He Caught Her Eye (Caught #1)[UNEDITED]

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RIANA GARCIA

I haven't slept well.

Marla watches me while I make breakfast, leaning against the doorframe as I crack the third and final egg, the yolk slipping to the bowl where the first two are. Grumpily, I grab the white kitchen dotted rice paddle, using it to transport all the rice from the rice cooker to the bowl.

"Rice, huh.." Marla says in that dramatic whisper of hers. "Something's up."

"You can thank Blaze!" I mumble bitterly. For some reason, the word Blaze feels good to say out loud.

She rolls her eyes, then she looks away from me. "Well, what he did is pretty shitty. He did lie to you. By the way, did I mention his actual name sounds hot?"

My mind takes me back to the look on Drake's eyes when he announced his lie. I don't say anything as I start mixing the egg yolk with the rice.

I can't believe he did this to me.

All my life, ever since Jay's death, I've put myself aside and tried avoiding drama as much as possible, only to get myself thrown in some kind of gang war that can get me killed all because I was kissed.

Not to mention, I trusted him. He's the first person I opened up to about Jay. The first person who made me feel beautiful.

Only to find out it's all a lie.

Marla swings a pillow at my direction, but I dodge it with haste. The pillow knocks down a few boxes of cereal. "What the hell?" I look at her, annoyed.

"What? You're gonna tell Mom?" Marla snickers. Something flashes in her eyes when she murmurs, "do you think she even cares?"

Her question makes me silent for a moment. "What?"

"I get that she lost a child," Marla continues, her voice lowering. I can only look at her, confused with the sudden change of mood. Usually she acts all tough, but this time.. "But we lost a brother. We lost Jay too—"

Oh god. "Marla—"

"I know you don't like talking about him," Marla hisses. "But I'm just.. wondering. Dad got distant and Mom went crazy after his death. I thought the loss of one child will at least make them be.. better parents to us, you know?" she smiles sadly at me. "But they're barely around anymore. They're all work and travel now—"

"Where is this coming from?" I ask her calmly, avoiding eye contact, the reminder stinging. I clutch the bottle of oil and pour some into the frying pan silently.

"Mom says she visited Uncle Von," she responds
meekly. "Riana, Dad's brother isn't sick. Uncle Von hasn't even seen Dad. He lied to us."

I hold my breath.

"Mom called me yesterday night and told me the news," Marla replies weakly. "I couldn't tell you because you immediately stormed into your room. I could tell you were in a bad mood. She's going to Verlan tomorrow."

Pauline Howells. "Why did Dad lie about going to Zarentil?" Marla's voice sounds hoarse. "Where else would he be for six months? Did he really think he'd get away from Mom that easily? From.. us?"

I think of Blaze's parents, how his mother passed away after his father left them without a trace, and also how his mother knew where his father went.

I think of Roy and Trik's parents — their Dad getting into a car accident on the same day their mother left the country after retrieving Montiego Industries. All planned.