Haven

Chapter Twenty Six

Alex had left by 6am on Saturday morning and after some convincing, my sister allowed me to bring Jamie over for a movie night. We had agreed to keep it a secret from Alex, and there would have been no real way for him to find out. If I hadn't fucked up.

We had a nice night, ended up in my room watching Netflix and cuddling in bed. It was all very PG. Other than a heated make out session. And by heated I mean literally hot, we were sweating. So I changed into a shorts pj set and Jamie had taken his shirt off. But it went no further.

At some point we had fallen asleep accidentally, and that proved to be a mistake as I was woke up by a "WHAT THE FUCK!" and when I jerked awake, rising from my spot on Jamie's bare chest I was met with Alex looking like he was about to blow a fuse.

I did manage to notice it was 11am, and briefly wondered why he was home so early but his red face and the vein in his forehead looking like it was about to explode distracted me greatly.

"Shit." I heard Jamie mutter from beside me, jumping out of bed to retrieve his shirt and eyeing Alex nervously while he pulled the shirt over his head.

Once I locked eyes with my father, I couldn't break it. "What the fuck is this?" He repeats himself and I shake my head.
"Not what it looks like, we must have fallen asleep by accident." He cocks a brow, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Okay, and what part of him being in your room is acceptable in the first place?" He demands, pointing to Jamie and this time I do spare him a glance, and he looked scared as fuck.

I drop my head in defeat as soon as I look back to Alex to argue and see that determined and angry glare he's fixed me with. "I know, we were watching a movie, we just fell asleep." I gesture to the tv which is still on Netflix. "I'm sorry."

Jamie nods his head in agreement. "I'm really sorry Mr Fitz, like Jaida said it was a mistake." Alex moves his glare from me to Jamie in that instance. And after holding him with a glare his features soften slightly.
"While I appreciate your apology, I think your own father would like to see you home." Jamie's eyes widen momentarily, he obviously hadn't had time to think about the repercussions from his own parents.

But he does nod and excuse himself, apologizing again and leaving me alone to face the music.
"Let's go and see what Jasmine has to say about this." He demands.

Shit. I had completely forgot about my sister, and I certainly couldn't afford for him to hate her and not keep her around. She was all I had.

I jump off my spot on the bed, grabbing a hoody that was strewn haphazardly on the carpet as I rush after Alex.
"She didn't know!" I say, hot on his heels down the stairs. "I snuck him in last night when she was working on work stuff!" He stops at the bottom of the stairs, turning around with a thunderous expression on his face.

My sister, who had obviously witnessed Jamie slink out was watching me first with her own anger towards my fuck up, then in amusement as she realized I was covering her.

"So you lied to me last night when I asked what you were doing, and you took advantage of your sister being productive while doing me a favor and spending time with you?" I almost roll my eyes, how did he make everything sound like such a crime? But I opt to nod my head slowly, eyeing my relieved looking sister before dropping my eyes to the cold hardwood altogether.

"I guess so." Is all I say, and I hear him scoff.
"Then I guess you're grounded, indefinitely." He retorts, and I do sigh at this, as I place my phone in his outstretched hand. He looks me up and down once more, before pointing to the stairs.

"Now get upstairs, clean your room and get ready for the day." He orders and like an obedient little dog I trot back up the stairs, feeling completely subdued.

What a grumpy bastard, is all I think to myself as I follow his directions, tidying my room and getting dressed. I consider going downstairs and giving my sister a fake apology to look good, then I realize apologizing is so the opposite of how I've ever treated anybody. He'd see through us then, besides she never came to check on me if she had she could've woken our sorry asses up and saved me all this hassle.

Instead, I decided to sit on my bed, and wallow. For as long as Alex's overbearing nature and incessant need to torture me would allow. Soon he'd be demanding I do more shit, ensuring I felt as shit as he did when he found us in bed that morning.

However, it was Jasmine who appeared in my doorway, to my surprise, with a cheeky smile on her face.
"Well that went well." She remarks as she rounds the corner into my room, sliding the door shut behind her.

I can't stop the laugh that escapes my lips, nodding in agreement.
"He's a fucking psycho, we were literally sleeping Jamie had jeans on." I tell her and she just continues laughing. I narrow my eyes at her, halfheartedly. "It's not funny Jazz, literal psychopath I'm stuck with!"

She nods her head, finally catching her breath. "You are your dad in a cute, tiny body." She giggles again. "I never realized it before, but if I had any doubts about him I don't now."

I shake my head, laughing along with her. She wasn't wrong. He's my double, personality wise.
"I told him I was coming up here to have a word with you for going behind my back." She tells me and I roll my eyes at her.
"Oh yeah cause anything you say will have a patch on the next few days of my life here. Alex is the king of thriving in hostile environments." I admit, laughing at my own misfortune.

She scoffs. "Just another thing you inherited from him." Touché, I smirk. "But I gotta go, I have a date tonight." She informs me, and I smirk again.
"Oh interesting. Hope it doesn't end like mine did." And she bursts out laughing again, shaking her head. "Sorry but I am enjoying seeing you be the one to walk on eggshells way too much. Plus I'll sleep way easier knowing you've a person who loves you more than life itself and is able to kick your ass at the same time."

I nod, resting my head on her shoulder. "It's working out for me Jazz." I almost whisper, and she lays her head against mine, wrapping her arm around me. "I know, Jadey. I love you, okay?" She tells me, kissing my hair before pushing herself up from my bed.

I just nod, unable to say it back. I never have. To anyone. It didn't mean I didn't feel it, I just couldn't say it. I don't follow her downstairs, unable to face Alex. But I knew now that we were alone there was a good chance he'd whoop my ass for real.

My peace and quiet lasted about 30 seconds after she left, Alex appearing looking really calm. "You're not going to grace me with your presence?" He cocks a brow, leaning against the doorframe.
"Last we spoke you banished me to my room." I argue, and he smirks briefly. I think he enjoyed the quick paced back and a forth a little, but it was easy for him to. They'd end when he wanted them to.

He folds his arms across his chest, regarding me closely. "Why do you insist on fighting me at every turn?" He demands and I shrug.
"I didn't mean to, we were just hanging out." I defend. "You don't like me to go out on school nights so I don't, I really didn't think you'd care if he came over I only didn't tell Jazz cause I knew she wouldn't go behind or back or be willing to bother you to ask."

He does nod, but looks just as void of empathy as he did first thing this morning. "There's a list for you on the island, and when everything on it is finished you can come straight back up here. Door open." He warns and I can't help the eye roll.
"Okay, you can come to my office and sit in the corner when your finished." He raised a brow, daring me to argue. I hold his eye for maybe thirty seconds before all the defiance in me crumbles.

I nod my head slightly, muttering a yes sir as I pass by him to find my punishment list. He follows me to the kitchen, watching in slight amusement as I read the horrid list complied of chores such as cleaning out the fridge, and extra laundry.
"Happy Sunday!" He chimes, leaving me to get on with my day.

By 3pm, I finished everything and seriously regretted the eye roll that earned me extra chastisement as I made my way to his office. When I entered he was on the phone and simply pointed to a tiny wooden stool in front of the wall directly opposite his desk. How embarrassing, I thought to myself I sat facing the wall, listening to him talk business on a Sunday afternoon.