Nice Shot (John Luke Robertson Book 2)

Chapter 14

READ!!!--- I am so sorry! Please don't kill me! I'll try to update on a frequent schedule but life as a high schooler gets crazy! What are you guys wanting from these chapters? And could you guys post again in a comment if you want to be in it. Include names, features, personalities, role, and any details you want added. I'm running out of ideas so tell me what you wanna see. Obviously cute JL and Kaysie moments as well as finding out the killer, but what else?

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"It's... nice."
"That's it?" Hunter demands. I shrug, getting defensive.
"I don't know what you want me to say! It's comfy, I guess. It's just small, and you're a grown man, you know? I mean, where's the pool table and video games?" I ask, spinning around to take in Hunter's apartment. It's small in which the kitchen is right next to the living room which is in from of the bedroom which is beside the bathroom which is in front of the laundry room. That's it. Tiny rooms with only two doors- one for the bathroom and one for the living room. Everything else is in the open.
"Well I don't exactly have money for a mansion, sister," Hunter grumpily replies. "It's big enough for me, and it has a pull-out couch for guests."
"Okay fine. It's great. I love it," I say, taking a seat on the said couch. Hunter rolls his eyes and sits beside me, turning the tv on. "Um," I fiddle with a hole in my jeans. "When was the last time you spoke to Mom?"
"Yesterday. And I know all about the fight you had, Kaysie. And, I understand it. But she's your mother," Hunter points out. I scoff.
"A bad one." Hunter almost interrupts but I'm not finished. "And you know what? The only thing she can amount to is carrying me for nine months and feeding me as a baby. Dad was always the one who stayed home with me, played football with me, fed me baby food, put me to bed, tucked me in, bought me groceries that I begged for, and helped me paint my room a million times. Mom took me shopping twice in all of my seventeen years."
"Almost seventeen."
"Shut up," I murmur, folding my arms and sitting back. "I don't owe anything to her. She should've just had an abortion if she didn't want me."
"She wants you, Kaysie. She wouldn't ever get an abortion. She loves all of her children. You mean a lot to her," Hunter argues.
"Yeah," I scoff again, looking at the tv. "She wants me so she can yell at me and tell me what to do."
"Kaysie."
"Hunter." I look at him, annoyed. "Stop justifying everything. She can speak for herself and by God, she did. Loud and clear yet still ineffective." I stand from the couch and venture to the fridge, grabbing a can of lemonade.
"I just don't think you should be on bad terms with her. What if something bad happened and you didn't get to resolve your issues?"
I sip my lemonade and bounce on my heels, folding my arms and not meeting my brother's gaze. "Look, I know she hasn't been there for you. But you turned out great, right? You don't have to give her anything, but you do need to talk to her."
"Hunter," tears well up in my eyes and I want to scream. I am so tired of crying. It feels like that's all I do nowadays. "She never understood me. She wanted me to date..." I can't say his name, but Hunter gives a knowing look. "After what he did. How could she do that? Why did she do that?" Hunter walks around the small counter and wraps his arms around me. The can of lemonade squishes between us.
"I'm sorry, Kaysie. I wish I could do something. Rewind time and talk to Mom. Tell her to try harder, but I can't. She just isn't great mother material," he chuckles lightly and I laugh. "Come on. We'll go watch Sweet Dreams and then you can call Mom."
**
"So, how'd it go with your mom?" John Luke asks, brushing through my hair. He sits on the sectional at Miss Kay's and I sit on the floor between his legs. The bristles of the brush slide smoothly through my silky hair. I arrived two minutes ago with a frizzy mop of hair because of the rain. John Luke laughed, but got a brush and instructed me to sit.
"Alright, I guess. She still doesn't want me seeing you. She just says I'm too young for a serious boyfriend," I state, pulling my knees up to my chest. I fiddle with my shoe laces before sliding the converse off and grabbing the pink polish from the ottoman. Sadie must've been here earlier and decided to paint her nails before her date with Hunter.
I smile, unscrewing the lid of polish. They're cute and I know neither would hurt the other intentionally, but it's a bit weird with them being potential in-laws someday, maybe.
"You're almost seventeen," John Luke declares.
"I know." (I have no idea how old anyone is anymore, cuz in real life JL is already engaged and nineteen, but here he's eighteen maybe? IDK when Kaysie's bday is, but it's going to be August third, K?)
"Well, you'll be one step closer to being a legal adult. And anyway, I just haven't made a terrific impression on her. I'll show her how good I am for you. Just you wait," John Luke says, tugging my hair into a braid. A simple braid, because he can't French braid.
"Oh, okay, Mr. Perfect."
**
"Everything always goes back to Clara Bridges," I mumble to my boyfriend, scrolling though Facebook. I jot down some clues and hints and names. I'm no closer to solving Hailey's murderer. It's hard work. I don't know how detectives do it.
"Scooter has pictures of Clara on here. Clara and Hailey, like they were best friends. This was at the Florida beach house. Which means Clara visited. Which means she knew about the baby," I work it all out like a math problem or cardboard puzzle. Scooter- the boy my sister ran away with an had a kid with- accepted my friend request on Facebook early this morning. I've seen every video of my niece that he has posted.
My eyes drift to the pictures Scooter gave me at the dinner. They sit in a small pile at my desk. It's been a week. They're still in town for another week. I can go see my niece. "JL?"
"Yeah?" John Luke mumbles from his position on my bed. I look at him over my shoulder. He's still in sweats and a tee and he looks tired as he leans against the pillows.
"Will you go with me to meet my niece?"
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OKAY GUYS? HOWD I DO? WHO DO YOU THINK KILLED HAILEY? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN UPCOMING CHAPTERS? COMMENT NAME, APPEARANCE, CHARACTERISTICS AND DETAILS IF YOU WANNA BE IN THE STORY! SORRY FOR MISTAKES AND WAITS.