Theo's rules

Ring and swing.

chapter 21.

"Cora."

I spun around, not as graceful as a ballerina, and came face to face with my brother.

My heart was racing so much you'd think I drank a litre of coffee in one sipping. Overwhelmed was putting it mildly.

"Yeah?" I blinked, trying to pretend like I wasn't totally freaking out because I kissed someone I shouldn't have kissed. Oh good lord. I kissed Theo. He kissed me. What was I thinking? What were WE thinking? This is really bad... I need to stop.

He paused for a moment, analysing my clearly red, nervous face, before shrugging it off. There was a seriious glint in his eyes, followed by the terrifying words, "I need to talk to you."

Oh no.

What could this be about it?

No... Don't tell me he found out I had found my mate...

"They called."

"They?" I furrowed my brows. Who? The illuminati? Pfft, that's just human's drama. Seriously though, who is they? I watched him nod, a look on his face that registered realisation in me. Call it a sibling understanding if you will. "No," I shook my head.

"Yep..." He sighed, sliding his gaze towards the door behind me.

"What did they want?" I hesitated, watching him sigh.

"To talk."

"Mum and dad called... to talk? About what?" I scoffed, walking past him towards the room down the hall, a room you wouldn't be surprised to find me in, and oh yes, I do mean the kitchen. My sanctuary. I heard Rick's following footsteps.

"They want to visit us."

"What?" I raised my eyebrows, glancing over my shoulder. "That's funny." Shaking my head, I grabbed a packet of potato chips from the kitchen cabinet and sat myself up on the bench. Love that it's now a case of 'visiting' rather than coming back home. "After all this time..." I trailed off.

"Yep," Rick furrowed his brows and sat on the stool. "Who do they think they are?"

He wasn't happy.

I pursed my lips, glancing away from him towards the kitchen window. Seemed awfully grey and mundane outside. After a moment of silence, I murmured, "You don't miss them?"

"The fuck I do!" He exclaimed.

I slid my glance towards his fuming stare. Can't say I'm surprised by his frustration, he especially took it the hardest when mum and dad decided to venture on a second "honeymoon" as they called it, only to not return.

"How dare they? Seriously, Cora, oh god," He scoffed out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Don't tell me you're alright with this?"

"What, Rick?" I raised both my hands, one stuck in the chip packet, in the air. Yeah, I know it's hard to take me seriously in this situation. "They're our parents-"

"Exactly," He gritted, pressing his hands against the island bench table and scooting the seat away from his toosh. "So where are they? What good parents we have, right?"

"They send us letters and money and-"

"Oh right, so that makes it all the better?" He looked so angry and disappointed, and frankly, I didn't want to fight or worry over this. Of course I wasn't okay with the fact that my parents were so caught up in love and each other that we made no room of importance to them, but I didn't take it as personally as Rick did.

"No-"

"Seriously, Cora? You're willing to let them back into our lives? It's been three whole fucking years without them, we don't fucking need them now."