Cookies And Cream (The Hollens Books 3)

13

Zenia's POV

"Zenia! Zenia, sweetie get in the car."

"LEAVE ME ALONE, EJ!" I yelled as I walked along the sidewalk and he drove alongside me in the street in his stupid Audi, matching my pace.

How many cars does he own?

"Zenia, you're being stubborn. I want to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to you!"

"Damn it!" I heard him yell, and, the next thing I knew, I was upside down hanging from his shoulders.

"EJ, put me down!" I protested but it fell on deaf ears. I was placed in the car and he quickly fastened my seat belt.

"Is everything alright over here?" a voice asked as EJ got back in the driver's seat.

"Yes, officer."

"Are you alright, ma'am?" he asked me with concern.

He must be thinking EJ is kidnapping me.

"Yes officer, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, she's sure," EJ butted in.

He eyed EJ and his face quickly became friendlier.

"Ah, young Hollen, how are you doing?"

"I'm great."

"Drive safely."

"Always."

I shook my head as they exchanged handshakes before he stepped on the accelerator.

"Why are you so difficult every time?" he asked.

He stopped the car at the park, with us inside.

I remained silent.

"Zenia?"

Silence.

"I'm talking to you."

"Are you certain I'm the one you should be talking to?"

I knew I was being petty, but to hell with that. I was rather upset about him telling Madison about his celebration before me.

"Baby, listen to me. I'm sorry, okay? I should have told you earlier, but Mom planned it at the last minute. Mads only got the invitation because I saw her this morning on my way to work."

I pouted.

"Zenia, at least look at me."

My eyes remained straight ahead.

"Zenia."

Silence.

He turned my chin gently towards him. I was instantly melting into his grey eyes. They screamed sorry.

"EJ, Madison completely blew everything out of proportion. That's not what happened," I defended when he had told me exactly what she had said to him.

That snake in the grass.

I explained how everything happened at the boutique earlier this morning, not leaving out a detail. EJ listened to my every word.

"Just forget it ever happened, okay?"

"Okay," I responded.

"Why were you lashing out at Alex?"

Alex had come by at around 2:45 p.m. Ashley broke into tears again when she saw him, but he turned a cold shoulder to her.

"I was only trying to find out why he was becoming distant to Ashley."