What You Caused

22.

Chapter 22 | Penis wrapping paper

Isabella:

Saying goodbye to my father hadn't been easy.

Especially since I refused to actually leave my room.

Instead, I had watched from my bedroom window as he bid goodbye to my baby sister, my grandmother and my mom. My mother and father seemed to have left on good terms. However, I had no idea what the basis in which their relationship stood on right now – but I guess anything was better than the two of them blatantly ignoring each other's existence or not even being able to stand in the same room together without bickering or fighting.

I, on the other hand, had not left on good terms with my father and continued to ignore the bazzilion calls and texts he had bombarded me with once he had arrived back in London. However, after about two weeks, I stopped being petty and finally picked up the phone.

Well, to be fair I answered the calls because my grandmother had ultimately forced me to. She was fed up of her phone constantly blowing up with face time calls and text messages demanding to talk to me when I refused to pick up my own phone.

He had apologised for the umpteenth time and despite still being mad and hurt I "forgave" him. I pushed away the hurt feelings into the back of my mind and instead, focused on the beautiful, crisp, late fall season rolling in.

Halloween was near, lifting my mood significantly. Pumpkins dotted driveways and golden leaves decorated the streets.

"What are you guys going as?" Dylan asks us at lunch, a week before his annual Halloween/birthday party (the first of which I would be attending).

I flit my eyes back and forth between Mia and Grace, a sly smirk playing on my lips.

"It's a surprise," I say as Mia and Grace nod their heads in agreement.

By 'surprise' we mean that we haven't decided what we're going as yet.

"C'mon, it's my birthday/halloween party! Please tell me!" He whines and I raise an eyebrow.

"No." Grace smirks. "You'll just have to wait and see. Guilt tripping us isn't going to work Dyl."

He pouts and pushes his blonde curls from out of his eyes. "Fine, but you can't out dress me." He narrows his eyes at Mia and sticks his index finger in her direction. "Especially you."

"Hey don't worry I won't." Mia raises her hands up in defence before pointing her thumb across the table. "She probably will though."

We all turn to look at Ivy who sits a couple seats away from me me, her acrylic nails tapping away aggressively on her phone screen. She looks up from her phone after a beat and scowls at us all staring at her. "What?"

"Don't out dress me at my party," Dylan repeats, crossing his arms across his broad chest.

Ivy snorts in reply. "Sorry no can do." She shrugs unapologetically before continuing to type away on her phone.

"Right that's it," Dylan announces, pushing his chair back and I wince at the scraping noise it makes against the linoleum floor. "Grace." He stands up from his chair. "Hold my earrings."

"You're not wearing any-"

"I SAID HOLD MY EARRINGS."

"Okay okay!" Grace's eyes widen and she stands up beside Dylan with her palms out turned.

Before Dylan has a chance to storm up to Ivy and smack the strawberry blonde out of her; Lucas approaches our table with Aidan. Aidan, sensing Dylan is about to do something stupid by flitting his eyes from the blonde to Ivy, quickly intervenes. He grabs Dylan by the arm and drags him back into his seat.