Hate

Chapter 8

Readers POV

"I really think you should've stayed at uh..what's her face's, house" I frown down at the carrots I was attempting to chop.

WaTcH oUt GoRdOn RAmsAy!

"Her name is Lauren, and I don't want to bring her into this. Because if something does happen I don't want it to affect her. End of story" She explains firmly.

"But.." I sigh, placing the knife down. "Isn't Laura's husband a cop or some shit?" I question with furrowed brows.

"Lauren" She corrects me. "And he's a firefighter, not a cop" she points.

"Firefighter, cop, whatever! Potato, tomato" I wave her correction off. "But-"

"Hold on" She cuts off, putting her hands up. "Sorry to cut you off, but "Potato, tomato"?" She questions with chuckle and a cocked brow.

I knit my brows together. "Yeah...?" I respond as more of a question. But her knowing yet mischievous gaze made me uncomfortable.

"I think someone has been spending a lot of time with Billie" She says in a singsong voice with a playful smirk.

"Wh-Yo-How-" I sputter incoherent words.

"What the fuck!? How do you come to that conclusion from "Potato, tomato"" I exclaim with a scoff.

"Don't you remember? When you and Billie where smaller she used to always say that"

I raise a brow and think back.

"Billie, it's California not Florida" I correct her with an eye roll.

"Potato, tomato. They're both long states and have the same letters but 'C' and 'N', whatever" Billie shrugs me off.

-

"Billie! You were supposed to bring blue not red" Finneas sighs disappointedly down at the red shirts.

"Potato, tomato!" She exclaims, dismissing it with a wave of her hand.

-

"Chocolate not peanut butter"

"Potato, tomato"

"Wow" I breath out without meaning to.

I quickly recover myself and shake my head at my mom.

"Whatever, that's not the point!" I frown, attempting to keep the heat from rushing to my cheeks.

"What I meant was that it doesn't matter if he's a cop or firefighter. The point is he's a big and strong meathead that can protect you and Laura" I explain, hoping I could reason with her.

"What a backhanded compliment" She comments with a chuckle, but I kept my face serious.

"Mom"

"Okay, I get what you're saying. If it makes you happy and puts you at peace...I'll stay at Laura's-Lauren's!!" She catches herself making me laugh.

"Okay, good. Thanks Mom" I grin, placing a kiss on her head.

"No problem, honey. But where do you want to stay? Lauren's or the O'Connell's? You'll sleep on an air mattress either way" She nudges me making me snicker.

"I'll stay at with the O'Connell's. I practically live there" I joke.

"And besides Lauren's sons are both dopey meatheads, that don't know left from right. And her daughter is very creepy. She's always staring at me and trying to flirt with me. It's very uncomfortable. So I'm more than happy to stay with the O'Connell's"