Chapter Three:

I drove into the compound to see a moving truck with two men busily packing stuff inside. With a slight frown, I parked my trophy next to dad's car and walked in. "Mom!" I called, even though I really didn't want to speak to her. "Mom?!" I called again, taking the stairs but received no answer. I took the left turn and was heading towards my parents's bedroom when I collided into something…..someone.

"You?!" We both chorused, staring at each other. Me in annoyance but the other person….in shock.

"What are you doing here?" He asked with a smile.

"Uhhhh….. I should be the one asking you dummy," I replied coldly, rolling my eyes. "Are you looking for someone…or something?"he raised a brow.

"Wha….."

"Hey mom," he cut me off, waving someone behind me. I stood there frozen for a second before I heard a familiar voice.

"Nick…" Tania's responded and this time I couldn't stop myself from turning.

My eyes were bulging out of their sockets when I saw Tania and the guy from the gym earlier….Nick.

So that meant Nick was the son mom and dad were talking about. The illegitimate son of my father.

This was why he looked familiar. His face, everything about him was just like dad. A mix of shock,confusion and betrayal hit me like tidal waves. Tears blurred my vision as questions swirled my mind. I didn't know when I ran to my room, all I realized was that I was on my bed crying.

"Zara….." I heard Tania's voice followed by the door opening.

"Get out Tania," I said coldly, trying not to sound like I've been crying, which I failed miserably.

"I know you're hurt…I know this is all too sudden for you to bear but….."

"But what Tania? You don't expect me to act like everything is ok, do you?" I asked, now sitting on the bed. My eyes fixed to the woman who helped my dad betray my mother. "You even had the guts to bring move right after my mom left. It has always been your dream to live this life, hasn't it? Now you have it, so get out of my room and go enjoy it with your son," I said, not minding the tears that were rolling down my cheeks.

"Za…."

"Get the hell out of my room Tania!" I yelled cutting her off. She looked at me with a sad expression before shaking her head slowly and walking towards the door.

The tears I managed to hold back rolled down my cheeks right after she left.

Later that evening, I woke up from my slumber and walked downstairs. I was so hungry and I knew I couldn't stay in my room till the next morning.

I rubbed my eyes and let out a loud yawn as I walked down the stairs. The faint sound of cutlery hitting the plates didn't escape my ears.l raised my head to see dad, Tania and Nick sitting at the dining table, their eyes fixed on their plates. I bit my lips and took in a deep breath, blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Look who came downstairs," I heard Nick say and I shot him a glare, biting my lips to the point where I could taste blood.

"I wanted to come see you, you know," he said with a smile I wanted to wipe off his face with a punch.

"Yeah….you look what you just said," I said, plastering a fake smile.

"Za….."

"Don't you dare Tania," I cut her off, shooting her a glare. "Don't you dare mention my name," I said in a warning tone.

"She just wants you to eat," Dad said calmly. I just chuckled and dragged myself to the kitchen, though my stomach was protesting strongly.I opened the fridge and poured a glass of water. After finishing it, I heard dad laugh at something Nick said and I rolled my eyes. I placed the cup down and walked out of the kitchen.

"Zara!" I heard Nick call but I just ignored him and walked out of the house. *********

"Uhhh….Zara?" Kaylee wore a slight frown when she opened the door and saw me standing there.

"I.. I didn't know you were coming," she said, stepping aside me for me to tell enter.

"I didn't know I would come here too," I sighed, walking inside. I dropped my body in the couch, ignoring the questioning gaze she was giving me.

"So…are you going to tell me why you suddenly showed up? You don't even have a jacket and I'm sure it's cold out there," she said making me sigh.

"Will your parents be ok with me spending the night?" I asked her and watched her jaw drop.

"You want to spend the night here?" She asked, shock evident in her voice.

I mean I wouldn't blame her because throughout the years I've know her, I was always in a rush to get home to my family. I always wanted to get home anytime we hung out after school, even when we attended different schools.

She was the reason I switched schools because she was always complaining of how we don't spend time together and she felt like my parents were stealing her best friend.

"Is there a problem?" I raised a brow.

"I should be asking you this," she said, sitting in the couch opposite me.

"My parents got divorced," I said casually, looking at her.

"What? Oh my God Zara, are you alright?" She asked, suddenly kneeling in front of me.

'No I am not!'I wanted to yell but chose to keep quiet and just nod, because my voice will break and I hated crying in front of others.

"Are you sure? This is a big change in your life and just know that I'll be there whenever you need someone to talk to," Kaylee said, sincerity evident in her voice. I just nodded because the lump in my throat was still lurking around.

"Ok…. I was about to eat supper," she said getting up. "Have you eaten?"

"Nope, I'm starving," I sighed, glad my voice didn't shake or anything. We walked to the kitchen where she pulled out a bowl of mac and cheese from the microwave.

"Sorry….it was the leftover from yesterday. Mom and dad aren't around and Kate went for a family meeting. I suck at cooking and I was too lazy to order for something…hence this," she said, making me sigh.

"You talk a lot, you know," I chuckled, grabbing two forks.

I gave her one after she finished ditching out the food on the plates.

We walked to the living room with our food and ate in silence whiles watching a movie.

"So….you want to tell me why your parents are getting divorced?" Kaylee asked the question I was praying she shouldn't ask.

"It's ok if you don't want to talk about it," she shrugged casually returning to her food.

A part of me pushed me to spill it but I chose to bite mr tongue. After our little diner, Kaylee and I went upstairs to her room.

"This place hasn't changed a bit," I shook my head as those words left my mouth.

"Yeah…it's cool, isn't it," she smiled, sitting small sofa in the corner of the room.

"If cool means this place looked like a rainbow princess puked, then yes," I said plastering a fake smile.

"Hey I'm a girl and it's not my fault for loving pink," she said defending herself and I couldn't help but chuckled.

"I'm going to take a shower," I said walking to the bathroom.

"Everything you need is over there," she yelled slightly as I closed the door behind me.

I rolled my eyes when I entered her bathroom as well, like who uses pink tiles and pink towels.

I so glad she hardly wears pink to school.

I turned the shower on and let the cold water wash my stress away.

I couldn't help but think of how my life had changed in a twinkle of an eye. I have lived fifteen years of my life, thinking I was an only child and boom! A big brother gets thrown at me at age sixteen.

I sigh and turn the shower off, wrapping one of Kaylee's towel around me, I walked out to meet her sitting on the bed.

"Here, you can wear these," she said, pointing to the blue pajamas on the bed.

"Thank goodness, I thought you were going to make me wear pink," I chuckled.

"Just because my room and bathroom is pink doesn't mean all my clothes are pink," she pouted.

"What time will you parents return?" I asked, joining her on the bed.

"Next two days," she shrugged.

"So….how are you going to get to school tomorrow? You know you don't have you backpack and books. The biology assignment is supposed to be submitted tomorrow," Kaylee said, after a few seconds of silence.

"I'll just grab them from the house tomorrow morning," I shrugged, pulling the blanket over my head.

"Ok good night then," Kaylee said, also pulley the blanket over her and soon I could hear her breathing softly, indicating that she was asleep.

I sighed and closed mine as well, trying to sleep but sleep was nowhere near me. The thin gas happening at home kept bugging me.

Is mom really gone? Like forever? Will she contact me? Will she even think about me? Why did she just end her marriage like that? Didn't she want to stay and fight? Will she give Tania and her son chance to take over? I sighed and sat up. Looking around the room, I noticed Kaylee's phone still in her palm with the screen on.

After hesitating for a while, I gently took the phone and my jaw dropped at what I saw.