You Never Know (Random Updates)

Chapter 4

"Man, I need a break," Kota groaned to Marc as they entered the common room a couple of nights later.

"Yeah, a coffee sounds great right now," Marc sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I didn't expect to be studying this late."

"I'm going to make some hot chocolate," Kota shook his head at his best friend's obsession with coffee. "Unlike you, I don't want to be up all night long." He glanced over his shoulder when he noticed that Marc was staring at something. He stepped closer to his best friend and tensed for a second.

There in the far corner by the window was Heidi. What the hell was she doing up at...he glanced down at the watch on his wrist, 11:45 at night? A quick glance at Marc told him that he was wondering the same thing.

Letting out a soft huff he started walking over to her then stopped when he saw she was swaying side to side with her little brother in her arms. She was softly singing a lullaby while also reading a class book thanks to the moonlight shining through the window. He took a couple more steps before he was able to hear her singing "You Are My Sunshine."

Kota froze when he realized how close to her he was then turned around and walked back over to the kitchen so he could start making drinks.

Marc shook his head then cleared his throat, snapping her out of her reading trance. "Shouldn't he be in bed at this hour? I mean it is freaking midnight after all."

She flinched then straightened her back, "Did he disturb you, Weiland?" She pressed a soft kiss to Liam's hair, "I apologize, he was missing his parents and couldn't fall asleep. I just got him to go to sleep, I'm sorry."

"Eh forget it," Marc waved in the air nonchalantly, "we've been studying. Why aren't you sleeping?"

She held up her book, "I'm just getting some homework done now that he isn't crying."

"How the hell am I supposed to beat you fairly if you're exhausted?" Kota asked while rolling his eyes and handing Marc his coffee. "It's not fair if you're going to fall asleep in the middle of the test because you were singing lullabies all night long."

She rolled her eyes and shifted Liam up to her a little more, "No matter how exhausted my brother makes me, Lee, I will still beat you."

"You keep saying his parents," Marc said trying to diffuse the tension, "aren't they your parents too? Have you even grieved?"

She flinched again then tensed before he noticed the emotion leave her eyes, "I appreciate your concern Weiland, but my father and stepmother made their feelings and intentions towards me very clear a long time ago. I have mourned appropriately for them and now my focus is solely on my brother and his needs. Now," she lifted him up again and closed her book after sticking her paper in between the pages she was reading, "since he is finally asleep I need to go lay him down, excuse me."

"Well, that could have gone better," Marc whispered as he watched her walk down the hall.

"Sure, whatever," Kota said as he watched as well before shrugging, "come on let's get this part over with so we can get some sleep. I really do not need another lecture from Sean or North about how not getting enough sleep is detrimental to our health."

"Yeah, okay," Marc mumbled as he continued to stare down the now empty hallway before turning away to follow Kota back into the room they were studying in.

Kota walked into Microeconomics the following day and was shocked to see that Heidi and Lisa were already in class. Heidi looked exhausted and for some strange reason that made him even more irritated than usual.

"Try and relax, Heidi," LIsa was whispering as Kota approached them. "He is going to have fun and he is going to learn so much there. I promise it's safe or Professor Brooks wouldn't have recommended it. She said her grandchildren went there and had a blast and you know how protective she is of her grandkids."

"I know," Heidi whispered as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I know it's safe it's just..." she sighed and closed her eyes, "he's been through so much and it's just us now and I have to–"

"You don't want him to suffer any more kind of hurt," Lisa finished while gently squeezing Heidi's shoulder, "I get it, you now have to be both Mom and Big Sis, it's something you never expected to be. You thought you would be cool big sister forever, but life had other plans. All you can do is try your best and you are doing your best. You are doing great Heidi, try not to worry, alright? You aren't in this alone, you got me forever."

"Thanks Lisa," Heidi whispered, "I guess I'm just worried because–"

"Alright class," the professor said as he walked into the class cutting off whatever Heidi was going to say. "Open your books and turn to page..."

Kota snapped out of his curiosity and forced himself to pay attention to the lecture. Although his eyes kept glances over to a certain girl he's always had this weird competitive streak with. When class was just about over he couldn't help notice that Heidi was leaning her face into the palm of her hand. Her head bobbing as if she was about to fall asleep any moment.

'Huff, why should I care? She has been my rival since we started this school three years ago.' he thought as he watched her frown then force herself to wake up, rubbing her eyes with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. Realizing that he had a smirk on his face, he forced himself to drop it.

"Heidi, it's that one CPS lady," Lisa whispered as she spotted Heidi's phone vibrating.

"Shit," Heidi groaned as she pushed her strawberry blonde hair out of her face as the bell rang. She quickly rushed out of the classroom while Lisa started gathering their things.

"What's her problem?" Kota asked Lisa tensely.

"Why do you care?" Lisa asked as she zipped up Heidi's bag.

"I don't," Kota glared at her. "I just don't want drama."

"Uh huh, sure," Lisa said as she picked up her bag. "Well no need to worry Kota, everything will be fine, the only drama we have to deal with is the constant girls throwing themselves at the kings of the uni trying to be your latest conquest."

"You know we aren't like that, Lisa," Kota glared at her.

She shrugged as she started to leave the room with him following right behind, "well then you have nothing to worry about."

"He started school today," Heidi spoke softly with her back towards the class so she didn't hear them enter the hallway. "He has his own bed in my room and my best friend helps when I need it. I understand that it's unconventional Miss Jones but it works for us right now. I thought you wanted to keep family together and I am his only family. I understand that I'm only 20 but I can still...I'm not throwing anything away, I never go to parties and I'm in the top of my class even with him with me. I have everything he needs. I am thinking of our future, Miss Jones. There are plenty of single mothers raising their children successfully and I will do the same, I know I can do it. If I have to give up veterinary school then fine, I can still raise him just fine without furthering my education. I'm already doing better than my parents and his, they were all high school dropouts. I know what I am doing, Miss Jones. I understand that I'm young but I am still his family and nothing will change that," Heidi tensed up so tightly that Lisa wondered if she had cracked her phone. "No, Coredelia will not be assisting me at all, she made that very clear and I do not need her help raising Liam. Fine, you can speak with all my professors and my advisor and they will show you that I am doing just fine and I have a plan for our future with various outcomes so that I am prepared. No, I haven't touched his inheritance and I will not unless it is absolutely necessary, my inheritance is sufficient for the both of us. Fine, see you then, good bye Miss Jones."

She hung up and took a deep breath before letting it out shakingly. "Heidi?" Lisa asked nervously.

"Shit," Heidi gasped as she turned around holding her phone to her chest, "sorry I didn't hear you..." she trailed off seeing Kota standing there watching her. "Um, I have to go," she gleaned down at her well worn watch, "um, get Liam, I'll talk to you later Lis."

They watched her rush out of the building before Kota cleared his throat, "Who's Coredelia?"

Lisa scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Her narcissistic bitch of a mother." She turned to Kota and raised an eyebrow, "Why? I thought you hated Heidi."