She's Bad News

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Where is she going to go, Sandy?”

I paused at the entrance to the kitchen, listening to my dad talk to his wife.

“I don’t really care, Donald. She put this family through hell, do you really think she’s changed? She’s spent the past four years doing god knows what with her mother and now you want her to live here with our son?”

“She’s my daughter, Sandra,” Donald said simply making my heart clench. I swallowed and leaned my head against the wall, revelling in the words coming from his mouth. I closed my eyes and a small smile tilted the corners of my lips.

When I opened my eyes again, my gaze connected with Flynn’s who was standing in the fake living room in front of me, his eyes puzzled as he looked at me.

“I can’t live with her!” Sandra bellowed just as Jesse walking up next to Flynn.

My gaze shifted to my brother and I saw anger flare there as he took a purposeful step towards the kitchen.

“She can stay here as long as she wants,” Jesse said firmly, entering the kitchen while Flynn and I stood in the living room, staring at each other.

“Why so she can drag you down with her? She’s a criminal, Jesse! You’ve always put her on a pedestal but the fact of the matter is, there’s just something wrong with her. She’s been drinking and going to parties since she was 12 years old Jess. Is that normal?”

“Give her a chance, Sandra. She’s different now, I can tell.”

I broke my gaze away from Flynn’s and spun, walking into the kitchen with a purposeful stride. “I haven’t changed that much big bro,” I said cheerfully, slapping Jesse on the back. “However, I have nowhere else to go and if you let me stay here, I’ll promise not to drink or get into any trouble while I’m under your roof.” My eyes connected firmly with Sandra’s and I could see the doubt in her gaze. I smirked at her and put my right hand on my heart and held my left hand in the air, palm facing her. “I swear to you Sandra, if you even smell a drop of alcohol on me, you can kick me out immediately.”

Her gaze wavered and her lips tightened a fraction before she looked over at my dad.

“Sandra, she needs us,” he whispered and I felt like I’d been kicked in the gut. It took everything I had to keep the smirk on my face but somehow I managed. He was right. I needed them more than anything. I’d been needing them for four years now and they’d thrown me away.

“Fine,” Sandra said on a sigh, her shoulders straightening as she took a step closer to me and gave me a stern look. “I’m going to write up a list of rules for you to follow while you’re here and if you break a single one, you’re out.”

“This is going to be a very long list isn’t it?” I asked sarcastically.

She shot a glare at my father before leaving the room.

He gave me an unsteady smile and placed a hand lightly on my shoulder for a brief squeeze. “Welcome home, Corinna,” he said before moving to follow his wife out of the kitchen.

I could feel Flynn and Jesse looking at me but I went to get a glass of water before I could meet their eyes steadily. My shoulder tingled from where Donald had touched me and at the moment, all I’d wanted to do was lean in for a real hug.

“So Cory, before Sandra finishes her list, want to come out with us? We were going to grab a slice of pizza with a few of my friends from college.”

I turned and smirked at my brother. “College boys?” I said raising my eyebrow.

He chuckled. “And girls,” he said moving towards me and wrapping me in an unexpected hug. “It’s good to have you back, Cor.”