Trouble Times Two

Chapter Four

Wednesday

"I need to go to some stores, could we go to Lowes and then the mall?" I ask and Maisie nods. "It's an ongoing case isn't it? This is that thing in the news about the young girls who are being targeted in each of the schools." Carter doesn't say anything but I know I'm correct.

"You know I can't say anything." Carter finally responds but I know there's one thing he can answer.

"How did you guys know about the pipe, I know that has nothing to do with the case." Maisie and Carter give each other a look.

"Initially, we thought Donovan might've been involved because that classroom where you were in, was where... this is gross so I can stop here." Carter says but I shake my head. I already knew where this was going. "Okay, fine. That's where I used to meet with Delaney and Maisie used to meet with Dacre."

"Well now you guys are meeting somewhere else huh?" Maisie and Carter look at each other. "Focus on the road Maisie, I mean it's very clear to me that Maisie and Dacre still have a thing because she blushes when she sees him and Carter I literally saw you and Delaney kiss the other day after your dropped her home before you came to my house so. Yeah."

They look at each other again and they almost start fighting.

"Guys let's take the fighting somewhere else." I can see that they find it funny though and laugh, eventually.

"Okay, Carter I have one last question." He turns and looks at me.

"Go ahead."

"How do you know Donovan isn't involved?"

"Good question." Carter thinks whether or not he can answer and I can tell at a point, when he looks at me, that he's not sure whether TO answer.

"Just say it, Carter." I'm starting to lose patience.

"Uh, sure. After the library, he never left and he and a girl were caught making out in a section and both were sent to the principals office and they were there for hours, when you made it to the cafeteria, he had only left the principals office." I nod.

We finally get to Lowe's and I go and collect my order and then take it back to the car and put it in, there's a lot of stuff and I still need to go to other places.

I go back into Lowe's and get some lights to install in the front and back of my house and also some other things that will improve the security of where I live.

I was starting to feel increasingly unsafe.

I go to target and collect my order from there too and then go get some home decor pieces.

I was starting to feel a little bit more settled and decided I'd decorate to make it feel a little bit less lonely. I also got some outdoor furniture for my balcony, which was how Donovan got in the first time.

I got some outdoor and indoor fairy lights and other kind of lights and some decorative plants as well.

I'd already spent 100s but I had a lot more money than that.

I go to Walmart and go grocery shopping before I finally am done and go home.

As soon as I get back I start installing everything.

Maisie does the lights in the front and back while Carter does the decorating on the balcony and I start the blinds and by 5pm, we were done.

We sit in the front garden and we all enjoy a nice cold sprite.

Marie drives in and we all groan.

This woman was always on our case.

"Go away Marie." I say and she shakes her head.

"Your statement was taken by the police, what happened?" She asks and I look at Maisie and Carter.

"Say that again." I am so funny.

"Your statement was taken by the police...?" She repeats herself.

"So you have a statement and decided oh no... let's not read it let's come straight to Gigi to annoy her. If you want to discuss it, make an appointment." I go back to drinking my sprite. Carter defended me to Marie always, not because he was my cousin, but because every delinquent under her wing complained about her.

"Okay, I'll message you the time of the appointment." She's annoyed. Oh well.

"Bye-bye Marie." Maisie says and we all go back to what we were doing.

We all see Donovan pull into his driveway and I go deafly silent.

"Please don't size him up, I can see the cogs in your brain turning. He's not worth your progress. If and when he changes, he's free game." Carter says and I look at him curiously.

"You're being cynical Carter." Maisie says but we both know that he's holding something back which he can't share and we respect that.

I finish my sprite and drink another one and Donovan comes over.

"Go away Donovan!" I shout but Dacre and Delaney are behind him. "Never mind."

I stand up from the bench and wipe my trousers off and we all get up and Maisie and Carter invite them in, with my permission.

I sit at the table with them but my interest fades as I get bored of the obvious tension.

"So Dacre, Delaney, are either of you guys in a relationship?" I ask, an evil grin on my face.

"Um yeah, I think we're both dating people." Delaney says and I see her eyes shift over to Carter and I see their little smile.

"Yeah, I'm dating someone." Dacre says and I watch as he licks his lips as he looks at Maisie.

"Ew." I say and everyone looks at me. "I'm so sorry, that wasn't directed to you Dacre. Relationships just give me the heebie jeebies."

"Why?" Donovan asks.

"Reasons." I respond and we leave it at that.

"Maisie, Carter, these two won't tell me who they're dating, you guys are all pretty close, do you know." I finish my sprite in an effort not to laugh but I can feel the sprite exit my nose.

"My goodness." I say as I wipe my face and laugh into the tissue.

"Something funny?" Dacre says, amused.

"You know what I find funny Dacre." I respond as I throw the tissue away.

"I feel like I'm missing something here. It's like one big joke and I'm not a part of it." Donovan says.

"Donny, who do you think my girlfriend is?" Carter says.

"I don't know..." We all look at Donovan.

"Can I say? It's getting boring." They all nod to my question.

"Your sister is dating Carter and your brother is dating Maisie." I'm very surprised he didn't figure it out.

"What?!" Donovan shouts and that's my cue to leave.

"Lock up when you leave, okay?" I say and Maisie and Carter nod.

I shower and get changed and somebody comes out on the balcony on the house next to me. 

"You thought my balcony was yours when you came into my room, didn't you?" I ask.

"Yeah." He says and I look at him.

He seems upset.

"I don't understand why they didn't tell me that they're in a relationship, they're my siblings for God sake." He really is upset.

"Careful, your bad boy facade is slipping. Maisie and Carter didn't tell me either, I just guessed." It doesn't bother me. They're adults.

"Oh fuck off." He says and I laugh.

I got under his skin.

"Gladly." I lock my door, shut the blinds and then close the curtains. I'm glad I did this, this was so much more secure than the cloth over the door.

I finally succumb to the sweet calling of sleep.