Trouble in Paradise?

“Y’know,” I said. “We could have probably avoided this.”

Currently, Blake, Jordan and I were all standing, observing the mess that had once been a kitchen.

The batter had gone everywhere.

Including all over us. It was on the walls, on the floor and all over the benches. It even, somehow, got onto the roof. How does that even happen?

So yeah, we had made a mess. A huge mess.

“Dibs not cleaning up,” I said quickly, Blake repeating the words to which Jordan groaned.

“I knew that I would have to clean all of this up!” he exclaimed, huffing and then putting on a pout.

“I was really looking forward to those cookies.” Now it was my turn to pout.

“Me too,” Blake agreed.

My phone buzzed. I picked it out of my pocket and checked the message. It was from my mother, her and Dad were at home cooking dinner. They were actually home from work. I had no idea how long it had been since we’d actually had dinner together.

“Well, I better go. Mum and Dad are expecting me home for dinner,” I said, stretching my arms out so that Blake could pick me up. He scoffed, carrying me anyway.

“Can’t you walk yet?”

“I can but I don’t want to.”

He rolled his eyes as Jordan grabbed my backpack and handed it to me. Jordan offered to give me a lift home, since he would be driving Blake home anyway. I accepted the offer.

The car ride was short, and of course it was filled with joking around and bickering with each other. When Jordan pulled up at my house, I thanked the boys again and walked up the driveway, despite the tiny pricks of pain that decided to make themselves known every once in awhile.

I opened the door with my spare key, immediately hearing my mother and father talking in the kitchen while the delicious smell of dinner spread to the hallway. I smiled, remembering the days when this was an everyday thing. Going home to a family dinner.

“Hey,” I greeted my parents. My father was sitting at the table, on his laptop. My mother was at the stove, cooking up something that smelled like chicken soup.

“Hey Stef,” my father greeted back and my mother did as well. I discussed school with them, how I was going and what classes I was taking. They listened while I ranted on about school, some things that have happened recently and I even talked about my new friendship with Blake and Jordan.

My mother served up dinner, the wonderful smelling chicken soup was devoured in minutes, no one daring to interrupt the food silence. Afterwards, my parents excused themselves to go back to work, shutting themselves in their room.

I sighed and went upstairs, planning to do some homework. When I was walking up there, I walked past the spare bedroom that Christen had occupied while he was here. Despite his asshole personality, I did feel a little worried about him. We had no idea where he was, and he could be lost or hurt.

I kept walking to my room, the thoughts of Christen troubling me. What the hell has he got himself into now?

School was pretty average the next day, Jordan and Blake annoying me blah blah blah, no need for details on that.

I was grabbing my things out of my locker after the last bell had rang. I then accidentally dropped all of my things. “Shit!” I yelled before groaning and then picking them up.

Once I packed away everything and grabbed my bag, I realised that I would’ve missed my bus. Damn it!

I walked out of the school, searching for my bus that was usually parked out the front. Just as I suspected, it was gone and students were slowly starting to drive away in their cars or start off for the streets.

Jordan had soccer practice, so I couldn’t ask him and Blake had already left. I sighed and started walking home. It better not rain this time.

I was so frustrated while I was walking that I took a wrong turn somewhere, and ended up in the town park. Little children played on the playground, running around with excitement while their parents talked and sat down on the park benches, discussing the latest topics.

I decided to sit down under a tree, bringing out a book that I was currently reading. It was pretty peaceful, if you didn’t count the joyful screams and squeals that were coming from the children who played happily, without a care in the world.

I started reading, and I could feel myself relaxing. This was nice. I could never read at school when it was so hectic.

Just when I was getting engrossed with my novel, a critical part of the storyline starting to make an appearance when I sensed two presences standing in front of me.

Two little girls stood in front of me. They couldn’t have been over five years old, each of them with blonde hair that was tied up in little pigtails. Their adorable blue eyes watched me with wonder. They were identical, I realised. One was wearing a blue coat, the other wearing a red one.

“Hello there,” I said to them. They giggled. “What’s your names?” I said kindly.

“I’m Ally, this is Ellie,” the one in the red coat said shyly, pointing to her twin sister who wore a toothy grin.

“Where are your parents?” I asked them, standing up and looking around. There wasn’t anyone watching them, or with them.

“We are here with our brother,” the one in the blue coat, Ellie, said.

“Oh? Where is h-“

“Ally! Ellie! There you are,” A familiar voice said from behind me, causing me to freeze. “Don’t run away from me next time!”

They both took off towards their brother.

Ha…

Their brother..

I almost laughed out loud at the irony when I turned around to face the Devil himself. Aka, Ethan.

I grinned sheepishly and laughed awkwardly. “Well, this is a coincidence huh?”

The girls grabbed onto his hands and he scowled. “What are you doing here?”

“I was reading before your.. sisters?” I asked, unsure. He nodded. “Your sisters came up to me.”

He looked down at them. “Don’t go up to strangers,” he said in a small voice. They nodded.

“Sorry Ethan,” they both said at the same time in adorable voices.

Ethan turned to walk away with the girls before I said, “Your sisters are cute.”

He turned around again, a look of confusion on his face. “Thanks?”

“Do you take them to the park often?” I asked, trying to actually be nice and hold back my colourful insults that were daring to leave my mouth in a fraction of a second.

It also seemed like he was not wearing a scowl around me, for once. And I didn’t want to ruin that, I’m usually a nice person when someone doesn’t piss me off.

He nodded. “Yeah, when my mother can’t-” but he seemed to stop himself, and put the scowl back on. There is no winning with this boy.

“Nevermind, goodbye,” he said, walking away with the girls holding his hands. They tried to turn around and wave goodbye, but he pulled them along, causing them to turn back to look a me with a pout. I waved at the little girls, grinning. They smiled and then Ethan left with them clutching his hands.

I turned around and grabbing my bag and book, thinking of how funny it was that I saw Ethan here. I wonder if he comes here everyday. He said something about his mother, but he stopped himself. Was it bad? Maybe something happened?

No, Stef, it’s none of your business. Leave it alone.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head and started making my way back home, with the help of Google Maps. It was getting dark and cold, I shivered.

My mind then went back to Christen. What if he really was missing? What if he was wandering these streets alone, and no one would know? I gotta call Aunt Kate and see what the deal is. I don’t want my cousin to be in danger, or be hurt.

Even if he is a huge asshole.