Romance Collision ✔

Chapter Thirty-Eight: He's Got It Bad

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"Gregory, go inside. I need to have a word with your brother."

Greg's wide eyes shifted from his father to Gabriel. His brother had turned his head with a frown at Mr. McNeill. 

Mr. McNeill looked over his shoulder and lifted a thick brow. "Get out of the car, Greg!"

Swallowing, his son nodded. Greg opened the door, stepping out and glanced at his older brother before shutting the door. As he walked up the steps to the house, Greg glanced over his shoulder but was unable to see through the car's tinted windows.

Entering the house, Greg dumped his backpack on the floor next to the coat closet. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. 

He was really going to have to grow a spine from now on whenever his brothers coaxed him into playing along with whatever devious plots they come up with. And Greg was going to need one right now when he'd have to call Bea and tell her that he wasn't going to the dance after all. 

On the drive home, Greg been grounded for the next two weeks for fighting—even though his part in the whole thing was trying to get the other two to stop—and that his privileges such as the dance, seeing Bea, and even going to Greg's after school clubs.

"Greg?" Greg opened his eyes, his mother heading over from the living room. She tilted her head, curious to why he was standing there. 

"Hi, Mom..."

Mrs. McNeill held her son's face and she squinted her eyes. They were blue like Greg's. "Are you alright, sweetheart? You look like you have something on your mind."

'Lots,' he thought. Greg shook his head, "No, mom. I'm okay. I just... well... Gabe and I got sent to the principal's office for fighting with another student."

Mrs. McNeill's brows rose. She blinked, leaning a bit forward. "Sorry...? You were fighting?"

Greg rolled his eyes. He sighed, "Yes, Mom. But I was technically trying to stop the fight. But Principal Yu said I was still involved."

Mrs. McNeill frowned, dropping her hands and shook her head. She turned around and was walked into the kitchen; a silent cue to follow her. Greg rolled his eyes, following her into the kitchen and sat at the table. 

Greg's mother leaned her hip against the side of the counter with her arms crossed.

"You were trying to break up a fight that... Gabriel was in?"

Greg nodded, silently. She nodded back, her mouth pursed as she looked upward. "Mm-hm." The woman breathed out through her nose, shaking her head. "And why was he fighting? Who was he fighting?"

Greg gave a brief summary of how Gabriel was fighting with the new kid, but gave a sketchy reason as to what caused the fight because Greg didn't want to go blabbing about his brother's feelings for a particular someone even though Gabriel claimed there were no feelings.

Mrs. McNeill sighed, rubbing her temples lightly. "That boy is..." She sighed, frowning. "I guess your father is right about Gabriel having a short fuse."

Greg raised his brows in a way to tell her, 'You think?'

His mother gave a short laugh then sighed again, shaking her head slowly. She smiled at Greg, lifting her eyes to him. "I bet it was over a girl, wasn't it?"

Greg's face dropped. He widened his eyes and glanced away. He shakily responded, "W-what? No."

With her hands on her hips once she straightened, Mrs. McNeill tilted her head, her lips in a tight line. "Gregory Adrian, don't you lie to me."