01. Grumpy Beginnings.

1.5K 90 102
                                    


CHAPTER ONE

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

CHAPTER ONE. Grumpy Beginnings

( Pilot )

Trigger Warnings: mentions of drug addiction and overdosing.


__________







"What atom is the reactant atom in a nuclear reaction?"

Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Bradford's brows pulled together at her uncle's question, spreading cream cheese on her bagel as she thought. After a moment, her dark eyes lit up as she looked towards Carmine. "The parent atom."

A grin pulled up at Carmine's lips as he looked up from the study guide, he held it out towards his niece. "See? You'll do fine on that test. You've aced practically every question on here, kiddo."

"I hope so." Elizabeth returned the paper to her folder, finally stopping to take a bite of her breakfast.

"You will." Carmine's smile faltered subtly as his phone vibrated in his back pocket, retrieving it and glancing down at the text message that came across his screen.

We need to talk.

Carmine's chest tightened. Anyone texting someone with that sentence was nerve-wracking, but considering the text came from his lawyer it made him feel nauseated even looking at it.

"Everything okay?"

Carmine looked up from his phone screen to see Elizabeth looking at him, face scrunched together in concern. The male nodded, forcing himself to return his previous smile as he put his phone back into his pocket. "Yeah. All good. Come on, we've gotta get going."





__________





A heavy exhale filled the air of Carmine's parked car, thumb hovering over the call icon on his phone screen. His blood felt cold running through his veins, his heart beating far too quickly for his liking and the overwhelming anxiety only worsened the moment the phone began to ring.

"Hello."

The welcoming but nausea-inducing voice of Derek Hughes came across the speaker phone, Carmine breathing out slowly before parting his lips to respond.

Rumors ━ evan buckley.Where stories live. Discover now