiredly before heading back down the stairs behind Lily.

A booty call?

"So who's Kennedy?"

He abruptly looks up at the sound of my voice, narrowing his eyes into a questioning glare. Mum, Mrs Johnson and Lily are currently in the garden. Our Mothers are discussing gardening and Lily is playing on our old swing. So Aaron and I are currently in the living room, watching 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'. But neither of us are really taking notice of the TV. He's on his phone, and I honestly couldn't care less about the life of Kylie and Bruce Jenner.

"Why do you care?" he mutters curiously.

I just shrug, taking a sip from my bottle of coke and directing my eyes back to the TV, trying my best to avoid his scrutinizing gaze.

"Just curious. I'd like to get to know as many names as possible in East-Lake High, just in case." I respond truthfully enough. If Kennedy just so happens to be some bitchy, popular prostitute, at least then I'll know to keep my distance whenever her name is mentioned.

Aaron scoffs, returning his gaze back to his phone. "I doubt she's is your type of crowd anyway." he mumbles, shaking his head. I instantly grit my teeth in annoyance, turning to him with a frown.

"You don't know anything about me."

"Right. But I'm a pretty good observer." he responds, without looking up. "You're nothing like her."

I try my best not to lose my temper, turning back to the TV and changing the channels. As soon as I catch a glimpse of the title, I switch channels again. I'm not in the mood for F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

I keep repeatedly switching TV shows until Aaron releases a groan. "You're really crap at making you mind up, you know that right?" he snaps, gesturing towards the screen. "What's wrong with Judge Judy?"

"When did you say you were leaving again?"

Aaron grunts, shaking his head before returning his gaze back to his phone. I take another bite out of my chocolate Dairy Milk bar and switch the channels once again, mostly just to irritate him.

Lily's voice is heard from the kitchen, and soon enough she's running into the living room with the half-finished packet in her hands. She runs up to me, holding something in her fist with an excited grin on her face. "I got you a prize too, Madam Charlotte!"

"Really?" I smile enthusiastically, holding out my hand and sitting up straight on the sofa. Lily presses a jelly like substance into the palm of my hand, and for a second I think it's a Haribo. But when I open my hand, I scream, dropping the half-worm onto the rug and racing towards the stairs. Without bothering to look back, I race up the stairs, two steps at a time. But there's no mistaking the bark of laughter from Aaron as I disappear into my bedroom, slamming the door hard behind me.