Ocean's Storm

Chapter Seventeen

Thirty-five minutes. Thirty- five freaking whole minutes is what it took of Callum persuading Capri to unlock her bedroom door and come out. Capri had been in her room for over 2 hours with neither one of our parents having any success in getting her to come out. If this is what life is going to be like with Capri under the same roof, I will make it my mission to piss her off more often.

Dad was not happy about Capri's meltdown nor was he happy about the fact that I was the main reason Capri was having a toddler tantrum. Mom had asked if there was any way to pick the lock, but Kaylee had made sure that every bedroom door was impossible to pick open. Something about how Reggie taught me to pick locks and break into places just to steal valuable personal belongings. I'm not sure what Kaylee was trying to hide from me, but I don't think she bothered to think about how easy Reggie could break into rooms through the windows.

Mom had insisted we take her car since it was a bit more spacious compared to Dad's and could comfortably fit Callum between me and Capri. The thought of being far away from my twin just feels so saddening and unnatural. I just want to reach over and hug her, so she doesn't feel upset anymore. Not.

"You girls make sure you are on your best behavior. We are at a public establishment as adults. If you two feel the urge to fight, just remember how you could ruin your brother's public image." Dad lectures, looking back in the rear view mirror at the backseat. However, his eyes are focused right on me the entire time.

"I'm sure they will act maturely, Kyle," Mom turns the key and kills the engine. She twists around in her seat and pulls her sunglasses down so we can't avoid the intense look in her eyes. "Isn't that right, girls?"

"Yes ma'am," Capri and I both said simultaneously, earning us a satisfied smile in return.

                "Good," she twists back around in her seat and we all take that as our cue to unbuckle.

               Capri is the first to throw open her door and fly right on out like she was being chased after by a serial clown. I, for one, decided to take my sweet time getting out of the vehicle and prolong the amount of time between the parking lot and the table where I will be forced to sit near my sister. I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

"Think about it this way, France, the sooner we get sat at the table and have dinner, the sooner we can all part ways." Callum, who also does not seem to be in any hurry to get out of the car, points out.

"When you say, 'the sooner we can all part ways,' you mean that you will be free from the girl drama, don't you?"

When he doesn't reply to my question, I give him a short nod and open my door to get out. Surprisingly enough, everyone is waiting patiently on the sidewalk for us- with the ever unsurprising exception of Capri. That girl doesn't seem to have an ounce of patience in her bloodstream. Or maybe she does have an extremely tiny ounce of patience in her bloodstream specifically reserved for those that she likes and can tolerate.

We make our way over to the entrance doors in complete silence. Capri is up ahead leading the way with our parents right behind her. If it wasn't for the fact that Callum is following behind me, I probably would have made a run for it and called Spencer or Ansel to come pick me up. I don't have much of a go-to preference as to who I ended up going with, but those two were the only ones who had cars that I could rely on. Sure, I could have called Ocean or my uncle to come pick me up, but Ocean seems to be a busy man and Micah is the type to do the right thing in talking me out of running away from my problems.

"How many are in your party?" The hostess asks as soon as we step foot in the building. She looks to be in her early twenties with the enthusiastic and carefree look on her face. Her black name tag has 'Ellie' scrawled in fancy red cursive.