unexpected • joey birlem

•16•

"Kayla your brothers are being dic- immature. Can you please help me clean the house?" I nod smiling at my mom getting off the bed.

"Why are we cleaning the house though?" I asked, I follow my mom down the stairs seeing Lina picking up the living room.

I grab a broom and started sweeping the kitchen floor as my mom wiped the counters down.

"We're having the Birlems over for dinner" my head shot up, my mom gives me a confused look and the does the 'oh shit' face.

"Kayla hunny, I totally forgot. Jen and I are very good friends-"

"Mommy it's okay, I don't care. Sophia and I are close" I shrug. It was true Sophia and I did get really close recently but she doesn't know what's going, or at least I think she doesn't.

I helped my moms out cleaning and picking the house up. They started cooking dinner, so I guess they were coming very soon. Not gonna lie it was annoying having to see Joey, but i'm just gonna act like I don't know who he is.

I went up to my room and change into black leggings and a white tight long sleeve shirt that showed my curves. I kept my curly hair down and put mascara on.

I got really bored so I started looking through my closet seeing if I wanted to get rid of clothes or not. I came across Chases hoodie, I take it off the hanger and throw it on my bed. I grab anything that was involved with Chase and put in a small box.
I grab the box and go into Quintons room, I asked if he can drive me over to his house to drop these off real quick.
We headed out quickly so we can get home on time and so our moms didn't get mad at us.

"You okay?" I smile at Quinton and nod. I take a deep breath as he pulled up to the curb in front of Chases house.

"Fuck" I groan, he was sitting on his front steps on his phone. Quinton burst into laughter and pats my head.

I got out of the car getting Chases attention. I fake smile at him and grab the box out the car, I give Quinton a look and shut the car door.

"Hey" he smiles at me and stands up, I give him another fake smile and walk up to him.

"Here's...your stuff" I awkwardly hand him the box. He frowns taking it slowly and staring at it.

"I said you can keep it.." I shook my head and take a step back. He makes eye contact with me, I sigh and look away.

"I-I can't. Keeping that stuff feels wrong. It's already bad enough Joey is coming over" he nods understanding.

"I'm sorry Kayla" I roll my eyes and glance at the car seeing Quinton glaring down Chase being the overprotective asshole.

"It's fine. We're not anything anymore, nothing to even be upset about" I say, with a fake laugh and walk back to the car.

Quinton drove off. It was silent but he knew I didn't want to explain what just happened. He pulled in the driveway and we both got out of the car.

I groan as I hear laughter coming from the kitchen. Quinton smirks at me, I glare at him and stayed by the front door closing it behind me.

"Times like right now, I wish I can turn into a shoe" I sigh, Quinton gives me a weird look.

"Kayla the fuck is wrong with you?" we burst into laughter making everyone in the kitchen go quiet.

"Quinton and Kayla?!" I go silent making Quinton laugh harder. I grab a shoe holding it up at him, he screams like a little girl and runs off.

I throw the shoe at him hitting him in the back of the head. I heard Lina laugh and my mom laugh as well. Quintons turns around and charges towards me. He tosses me over his shoulder heading towards the back door, passing everyone.

"I'm being kidnapped and nobody is doing anything" I say, right as we walk passed them.

Quinton always boosted my mood up no matter what went on he always found a way to cheer me up. He finally put me down. Sophia runs up to me and hugs me tightly. I hug her back and hug Jen, completely ignoring Joey.

"Well, let's all sit at the table!" I walked to the table as there was already food on the table.

Both of my moms sat at each end of the table like they normally do. I sat in between Sophia and Preston. Quinton sat across of me, sitting in between Joey and Jen. We all started putting food on our plates and began eating.

"So whats the gossip?" my mom said, quoting the mom from 'Mean Girls' which made us all burst into laughter.

"Nothing" I say, I shrug shoving a meatball in my mouth making Sophia laugh.

"Liar!" Quinton shouts, he throws a ball of napkins at me. I roll my eyes and toss it in the small garbage can we had.

"No really! what's up with you kids nowadays?" Jen asked, I thought about Anthony and how amazing yesterday was.
I just wanted to be in Anthony's arms again. The feeling felt so much better knowing he actually cared about me and actually wants me, unlike someone.

We all stay silent, I think everyone got the hit about Joey and I. Joey and I glance at each other making it really more awkward. I absolutely hated this.

"Joey and Kayla, I know you two had something" Jen said, I almost spit my food out. I'm guessing Jen had no idea.

"No, there never was anything" I say, Quinton gives me a sad look. I look at Joey, he stares at the table in silence.

"What?! come on! you two flirted with each other nonstop!!" Joey wipes under his eyes and he starts playing with his food with his fork.

"Nope, it was just to be nice" Joey says, we glare each other down.

"Some people just don't know what they want" I say back, my mom tried hiding her smile from the sass I was giving.

"Well Kayla has a boyfriend, super sweet kid!" Lina says, Jen smiles at me and points her fork at me.

"He better treat you good, you're a beautiful and an amazing girl!" I blush from Jens comment, Sophia nudges my arm with her elbow, wiggling her eyebrows.

"What about me?" Preston asked, we all burst into laughter and it didn't become awkward like it was before.

We all fished dinner and helped clean up the table. I went outside into the cold air looking at the stars needing some fresh air.

"What the fuck was that?" I turn around seeing Joey walk outside, shutting the screen door behind him.

"What was what?" I play dumb, I didn't feel like arguing but I started it so had to finish it.

"Stop, you had absolutely no reason to literally block me out of your life and act like you want nothing to do with me" he said stepping closer to me.

"Oh I don't? sorry Joey but i'm not the girl you expect me to be, i'm not gonna crawl my ass back to you every time you come tell me you want me. You should really ask for some lessons from me, because you seem to do that a lot with Kenzie" I say, you can tell he was beyond pissed at the point.

"You're just jealous because I picked Kenzie over your miserable ass!" my heart sank I stay quite not knowing what to say.

"What? you gonna go smoke that away too or run to a different dude? you know it explains a lot why your dad isn't around, he didn't wanna-" he stopped, tears roll down my cheek as he crossed the line and he knew he did.

"I hate you and I truly mean it, fuck you and never talk to me again" I shove him out of my way. I slam the glass door, getting everyone's attention.

"Kayla hunny what's wrong?" Lina asked, Quinton stiffens up looking at me.

"Nothing, im really tired. It was nice seeing you guys, goodnight" I head upstairs into my room. The fact Joey said that hit me like a truck.