Skylar's Guide to Stop a Marriage

{Chapter 14}

As soon as we got back, Mom and Leo packed extra stuff, said their good byes and then left me... with the biggest annoyances in the history of mankind. I have to be in their company for a freaking week, but at least we can use that time to come up with a brilliant scheme to split our parents apart before they get married.

But everyone else isn't motivated enough. The Rivers were watching something on the TV, and Jack went to his bedroom. I sighed. How are we supposed to get anything accomplished if no one is willing to do anything?

I pursed my lips, realizing that with Mom gone, and my grounding ending on Tuesday, before she gets home, I could just... take it from her bedroom... before I'm supposed to.

Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.

I exited my bedroom and walked down the hallway. I'll have to cross the living room to get to my mom's bedroom. I sighed, walking out into the lion's den. None of the Rivers noticed me; their eyes were glue to the TV, though I couldn't be bothered to find out what they were watching.

I continued walking, and when I walked in the middle, straight in front of the TV, that's when the Rivers noticed me. Three pairs of eyes were narrowed at me, causing me to slightly gulp.

"Move out of the way!" Blake hissed.

"Okay." I rolled my eyes. "I'm just passing through, chillax."

"What are you even doing?" Lucas questioned.

I pursed my lips, not putting it pass them to snitch. "None of your concern," I said, crossing my arms and now wearing a tight frown on my face.

"What's your deal?" Blake questioned, most likely noticing the expression plastered to my face.

"Nothing," I answered with a slight scoff. If I told the boys that I was getting my phone from my mom's room, the very phone that I'm grounded from, they'll surely stop me. Or they'd snitch on me, the little jerks.

"Whatever," Lucas said, then told his brothers, "she's not worth our time, guys."

I would have said something snarky in reply to what Lucas had just said, but I wanted out of their sight as soon as possible.

I merely just nodded and raced past them, making my way into my mom's room. I grinned when I saw my phone on my mom's dresser, connected to my charger.

I picked up the phone, and placed it in my pocket, pleased with myself.

I excited the room with a skip in my step, bypassing the boys who simply ignored me this time.

When I entered my room, I plopped onto my bed and pulled my phone out of my pocket, opening a reading app. I smirked to myself as I found myself reading a spicy romance novel with a hint of comedy and loads of drama.

"Sky?" Jack suddenly said, opening up my door without knocking, and stepped into my room, wearing a frown on his face.

I huffed and sat up, placing my phone down. I stared at Jack, trying not to let loose a vicious glare. "What do you want?" I asked, also wanting to ask if he ever heard of knocking, but that would require him to be in my room longer than was needed, and I didn't want that.

"Skylar, are we really going to break up Mom's engagement?" he wondered softly, stepping beside my bed, and then sitting on it without my permission. "I mean, I love Leo, and I know you act like you don't, but you at least like Leo enough."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay? What about the boys? You like them? Any of them? Lukey or Blakey or Tyley?" I said, purposely mocking and making fun of their names, since I hated them terribly.

Jack let out a snicker, which brought a smile out of me. Then he frowned again. He shrugged. "We didn't know them very long--" he started to say.

"I know them from school, kid," I interrupted. "They're awful. They're bullying jerkish idiots," I rambled on and on about the things the River boys have done. "And, if Leo is their father--maybe the boys have learned from him, or they were never disciplined as young children."

Jack stared down at his shoes, his shoelaces were untied, as usual. I sighed and bent down. I took his left shoe and began tying a knot, the one with the bunny ears--yes, I know it's babyish, sue me.

"But our mom loves Leo," Jack pointed out, and I gritted my teeth. Why did I have to get such a selfless and thoughtful boy for a little brother?

"Listen, Jack, you won't understand until you're my age," I told him, rolling my eyes. "And even then, maybe not, because I am brilliant. Like, I'm crazy smart for my age, y'know? You might understand more along the lines of when you're twenty. Maybe."

Jack nodded, but he didn't seem to be paying too closely attention to what I said. After tying Jack's right shoe, I stood up then sat back down on the bed, next to him.

"I just think this is a mistake," Jack said. "Can't we take more time to talk about this? It's... A bad idea..."

I didn't get through to Jack at all. Can't he just realize why we need to put a stop to our mom's and Leo's wedding? What doesn't he understand?

I sighed, deciding to pull out a card that I shouldn't bring up. "What about Dad?" I said, cringing at the words that came out of my mouth, especially since our father was a terrible person. After he left us, he was later arrested, for whatever reason, Mom wouldn't say. And he wasn't good to his family, either. But nevertheless, I continued, "You know he'll come back, right? But he'll stay gone if Leo's in the picture. Do you want that?"

Jack looked up at me with widened, fearful eyes. "N-No. I want Daddy to come back!"

"So you understand why we have to break up Mom's engagement to Leo?" I asked him, sounding almost patronizing.

Jack took a deep breath, and then nodded his head, not saying another word.

"Good."