Adopted by Zalfie

Chapter 21

I wake up again and I am in my room. I feel to my left and scream as I feel a shooting pain through my finger. I look and see a rose thorn in my index finger. I groan and pick up the rose. There was a note attached;
Sorry for being a dick. Text/Call me when you see this.
Seth x

I sigh and put the rose down and lick at my bleeding finger. I wasn't in the mood for calling Seth.

"Hayley? You screamed- are you ok?"

I look and see Alfie at the door. I smile at him, "Yeah... just pricked my finger on the rose Seth left for me."

Alfie sighs, "I did tell him to cut the thorns off."

I laugh shyly as Alfie sits on the bed, "Seth never listens to anyone but himself."

Alfie raises a eye-brow but I shrug it off.

"Erm... Joe is coming to Brighton for the wedding today..." Alfie says.

"Oh... I guess he will want to see Grace..." I sigh.

"Actually, Grace and Joe don't get on too well," Alfie admits, "I'd tell you the details, but you'd have to ask Joe. It isn't my business to tell..." I nod.

There was a knock and Zoe yells up, "IT'S JOE!!"

I quickly put on leggings and a top and a open plaid shirt over the top. I quickly put a pair of Vans on and run down the stairs and I see Joe talking to Alfie.

"JOE!" i run and hug him, Joe staggering back as Alfie walks away, "Hey Hayley! How are you?!"

"Ok I guess..."

"Oh. Joe." It was Grace.

Joe looks up and I feel him tense, "ZOE!" Joe yells, "WHAT'S SHE DOING HERE?!"

"Joe! She is one of my bridesmaids!" Zoe yells.

"For fuck sake," I hear Joe whisper under his breath.

"What are you saying about me," Grace spits. Zoe was in her room sorting things out and Alfie was... somewhere else. It was just me and Joe alone.

"Nothing!" Joe exclaims.

"'Cos Zoe would believe me over you," Grace snorts, "As we already proved at the hospital today, didn't we Hayley."

I feel my grip from Joe tighten, "Come on, let's go out Hayley," Joe whispers. I nod and follow Joe out the door.

"So... what happened between you and her?" I ask.

Joe shrugs, "She almost got me arrested."

"Arrested?!" I exclaim. Joe nods, "HOW?!"

"She... she got me drunk. She made me drive and I crashed. She blamed it all on me. I have a police record and everything now thanks to her for drink-driving. I knew she hated me before, for being Zoe's sibling."

"She's disgusting," I say.

"I know," Joe says as we see the high streets, "Want to go on the beach?"

"Sure," I nod, "So how are you and Caspar?"

"We still need to come out to the viewers..." Joe sighs, "But Caspar is in London doing a meeting so we can't. He is coming here in two days to visit.

"But what did Grace mean earlier 'in hospital?'" joe quotes as we arrive at the beach and we lean on the rails as the smell of sea salt sprays lightly in our face.

"She... she beat me up and she blamed it on an imaginary person. And everyone believed her... except Alfie. Grace hates Alfie too... apparently Alfie pulled Zoe away from the family," I hear Joe scoff, "So she is trying to stop the wedding because I have the same last name..." I feel tears welling in my eyes. Joe wraps his arm around me, "It doesn't help that she use to bully me back at my old school." I say.

"And no one believes you?!" Joe exclaims.

"Well... Zoe doesn't," I sigh.

"I'll go talk to her." Joe says.

***

Me and Joe walk home and as soon as we enter the house, the sound of yells hit us.

"SHE IS BEING HURT ZOE! DON'T YOU GET IT??"

"ALFIE I AM TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS-"

"REALLY? COS YOUR SECOND COUSIN IS STILL HURTING HAYLEY! NOT SURE THAT IS REALLY HELPING!"

"Alfie it's our wedding in a week... I don't want to argue..."

"BUT YOU ARE DOING NOTHING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE ARE YOU?"

"I'N TRYING ALFIE!"

"WELL YOUR NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH!" And we watch as Alfie storms past us.

"Alfie!" I run after him and out the door. I run as fast as my legs would carry me and I wrap my arms around him, "I'm so sorry Alfie..."

Alfie turns around and hugs me back, "It's ok. Just trying to defend you."

"Maybe ai should go and talk to Zoe myself," I say. I watch as Alfie as Alfie nods slowly.

I go back to the house and open the door to Zoe's room and wished I had prepared myself before-hand...

***

SUSPENSE!!

Bye!! ✨