For What It's Worth

Chapter 5

It was dark.The ground was wet,an indication that probably it had rained.The girl walked stealthily through the dark road,her heart was beating so fast,she had never been so scared before.
An owl hooted making her jump with fright.

"D...Dad!!?" She meant to shout,but it only came out as a whimper."Dad"she whispered again and this time hot tears tricked down her cheeks that were frozen from the cold.

Suddenly she saw movement,across the road,three dangerously looking men were holding another man violently.The man looked at the little girl,his eyes were calm.They stared for a while.One of the men noticed the man looking across the road and noticed the girl

"Hey,get the girl" he ordered one of the other two.

"Chloe baby ruuun"The Man being held suddenly shouted.

"Daddy!!??" The girl said panicked.The man was coming for her.

She sudden broke into a run.Just as the man was catching up to her,she fell into a manhole,and looking up,she saw his face clearly,it was the face of Cole Cranberry.

Chloe woke up with a start.She was sweating profusely.She sighed.

" Shit!..fucking dream again"

She drunk some water.
......................................................................

"What's with the rush Avery,it's weekend, there is no school" Mrs Rayner said to Avery who was all over the house in a hurry.

" Mother I can't find my earing,have you seen my earing?"

"No"

"Ben ,have you?" She asked.

"Sorry Ave,I haven't"

"Uurrghhh"she said and walked into the kitchen bumping into Chloe who was from getting herself a cup of coffee.

"Watch where you're going batface"

"I don't have time for your arguments right now"

"Do I look like I have time for yours?"

"Have you seen my earing?"

"Why,do I look like your eyes?"

"Chloe,be nice to your sister"Mrs Rayner put in.

"And Avery why is it important to find that earing...just put any other pair on"

" No mom,Cole is coming to take me out,and those were the earrings he bought me,I wanted him to see I still had them"

"Oh! So you have a date with Cole?"

"Yess" Avery squealed

"Then go get ready already,don't worry,you'll show him the others some other time" Ben said.

"Okay" Avry said running upstairs.

Chloe rolled her eyes and settled on the sofa near her school bagpack.

"And you Chloe,don't you have no plans?"

'No" she replied curtly.

"You're doing school work?"

"As you can see clearly"she rolled her eyes.

"Alright,Ben and I are going out too,see you in the evening"

" Oh it's fine,you know what's even better? The three of you should go live in some island somewhere and have fun for the rest of your lives"she smiled sarcastically.

" Watch your tone young lady,I am still your mother"

"Yeah unfortunately" Chloe said Rollin her eyes and looking at her book.
Her mom slapped her.

"Hey...hey hey...the two of you..get ahold of yourselves" Ben said pulling Mrs Rayner away.

"I hate you! Stop trying to be nice to me,I don't want to talk to you,about my day or my plans,as though we were some happy family,that was my dad's job,nothing should change,I want you to be just the way you were when my dad was alive, Avery's mom"
Chloe cried.

" Chloe I am your mother too,maybe in the past I acted as if I didn't care,but I do care for you,and it breaks me that I wasnt always there for you,your dad is gone now,you have us, we're here for you"

"it was so easy for you to forget him,and replace him with this guy...and you act as if he never existed..but he was my dad.." she said and looked at her mom for a minutes.

"I wish you were the one that had gone and not him"

Chloe said and left the room.

"You know she didn't mean that" Ben said reassuringly.

" She's just sad and missing her dad...And perhaps the fact that she saw Cole and his mom reminded her of the past all over again,that's why she's acting this way"

Mrs Rayner sniffed.

"Now come on we don't want to miss our reservation,get ready to feel 16 again"Ben said charmingly and Mrs Rayner smiled.

" See you later kids" he yelled.They left the house.

Choe came back from the bathroom refreshed after crying her heart out.

The doorbell sounded.

"It's open" she said arranging her books and taking out her laptop

"what took you so long you nitwit" she said not looking up

"we have a lot to-" she stopped Midway when she looked up.

"Oh"

" Hey Chloe" she only grunted,barely looking up.

"is she ready yet?"

" How would I know,she's your girlfriend,you ask her"she said.

"Uh- okay...can I get some juice?"

" It's not your first time here"

Cole went to the kitchen to get himself juice.
The door suddenly flew open

"Baby I'm hommee"Adam's voice chimed.

"Took you long enough" Chloe said

"Well excuse me for being nice enough to go my way to bring us donuts as we work" he said.

" You brought donuts!!?" She said excitedly.

" Mhm" he smiled brightly wiggling his eyebrows.

He  moved towards and whispered
"Is that who I think it is??" Smiling brightly.

"Yes,she rolled her eyes.

"Hallo Cole Cranberry, it is indeed very nice to meet you"

Adam said walking over to Cole to shake his hand with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Uh- nice to meet you too?"

"Adam,Adam Padenski"

Cole nodded.

"Adam are you going to help me,or stand in that kitchen the entire day?"

Came Chloe's demanding voice.

"I'm starting to rethink helping you" he rolled his eyes going over to sit with her.

"Oh my word what the hell is this thing you're studying! I already have a migraine" Adam said exaggeratedly

"Adam we're just minutes into the project and you're already complaining"

Cole remained at the kitchen counter watching the two.He looked at his watch and rolled his eyes.

Avery came down the stairs squealing and hugged Cole tightly before saying they were ready to go.