Chapter seven

Time and time again I have loudly suggested to my mother that I should carry a crowbar to school.

Each time she'd ask why a teenage girl would need to use such a tool and always brushed me off like I was an annoying little fly.

And here I am. Think about how helpful it would've been if I had that crowbar now!

I wouldn't be in such a situation where I'm caught violating someone's locker. Instead, I could have cracked it open in one fell swoop.

"What are you doing?"

The stranger asked once again. I took a good look at her specifically her physique to see if I could pin her down if need be.

With my careful observation, I concluded that she looked easy to take on given how small she was though she might prove to be difficult with her appearance.

Numerous piercings hung on her ears. Her bright honey brown eyes hid behind a curtain of long, straight black hair. She looked like a foreign beauty with her golden, sun-kissed skin and rose pink lips.

"Uh...would you believe me if I said I'm Nancy Drew, teenage detective?"

It was a long shot but I had nothing else in my head going around.

Scrunching up her brows in disbelief she shook her head at me.

"I don't really believe you"

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

Around the corner, we could hear the voices of two boys bickering making their way toward us.

Listening closely I could hear the deep allowing voice of Adam. Yeah, I was seriously fucked!

If he comes around and sees me at his locker, I'm seriously dead!

Looking at the girl dressed in black I saw the confusion on her face and did the only thing I could in under the few seconds I had until Adam showed himself.

Backing a few feet away from the locker I rushed forward and with a powerful kick, it gave way.

The door fell at an awkward angle revealing its contents to the world. Rushing to the letter I quickly grabbed it with a victorious smile.

Unfortunately, the noise I made alerted Adam and his friend as they ran around the corner to investigate the source of the sound.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Adam asked making his way toward us his friend in tow. He looked to his locker and saw what I had done to it. Seeing his eyes fill with rage I knew it was time for me to get outta there.

Grabbing my witness by the wrist we sprinted away from the angry boy. Realising that we were trying to escape he began running after us.

And that is when pure adrenaline rushed through my body. I ignored the searing pain in my sides, the desert dry throat and bone breaking pain in my thighs and forced my jelly legs forward.

Going around a corner I saw a nearby classroom still open. Entering the classroom I quickly shut the door and sat against it.

"Hey, wha-"

Once again I placed a hand on another girl's mouth and crouched down to the floor holding her between my legs.

I listened to the loud footsteps of running teenage boys which sounded more like a hoard of angry bulls. Yikes.

As soon as the sound of their footsteps disappeared I released a sigh of relief.

That was close!

I'm really glad I had a hoody on, so Adam probably didn't see my face.

Which means I still have a shot at winning his heart.

"Mmhpf"

Oh right, the witness. What should I do about this? She saw my face, saw what I did and could easily tell on me.

Think Clover think.

Not knowing what else to do I came to the conclusion of using the most effective move that has been used for generations and has yet to fail me. I threatened her.

"Hey,"

Gazing down at her smaller frame with my eyes squinted in intimidation I looked her dead in the eyes with the most fearsome glare I could muster.

"If you tell anyone about this, I will do to you what I did to that locker."

She shook in what I'm guessing is fright as I peered down at the scared petite girl.

"Got it!"

It was more of a demand than a question, and it worked perfectly as she frantically nodded her head in understanding.

In a haste I got up from my crouched position, let go of my hold on her and as fast as lightning I left the room.

Running back to my class I felt my heart beat crazily through my chest. It felt painful to breathe!

Holy shucks, I was scared and frantic and tired and well scared!

School was over and I was more than exhausted. Making my way toward the car parked outside with an overzealous father constantly beeping the car horn I quirked a brow in question.

"Come on Fran, we're gonna be late. If you don't want the infamous dragon lady tearing off our heads we have to get a move on!"

I rolled my eyes at the childish demeanour of my father and walked faster.

Closing the car door I gave him a punch on the shoulder a sort of greetings between him and me.

"Stop calling me Fran! You know I don't like that name"

I grumbled to the man arms crossed and cheeks puffed in irritation.

"Oh come now, it's a lovely name. One that I gave you, which means you should definitely love it!"

I clicked my tongue at him as I stared out the window.

Wait, dad said mum was gonna kill us if we're late. But late for what?

"Hey dad"

"Yeah?"

"You said we had to hurry up for something but, what is it?"

Suddenly, the car came to an abrupt halt. Nowhere near a red light by the way.

Slowly, with blazing eyes that told me "child, surely you wish to die today!" my father glared at me with a burning look.

But I didn't want to die though! I was too young to go out now, I still had so much to do. Marry Adam, Nolan or Chris. Maybe all three if possible.

I still wanted to try kidnapping. Wait, I already did that. Silly me I forgot.

Now back to my father giving me a deadly look with fire ablaze.

"Have you forgotten already?"

I quirked an eyebrow in confusion, cause I really was confused. What the fluff was he on about?

"What do you mean?"

My dad seemed frustrated with every passing moment. Messaging his temples he turned to me with dread.

"Dinner Fran, we have a family dinner with the neighbours? Your mom's been pestering me and the entire household about it for days now."

"Ohhh"

"Yeah, oh. Geez, what's even the use of me constantly reminding you of it if you're not going to remember?"

He said as he rolled his eyes at me.

How dare he do such an immature action. Only I could do that!

"Yeah well, all you did was constantly repeat one word over and over, "dinner". I mean how the heck am I suppose to deduct that from just a word?"

I grumbled to my father, arms angrily folded while looking at him.

"What other reason would there be for me to repeatedly say that word then?"

"Uh, how bout the fact that it could be dinner time? Or you have special dinner for just moã?"

Shaking his head he could not help but laugh at my justification. Coming to a stop sign he turned to look at me.

"Fran, you really do come up with the weirdest excuses don't you?"

"Why I don't know what you mean sir"

I said in one of my best British accents, head tilted upward like some high-class noble.

"That is the worst British accent I've ever heard please don't ever make it again!"

He cringed while shaking his head and began driving.

"Oh geez, as if you could do better!"

"Well my lady, I have been told I have quite the neck for voice-over."

I hated to admit it like really hated to but he was exceptionally good at that accent. A bit too good if you asked me.

"Veeery suspicious that you would know how to speak in an accent. Perhaps, you are some sort of secret agent?!"

Gasping in shock he dramatically placed a hand on his chest.

"How did you know that?! I have kept this overbearing secret for years, yet you somehow figured it out within moments. Truly you have my ingenious deductive skills!"

I turned my head to the side, eyes closed and made a look of betrayal.

"I cannot accept such a thing so willingly. My life has been nothing but a lie!"

I ended off with the famous fist bang against the desktop

"I will atone for my transgressions!"

"Pffhahahah!"

"What, no don't...pftt...don't laugh, you're ruining it!"

He tried yet failed to scold me. In the end, we both ended up laughing our heads off.

Five minutes later and we were home. Leaving the car I opened the door to the divine aroma of wonderful food.

Did they order takeout?

Walking into the kitchen I saw my mother scribbling on a piece of paper. All her attention was on it.

"Hey mum, what's that smell?"

She turned at my voice, and a small smile graced her lips as she discarded the piece of paper.

"Hey honey, how was school?"

I shrugged at the question with little to no interest in school. I wasn't there right now so why would I care?

"It was alright I guess,"

Other than the fact that I yet again could be arrested for the destruction of school property.

"So, did you order out?"

"Oh no honey"

She laughed while slapping her knee, something she did when you know you said the wrong thing.

But that's the thing though, I didn't say the wrong thing. Mum could not cook even if it was to save her life. She's absolutely horrible at it!

"Actually, I started taking cooking classes and-"

"Oh no, you didn't burn down the building again did you?"

She's gone to a cooking class before at a fancy restaurant. It was her first and very last time there.

Somehow she managed to stop the machines from functioning, caused the batter to splash all over the other students and somehow created a bonfire in a small pot.

At the end of that day, she was practically begged not to ever come there again.

Of course, she had taken me with her on that day. A decision I, to this day am grateful for. For I bore witness to the destructive power my mother has.

Guess we know who I get my bad luck from.

"Of course, not Clover. I have matured since that time and have mastered the art of self-control"

"Self-control? Mum, you attacked the instructor when he asked you to leave and never come back!"

She rolled her eyes at me and I gave her a look with a hand on my hip.

"Well, he asked for it! How could he ask me such a thing? The nerve!"

Rolling my eyes I smiled at my mother who I was very much like.

"If you must know Clover I asked around for a very patient teacher who can keep up with my...talent and I came across a young lad with exactly the qualities needed for teaching me."

She so proudly proclaimed with a smirk on her face, head tilted up and a wooden spoon raised in victory

"So you're telling me that you're the one who cooked?"

I nervously asked the proud woman.

"Yes, indeed I am!"

My eyes widened in terror as my breathing became hazardous. Holding a hand over my chest to try and calm myself the world before me started to spin.

"We're dead"

"What?"

Okay, I know what you're thinking. When I came into the house I smelt the wonderful aroma of a home-cooked meal right?

Thing is, mum's cooking always smells and looks great, fantastic even. But, it lacks the...taste.

How can I say this? Imagine eating a chocolate chip cookie that somehow is burnt only on the inside, mixed with toothpaste, ten-day-old milk and charcoal-burnt onion.

Now have that taste in your mouth, and increase it by ten times. That's not even half as bad as her cooking

"Mum, I really don't mean to be rude but...last time you cooked Syl ended up in the hospital with food poisoning. She had to eat hospital food for an entire week"

And even then she preferred the food there than yours.

"That's why I cooked her a better meal when she came out. Hospital food is just the worst-"

"She said she'd rather eat the food they offered her there than your cooking"

She grew silent. Turning her back from me she placed the wooden spoon on the kitchen table.

Turned back to me and with a creepily sweet smile and eyes closed, she whispered in a sickeningly tender voice.

"Clover honey, the guests will be arriving soon. I suggest you go and get properly dressed."

Opening her eyes her face morphed into a serious expression, basically with no emotion. Unless you call death an emotion. Cause in her eyes you could see the burning flames of Hades.

"Now."

Not missing a beat I rushed upstairs to my room running like I was in a race.

That woman is definitely not to be angered!