As the remaining group, Ashton, Calum, Mhina, and Nikki, made it inside the dining hall, you can feel the somewhat tension in the room rise.

And Calum was hoping his mom didn't feel it as well.

"Looks like we all had a late start, yeah?" The older woman asked, lightening the mood a bit as she took her seat. Everyone smiled and some lightly chuckled as they took their own.

Cal sat to the right of his mom, who sat at the head of the table, Ashton on the left of her, Mhina next to him, Mike next to Mhina. Next to Cal was Nikki and next to her was Luke.

"So, give Mama the 411. Any hook-ups?" Joy asked and Calum almost choked on his water, at the same time Mhina started coughing. She just had to ask that. It was the first time since Calum and Mhina have seen each other since the previous night and this is the first thing his mum asks.

Everyone was too distracted by what Mama Joy had said to become suspicious of their actions.

Well, mostly all of them were...

"Mum, please. That's gross." Calum groaned, shaking his head.

"What? I know you all had to get into something." She answered and she couldn't have been more right. Plus, something had to have happened because everyone woke up late. The group stayed quiet for a bit then they nervously chuckled.

"Not really much, mama. Just went clubbing and got some drinks. Then we went home, right guys?" Ashton explained, obviously leaving out the keen details of the fight, Calum and Mhina disappearing and then them having to leave the club without them then suddenly the two coming back to their hotel rooms later that morning as if nothing happened.

But she didn't need to know all of that.

And they knew all of that and knew Ash was leaving it out yet they nodded in agreement.

She made a displeased face and shook her head.

"Thats all? You guys are different from me. Back in my day we would've gotten buckwild." Joy chuckled, shaking her head as she thought of her younger years. She might be seen as the mom who bakes and takes in children now but back in the day she was a wild thang.

Not 'thing' but thang.

The group chuckled awkwardly and tried to occupy themselves with looking over the menu to avoid having to continue the conversation. But of course someone had to somewhat add on to the previous conversation and of course it was Michael Clifford.

"Well, I mean a little something, something went down last night." His words were vague, unclear, and way too narrow for the group. And this caused them each to turn their heads in his direction with furrowed brows.

Mama Joy giggled, noticing their expressions, clapping her hands together and leaning in to hear him better.

"I knew you guys were hiding something. Give me the details, Mikey." She bounced her brows, a grin on her face.

The colorful headed boy smirked because he knew they were growing nervous with every second that passed. He opened his mouth and Calum prepared to smack him upside his head.

"Well, yeah like I said something went down that I don't think anyone excepted...not even you, mama." Michael started, gaining glares from his soon to be ex friends. They were all ready to come across that table if need be.

Mama Joy, on the other hand, was ready to hear some tea. She knew from the looks on their faces that it had to be juicy.

"Oh really, what?" She asked, glancing at the waiter that was approaching their table.

Mike could feel their stares but completely ignored them and looked over at the older woman.

"Our big boy, Lucas invited a lovely lady over last night." The boy confessed, playfully smacking Luke's arm, which Luke reciprocated a bit harder.

Everyone inwardly sighed, relaxing in their seats, not before sending Michael another look.

Well, everyone except Nikki who furrowed her brows then rolled her eyes at Luke.

The waiter flipped his notepad to a fresh sheet as he made it to their table.

"Glad to have you here. What would we be having, ma'am?" The boy said to Joy, causing her to bring her attention to the menu.

As she skimmed the various delicious selections, the rest of the group took this time to either smack Mike or toss utensils his way.

"Freaking--stop, guys!" Mike whispered loudly, ducking his head behind his hands. They would've laughed at how in sync they were but they had just came off the anticipation wave that Mike created.

"Don't talk for the rest of the lunch." Ashton said, throwing a rolled up napkin at the boy. Mike ducked, holding in a laugh as he replied.

"Actually it's 'brunch'." He corrected smartly, a smirk on his face. Ashton raised his brows to reply and possibly tell him a thing or two about trying him but Mama Joy beat him to it.

"Yes, it is brunch. Now what do you boring bunch want?" She asked, dropping her menu and looking around the table. They nervously giggled because they weren't sure if she had heard or seen all of what they did. But that didn't stop them from grabbing their menus and pretend everything was cool...though it was the opposite.

Sat at that table was unanswered questions, tension, jealousy, slight guilt, and a hopeful resolution.

But they weren't going to let any of that show because this is a brunch and Mama Joy is here and right now isn't the time to address any of that.

So, they sat and ate and talked as if nothing had happened the previous night.

And through it all, Calum couldn't help but grow more and more impatient as Mhina took her time to eat.

His eyes wandered over to her every few seconds, just to find her either giggling with Ashton, picking at her eggs benedict, or taking small sips from her water.

It was driving him crazy because all he wanted to do was talk to the girl--his soon to be foster sister, yet it felt like she was purposely taking forever to finish her food to avoid him.

Eight and a half minutes passed, Luke and Mike were deep in a conversation about some gig they might have that Nikki pretended to be interested in, Mama Joy was busy typing away on her phone, Ash and Mhina were giggling about whatever, and Calum had officially reached his tolerance of her foolishness.

He took out his phone and began texting the girl to remind her, though he's sure she remembers, that they had to meet up.

c'mon mhina...

Calum clicked send and immediately a vibration was heard from across the table.

Mhina furrowed her brows, her eyes moving to her device but stopping halfway when they catch Calum's burning stare. She rolled her browns and continued eating bits of her food.

He wanted to reach over and kick that plate out of her reach but he recollected himself and settled for another text.

dnt be immature abt this

Sent.

Once again, ignored.

The boy dry chuckled and sat back in his chair, a small shake of his head at the beautiful and bitter girl infront of him.

So, certain desperate times call for desperate measures. And Calum so desperately wanted to talk about that night in the alley.

So, he did what any rational person would do in this situation...blow that phone up.

Back to back, the boy sent message after message after message...after message.

this isn't cute

r u really being this petty?

honestly r u gnna be mad all day

it's not gud ya know

to be mad for the whole day

U might get wrinkles or like diarrhea

mhina I'm getting mad pls answr me

**answer

Mhina!!!!!!!!

I can literally hear the vibrations and I knw u feel them

Her phone went off so much that it caught the table's attention. Calum had his phone in his lap so they couldn't tell who it was from.

Ashton furrowed his brows and chuckled a bit.

"Babe, ya gonna answer that? It sounds urgent." His facial expression was mixed of confusion and slight suspicion. The goldielock boy noticed Calum had his head to his lap the entire time Mhina's phone went off.

The brown skinned girl rolled her eyes harder than ever then shook her head. She then cleared her throat, dramatically, and made sure the entire table heard her response.

"It's no one important. Probably just left my Kik open, is all." She clearly knew who it was that sent her those text messages but then again she clearly didn't care. Mhina openly dismissed Calum in front of everyone...yet, no one knew she was dismissing Calum.

Well...

Calum raised his brows at her and snorted then shook his head.

"Ya know, sis," The Maori boy's voice caused the girl to pause drinking and glare his way. "It sure sounded a bit urgent. Maybe your Kik friends really need you for something."

"Well that's too bad because I'm eating so they will have to wait." She smirked tauntingly, eating at a piece of pineapple.

"Food is far more important than mere mortals." Michael said as if it was quoted from a J.K Rowling novel. Mhina giggled, a bit louder than normal, before holding her fruit up at Michael.

"True!" She said and shared a laugh with the colorful boy.

However, Calum was in no playing mood. This girl was acting a fool for no reason. I mean maybe there's a reason but she didn't have to do the most.

"Shoot, I have to get my dress for the court date, tomorrow." Mama Joy groaned, sucking her teeth. Calum sat up and looked over at his mom.

"Your dress?"

"Yeah, from the hotel cleaners." And just like that, a plan popped into that head of his and suddenly, he stood.

"I'll get it, mum."

"Mama's boy." Luke muttered but Calum heard and tossed his used rolled napkin at his head.

"Calum Thomas, this is a dining area," His mom gave him that look, the 'boy you better act like you got some sense' look, then continued. "And you don't know what it looks like."

"But, Mhina knows so she could just go with me." A fork dropped on a plate and it didn't take to guess who had done it.

"Fine. But your suit is there, too. Which means you're wearing a full suit and I don't want to hear any fuss. Also, how do you know that Mhina wants to go with you?" Joy asked, watching as her son began walking backwards.

"Nah, I'm sure Mhina would love to help you out. Right sis?" Calum put the girl on the spot, which she tried her hardest not to seem phased by. But deep inside she was burning with rage.

"Uh, sure." She said quietly and Calum didn't let much time waste before taking hold of her wrist and leading her to the door.

"Mate, how about I come along?" The last voice Calum wanted to hear, Ashton said. The kiwi boy turned and shook his head.

"I think we got it. Plus, we could use the brother-sister time." Calum answered smoothly. Mhina snorted but it was only loud enough for him to hear.

Ashton wanted to argue but failed to find anything to say, really. So he nodded.

Before anyone could say anything else, he hurriedly made it out of the dining room and into the hall.

"Brother-sister time, alright...yeah." Nikki said lowly but somehow Ashton heard and furrowed his brows over at the girl.

Calum held onto her wrist until they made it halfway down the hall before Mhina jerked her arm back.

The dark haired boy turned and rolled his eyes when he caught her stank facial expression.

"You can't be mad forever, Mhina."

"Don't say my name and I can do what I want."

"How old are you? Ten? Act your age."

"If I'm 'ten' then I am, technically."

"Act like an adult."

"Why don't you try it first, little boy."

"Little boy?!" Calum scoffed, taking a step closer to by the girl.

"Says the little girl that's huffing and puffing because she didn't get what she wanted." He added, furrowing his brows at the girl. Mhina face dropped and Calum instantly felt worse. It's not like he wanted this argument.

Mhina took a step closer to him and narrowed her eyes up at the boy.

"Also says the little boy who ran away because he got what he wanted." Mhina's words shot like bullets and hit directly in his throat, causing him to choke on his words, in his chest, causing it to tighten, and in the head, unraveling the memories of eleven and a half hours ago.

oH SNAP I CAN'T BELIEB I TOOK SO LONG BUT HERE IT IS LOL HOW Y'ALL DOING?? SO CAL AND MHINA TALKED AND WHAT HAPPENED ELEVEN HOURS AGO, YALL? WHAT YALL THINK HAPPENED? (IT'S MORE THAN WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO CHAPS, CAL JUST SKURRED TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED) ALSO ASH AND NIKKI ACTING SUS YALL! WHAT YALL THINK GOIN ON?! LET ME KNOW! SO PLS COMMENT, VOTE, AND ALL THAT GOOD GOOD! LOVE U ALL AND TTYL :]