"Cousin?! You're cousins?!" I asked, shocked.

"Unfortunately" Jonah answered, giving Corey a dirty look. Corey let out a chortle and slung an arm around Jonah's neck, squishing him to his side.

"Whoa. Surprising" I said, narrowing my eyes at them. Corey rolled his eyes while Jonah smiled. I tightened my hold on my bag. "Well, I have to go now" I sighed.

"Oh. I saw your cat fight. It was crazy" Jonah chuckled and I smiled, shrugging.

"She started it" I defended. He laughed and shook his head at me. I saw Corey narrow his eyes at Jonah.

"Okay. Enough smiley faces. Bye now." Corey said, taking my hand and pulling me away from Jonah.

"You're just jelly." Jonah yelled at Corey as he pulled me away with him. Corey rolled his eyes. "Bye Strawberry" Jonah waved and I smiled, waving back.

"Don't wave at him" Corey scoffed, taking my second hand and dropping it by my side. I rolled my eyes as he pulled me away.

We got to the entrance of the school and he stopped. "Well...bye" I said and he tightened his hold on my hand. A warm feeling spread in my stomach.

"Are you going to be okay? I mean...your parents" He asked, looking at me with worry. I pasted a smile on and nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine" I answered and he raised an eyebrow. I let the smile on my face drop.

"Hey, it's okay." he assured. I sighed and nodded. They'll be so disappointed in me..then they'll compare me to Daisy. As always.

"Okay" I said and he let go of my hand. "Bye" I said and he nodded. He watched as I walked out of the entrance. I turned around and waved at him from afar. He waved back and went inside the school. I sighed and started walking home.

As I walked home, I thought of what Selena said about Molly. I hate friends like that. She is the kind of friend that gossips about Molly behind her and pretends like she's a good friend in front of her. She's fake and it's disappointing.

I sighed and started kicking a little rock as I walked. The rock tumbled forward as kick it with my sneakers covered feet. I felt a lingering tingling sensation on my palm that Corey held. I raised it, looking at it then smiled slightly. He's an idiot sometimes but he's cute.

I shook my head, getting rid of the thoughts. I casually looked back and saw a blue car following me. I stopped walking and narrowed my eyes on the car. Right, Mike.

I rolled my eyes and continued walking as he got down from his car after parking. I walked faster as I saw him jogging towards me.

"Hey! Berry!" He called, catching up with me. I sighed and rolled my eyes at him.

"What? Didn't you get it earlier that I don't want you anywhere near me?" I said, calmly as I walked, looking forward. I felt his gaze on me.

"I came to apologize. I'm sorry for everything" he pleaded. I scoffed in disbelief.

"Please, go away" I said. I saw my building from afar and increased my pace. He did the same.

"I'm really sorry. Let's sort things out. Please" he said. I stopped, meeting his gaze.

"Listen Mike, I would love it if you respect yourself and leave me alone. Or you can follow me home and sleep with my sister like you always did." I said, hiding the crack in my voice. He looked hurt and looked down.

"I already apologized for that" he muttered. I laughed humorlessly, shaking my head.

"Yes, you did. And you went back to her right after I forgave you" I said bitterly, holding back my tears. I stormed off to the direction of my house, aware that he was following me. I angrily opened the door as soon as I got home, feeling the familiar pain my heart every time I remember how Mike and I used to be. What we used to be.

"Hey, hey. Please Berry" he called after me. I entered, slamming the door close. I stormed up to my room, throwing my bag on the bed. I heard the slam of the door and knew that he entered. A minute later, my room door opened and Mike entered. I let out an exhausted breath.

"Why won't you just leave me alone! Stop following me!" I yelled at him, the tears I was trying to hold back spilled on my cheeks. His eyes widened at my condition. He slowly closed the door and walked towards me.

"I didn't mean to make you cry. I just want to fix things between us.." he said and I shook my head, shutting my eyes.

"There's no fixing that needs to be made, Mike" I said softly. I'm just physically exhausted, tired of everything. I slumped against the wall, opening my eyes. He walked beside me and sighed.

"You know that's not true" he sighed, wiping off my tears. His touch was still as comforting as it used to be. I leaned into his touch and he pulled me into a hug. I let my hands stay by my side as he wrapped his arms around me. "I'm so sorry for letting you go" he muttered into my hair.

"Sorry won't make you get me back." I muttered back. He squeezed me tighter in the hug and sighed.

"What do I have to do?" He asked as my face pressed further on his chest.

"Nothing. I'm already gone. I can't trust you again" I stated. He was silent and we stayed like that for a while, his hand slowly rubbing my back. I pulled away and walked to my bed, sitting down.

"How've you been?" He asked as he at beside me. I placed my hands in my lap, looking at them.

"Better without you" I muttered. He sighed deeply and I glanced at him. "You?"

"Miserable without you" he replied. "I miss you" he added and I hummed in response.

"Good to know" I said, raising my arms to remove the band holding my ponytail. I removed it, my hair falling free. "Won't you go back to school? You're going to miss classes" I raised an eyebrow.

"I want to stay with you"he said, looking at me and holding my gaze. He raised his right hand to cup my left cheek. His palm felt warm against my cheek and I almost leaned in. Almost. I jerked away and hurt shone in his eyes as he retreated his hand.

"I think it's better if you go back to school" I muttered and I watched his Adam apple bob up and down.

"I obviously still affect you. You want to be with me so just stop holding back!" he snapped and I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? I guess Mr Nice Guy got tired of pretending and eventually switched to his normal self. And if you think I want to be with you, you're either mistaken or mental" I shot back. He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Stop pretending." He said and clamped his hands on my wrist tightly. My eyes widened at the action and how much my wrist hurt. He leaned towards me.

"What is wrong with you, psycho! Leave me alone!" I snapped and he smirked. He used his second hand to slowly trail his index finger down my face and to my lips. I bit his finger, making his finger let out a crack sound. He let out a loud yell due to the pain "Get your hand off me, freak!" I spat.

He raised his hand mid air, like he wanted to hit me then he stopped. He released me, slowly unclasping his hand from my wrist. My eyes widened when I realized he was about his hit me. "I'm so....I'm sorry" he muttered.

"Get out" I said, glaring at him. He opened his mouth to speak but I didn't let him. "The door is that way. Leave now" I said, pointing to the door.

He sighed and stood up, quietly leaving my room. I sat on the bed, replaying the event that just occured, in my head. He was about to hit me. What got into him?

I sighed and decided to change my clothes. I changed into shorts and a tank top. I wet under my sheets and brought out of my phone. I stretched and snuggled up, I went to my favorite reading app, Wattpad.

I chose a book from my reading list and started reading. I started to doze off and decided to take a nap. As my eyes started to close, I heard a tap on my window. I ignored it but then I heard another one again.

I opened my eyes, groaning. What is that? I pulled the sheets over my head, wanting the sound to stop. I continued to hear the tap on my window and angrily, tugged the blanket downwards. I glanced at the window just in time to see a small rock hit my window then fall back down.

A small laugh of disbelief escapes my lips. I stood up slowly and saw a purple balloon floating upwards from outside my window. I let out a small chuckle, knowing who would do something like that. I saw another rock hit my window and I walked towards it, swinging it open and leaned outside.

Corey looked up at me with a glare. I rolled my eyes at him "What?" I asked.

"Why did you take so long to come out?" He pouted and I raised an eyebrow.

"I was cocking my gun so I could shoot the weirdo throwing rocks at my windows" I replied and he rolled his eyes, laughing.

"If you shoot me, all the girls are gonna die too" he smirked and I rolled my eyes.

"Why?" I asked and he dug his hands in his pockets, his Adam apple bobbing up and down as he chuckled.

"They'll commit suicide because they can't live without me" he shrugged careless. I snorted with a small smile.

"Sure." I said, sarcastically. He laughed, rolling his eyes at me.

"Are you going to stay up there while my head feels like it's going to fall any minute or you'll head downstairs?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

I flipped my hair. "I think I'm good up here" I said and he narrowed his eyes at me. I chuckled quietly and let an innocent smile spread out on my lips.

"Alright." He shrugged and I narrowed my eyes at him. What did he mean by alright? "I saw a dude coming out of your house earlier. Who's he?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

My smile fell from my face. "No one" I muttered.

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Hello sweethearts,
Sorry this chapter took so long. Well, here we are. Chapter 27 is up! Don't forget to vote, comment, follow and share. Enjoy!

25/02/2021