Never Before | ✓

Chapter nineteen

Chapter nineteen:

The backside of the Darcel Café is a dim-lit sketchy area. The bugs are annoying me with their continuous buzzing. I swat my arm but they seem to be persistent. I rub my arms when a cool breeze swishes by.

This area is a little quieter than I expected it to be. I spot a dark figure coming toward me. The light falls on its face. It is not Caleb.

Henry.

A sinister smirk is displayed over his face. His pale white skin has red rashes all over his arms which are exposed due to his sleeveless green t-shirt.

"What do you want?" I ask with no sign of faltering. Instead, I am standing upright with my arms folded over my chest. I didn't forget my defence tricks yet.

He walks closer and his smile fades. "I'm not as bad as you think I am." His voice seems genuine but I don't give a hang about it.

"Sure," I reply sarcastically. "Didn't you just a few days ago hit Caleb in exchange of me?" I counter.

His eyes turn dark. "That was just because of some stepbrother rivalry. Sure, you wouldn't look for chances to hurt your brother if he would be a misfortune in your life."

I look at him grimly. "What the hell do you want, Henry? Caleb will be here any time soon and he won't save your ass this time," I say confidently.

"Sure about that?" He grins and pulls out a phone from his back pocket.

Caleb's phone.

"How the hell did you get it?" Surprisingly, my voice is calmer.

"I knew you wouldn't meet me so, I asked a bunch of my people to take this from him. Don't ya worry, he'll have it back."

"Why do you wish to meet me?"

He sighs with frustration. "I hate to admit this but, I need your help."

"And why would I help you?"

"Hear me out, okay?" He yells. I flinch and nod him to continue. A fresh smell of burnt paper fills in my nostrils. My eyes travel to the other side of the fence from where the smoke is coming.

I neglect. "So, I need your father's help."

I give him a perplexed look. "Elaborate," I say firmly.

"I know your father is a businessman and my mom needs to a job with a little high payment," he states in a monotone. I remain silent for a while.

"I was wondering if you could convince your father to help me out."

I shrug. "I don't know, Henry. It's not that I won't help because I hate you-" I pause and look at him, and my mind flashes all the bruises he caused to Caleb, "-which of course I do but this is something beyond my control. You should ask your mother to apply."

"Please, Amber. I hate you as well, no doubt on that." His voice is raspy. "But I need your help. My mom applied but your dad rejected her because of her poor clothing."

"Just tell me, Henry. Would you help me out for no reason if, I would hurt your friend?" I ask him a matter of factly.

"I don't give a fuck about them," he answers blankly.

"I don't know. I would do it under one condition which is-" he intervenes me.

"Not to hurt Caleb. Ya, I know. I already made up my mind."

"Fine then. I'll tell my dad about this but don't you dare tell this to Caleb and delete the chat before you return his phone."

He smiles at me.

Asshole.

°•°•°

I flutter my eyes open at the sound of my alarm. I groan and pull myself out of the bed. Today is Saturday and I'm planning to catch up with my studies. I undress before stepping into the hot shower.

My muscles tense at the touch of water. I shampoo my hair with my favourite shampoo and then condition it. After a few singing concerts, overthinking, and a meet and greet in the shower, I plan to come out.

I decide to wear the grey hoodie that Caleb gave me. I'm being a little selfish and keeping it for myself for another day. His hoodie has a faint smell of his minty cologne even after being washed.

I walk downstairs and hear my mom and dad arguing in the kitchen.

Typical Night day.

It sounds so ironic.

"We can't tell her right now. She needs time!" My dad yells at her. I couldn't resist but eavesdrop. Besides, it is not even the first time I'm doing this.

"She is seventeen, Greg! How long are you gonna hide it? Haven't you always said, the truth will set you free?" She mocks him.

He sighs heavily. "Just a year more."

"I can't handle this shit anymore. I'm done with you and her long back. I can't run anymore."

I don't want to either.

"What happened?" I barge in without caring about what they think I was doing. They look at me and then exchange strange looks.

My dad's eyes hold sympathy and my mom's face is impassive.

"We, ah, need to tell you something," Dad says in a low voice.

He looks at mom and she nudges him to continue.

He looks at me with guilt. "Rebecca is not your real mother."

My heart drops.

(Cliffhanger. There you go;))