𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋 (𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐬.)²

NINETEEN. house of crushes

THIRD PERSON'S POV.

River Lawrence was accompanied by Mara Jaffary as they left their Maths class, the two discussing the amount of homework that their Maths teacher had given them. Interrupting their conversation, however, was an orange-less Jerome Clarke, muttering something about the P.I he hired.

The two girls pushed open the doors to the hallway, while Jerome carried on. "You know, as much as I relished helping poor, little donkeys, I still have my debts to pay."

"Just tell Roper to wait a week or two," River replied like it was that simple.

The boy in the middle gave his female best friend an incredulous look. "Yeah, 'cause he's the type of person to wait a week or two for some kid. Roper's after me big time," the troublemaker sent a pointed look to Mara, "and it's all your fault."

"Why is it my fault?" Mara inquired as they two turned into the next hallway. "I didn't tell you to hire a P.I."

"No, but you were the one who made me feel guilty about Poppy and Dad in the first place. What good did it do?"

"You found out where your dad was."

"Yeah. In prison! Perfect! He can rot, for all I care."

"Wanna say that a little louder?" River remarked.

It was too late for that because when the Anubis trio was amid their heated argument, they passed Poppy and Patrick who stood by the lockers, the former keeping her wide eyes on her brother.

Patrick grew shocked too but was rather more concerned about how his new friend felt about the news. "Poppy? Are you okay?"

Poppy glanced at him, her face filled with shock and hurt. "My dad's in prison?"

Patrick rubbed her shoulder with a small smile, his and Poppy's eyes straying on the three teens they overheard. The said teens still had no idea that Poppy and Patrick overheard them, but were more concerned when Alfie and Noah appeared before them.

"Hey, Jerome, there's a man looking for you," Alfie told him.

"Yeah. Kinda big, looks like he came from a party shop," Noah explained. River shared looks of realization with Mara and Jerome.

"His name's Soper."

"I think it's Moper."

"No, Roper!"

Noah nodded his head, realizing Alfie was right. "Yeah, Roper. Pete Roper. He said you owe him money."

Jerome widened his eyes, panic taking over him. "I need to hide."

The boy ran down the corridor, leaving his friends in a hurry.

. . .

The last person River would've expected to come up to her whilst she was at her locker was her brother, Shawn Lawrence. The siblings hadn't uttered a proper conversation since last year's prom fiasco. Just occasional nods here and there. Still, River shook the anxious feelings and shut her locker giving her brother a small smile. He didn't return the gesture or look in the eye.

"Do you have a fiver?" Shawn asked instead.

"Uh, yeah," River furrowed her brows but pulled out the note from her blazer pocket and handed it to Shawn. Without saying a word, he turned around, ready to walk away, until River scoffed. "Seriously?" He turned back around with a sigh. "That's it?"

"What's your problem now?"

"You. You're my problem," River spat, walking up to him. "Shawn, that was the longest conversation we've had in months and all you did was ask for money." He just shrugged, only causing her to grow even angrier. "No, 'hey, sis, how are ya,' or, 'I need your advice on something,'?"

"What do you want from me then?"

"I want you to stop treating me like I don't exist. Like you don't know me—"

"I don't know you," Shawn sharply interjected. "I thought I knew you. I thought I knew who my little sister was, but then I find out that she isn't even fully related to me. And that she's gay. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me?"

Tears stung River's eyes, threatening to leave them. She had never seen her brother look so full of rage toward her. So disgusted toward her.

"Yeah." River couldn't help but chuckle dryly. "Must be so hard for poor, old Shawn Lawrence. At least you knew that you always had your mum and dad. For sixteen years, I had been fed lies. You don't see me holding pathetic grudges, now do you?"

"Am I supposed to feel sympathetic toward you?" He rhetorically asked. "Because of you, our family is falling apart. Because of you, I don't have a best friend anymore. You took him."

River furrowed her brows. The last time she checked, Shawn and Noah were still friends. But she hadn't seen them together recently.

"Noah's still your friend—"

"He's not!" Shawn cut her off. "Because like everyone else in my life, he chose you."

River let out a sigh, stepping forward to him. "I'm still your sister..."

"No," Shawn shook his head, taking a step back. "We may share the same last name, we may share the same mother, but you are not my sister, Abigail-River. As far as I'm concerned, you don't even exist."

River watched her brother stride away from her, disappearing into the crowd of students. She didn't even realize her tears formed on her face until she received looks from bypassing students. She wiped them as one familiar student approached her. She let out a sigh. Eddie Miller was the last person she had time for, but he still approached her with the same smug grin.

"Someone missing their mommy?" The blonde teased.

River glared at him before rolling her eyes. She moved past him, but he quickly grabbed her wrist, causing her to turn around and snarl at him. "What now Eddie?"

"S-Sorry." Eddie raised his hands in surrender. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"No offense," River let out a huff, "but you're one of the last people I want to speak to right now."

Without saying anything further, River disappeared into the cluster of students, leaving the American boy confused and concerned.

. . .

please don't be a ghost reader :(
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