If Only She Knew REVISITED

Chapter 18

   The birds sing harmoniously outside my bathroom window but I don't take in their joy as I find myself examining my reflection in the mirror as water droplets trickle slowly down my back.

How did I end up in this situation?

"Hey! Are you done yet!" Valerie pounds the door as I roll my eyes.

"Excuse me, is this your house or mine!" I snap back.

"Well, isn't it really Mommy and Daddy's house?" She digs into the wound.

"Just give me a minute please..."

After I am done with my self pity party, I wrap a clean towel around my body and slowly unlock the bathroom, finding Valerie leaning against the door frame admiring her nails without a care in the world.

I feel bad for what happened to her but she's still a bitch.

"You know, I will have to start charging you rent if you're here more than two weeks." Nolan and I decided it was safest to let her stay here for the time being. However, I'm not liking the living arrangements so far. She has stolen my cereal twice.

"Oh whatever." Her eyes are still glued to her nails, her side slams into mine as she barges past causing me to stumble.

"Bitch." I whisper under my breath.

"Excuse me." Val's voice once again arises as she hears my sly remark against her.

"Nothing..." I speak quickly as I look over to Amelia and Nolan who are both seated at the breakfast table overseeing the confrontation.

"How could she hear me?" My question throws them both off as they exchange sheepish looks amongst themselves.

Nolan prods the fork around his plate and answers. "No idea."

Brushing it off, I head for my bedroom to get dressed.

Afterwards, I join Nolan at the breakfast table, Amelia is placed in the kitchen making chocolate chip pancakes, as she tries her best not to burn them.

I choke on the stench of the burnt pancakes. So far Amelia is failing.

"Don't make it obvious Ava." Nolan giggles.

"I hope everyone's hungry, because these are going to be the best pancakes you'll ever have..." Oven mitt covering hands, she walks over to the table carrying the tray before carefully placing it down within the centre.

"Are you sure they are edible?" Nolan receives a deathly glare from his sister. I turn to the open bathroom door as Val re-emerges.

"Hey, thanks for letting me use your bathroom Av." She voice's obnoxiously as I scoff loudly. Nolan's watchful eyes graze my skin.

"You okay Ava?" He asks concerned while wiping away the remains of juice from the corners of his mouth.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I say through gritted teeth.

Slowly, he leans his body towards mine, close enough to feel his breath tickling my ear.

"Play nice baby." His whispered words pass through me as I feel a tingling sensation rush through my body.

"I'll try." I whisper back.

"Now, everybody tuck in, I didn't spend an hour making pancakes for them to be wasted." Amelia's positivity is something I don't need right now.

"An hour to make pancakes!" I hear the shock in Nolan's voice.

"Don't judge me. I wanted them to be perfect." Amelia's eyes narrow at Nolan. .