Skinny Love (Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 8

He was coming.

Mum talked to Dad on the phone almost the whole night and I heard her yelling and crying at some times, but she had finally let him come.

I hadn't, yet, confronted her about her lie she told about my father leaving us, because I wanted Dad to be here when I did. I tried to stay away from her as much as possible. So many things happened lately and I feel like I don't even trust her. Well, it's not like they weren't happening before, I just never saw them until they were tested. It's kind of like, dipping your foot in hot water. The water was always hot, you just didn't know until you put your foot in.

"Reina, your father is coming tomorrow night. I don't know why you called him. I told you what he's like." she said, annoyed.

"I thought maybe he changed, Mum. People do that, you know." I said, pulling my knees up to my chin.

"Don't use that tone, young lady. I will not tolerate disrespect in this house." she snapped back.

"Yes, ma'am." I said, slinking back into the covers of my bed.

"Reina, sweetheart." she sat down in my bed. "I know you've been depressed lately...and I know why." You think, mum? You should know. You're the one that caused it. I didn't say this out loud, of course but every part of my body wanted me to. "It's because...you feel like you have one parent...you need a strong man to call your father." Was she saying that Dad was going to come live with us?

"I've decided that I'm going to start dating again...for you."

What? What the hell was she thinking?

"You can't do that. I don't want you to." I said, obviously surprised.

"Don't you dare tell me what I can and what I cannot do. I didn't want to tell you now, but I've invited a nice man that I knew back in highschool for dinner tonight and they'll stay the night. He's bringing his little boy."

"I don't even know this guy and you're inviting him and his stupid son to stay at our house. What about Dad?" I ask.

"Dad isn't coming until tomorrow, so I can have a friend over tonight. He's visiting England and I told him he could stay here for a night until their hotel room is available. You could have fun with the little boy and I'm letting them stay in the guest room." Great. My mum is completely ruinning my life.

Mum leaves like everything is ok, when she knows that it's not. I just lay in bed like I have been for the past couple of days. I decide to make myself look presentable for the company. I get a shower and curl my hair and put on makeup.

I wear a simple dress and leggings with flats. I'll probably get stuck babysitting this stupid guy's kid. I didn't even know how old he was.

The doorbell rings and I let her answer the door. I go out of my room and down the stairs. A man walks in and...what?

"Oh! John. Your boy isn't so little." she laughs nervously. A boy walks in who looks to be about my age. He has dark hair and dark eyes which are beautiful really. He has tan skin, even in the fall. He greets Mum with a warm smile and a handshake. Then, his eye catches mine. He smiles.

"Hi, I'm guessing you're Reina." he says. I nod.

"And your girl isn't either!" John says, pulling me into a hug. I fake laughter and so does my mum.

"I'm Calum, by the way." the boy says. You could tell my mum is a bit confused. She thought that a little boy was coming into her house, not an attractive teenager.

"Won't you come sit down for dinner?" she leads us into the dining room. Calum sits next to me and Mum sits across from me, while John sits next to her. Was he just a friend or did Mum see him as a potential boyfriend? That would make Calum pretty much like my brother. He was very handsome. About as tall as Luke and he smiled more. He glanced at me from time to time, but we pretty much stayed silent.