A/N

Hello lovely people!

New update. This one's a little special chapter for me. I don't know the reason but I really felt weird things in my stomach while writing this.... The same things I feel while listening to Where Were You in the morning 😂😂

Sooooo here's the update. Please read comment and vote if you liked it. As usual it's crappy.

"Holy cow, Gang Leader! Is that you?" I almost shouted and the people around us probably gawked at me as if  I was some kind of maniac.

My eyes were still glued to the face of the person standing in front of me. The soft affectionate look on his face soon dropped to the ground as he registered my words. He looked at me with a confused look. He opened his mouth to say something but I turned my head away to look at my brother who was horrified by his presence.

Without waiting for a reply, I opened my arms and leaped onto the person in front of me, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face in his chest which almost dis-balanced him. He stood still to steady himself and reflexively wrapped an arm around my waist. I heard him drop his bag onto the ground to wrap the other one around me as well. I noticed how I wrinkled up his perfectly ironed blazer had become.

"Oh my god, you didn't tell me leader! Oh my god-"

"Char-" he said with concern but I cut him off just after pulling myself away from him. I wrapped my arms over my chest and threw him a questioning look.

"You never called me. Oh my god. Who knew gang leader-" I never realized I was screaming. I earned a few glances from the people walking by as I called him 'gang-leader'.

"Char, I'm your father. How many times should I tell you to stop calling me that in public." Dad said as his brown eyes reflected an irritated expression. Oh my god. If I was going to irritate him just like that then his mood would be ruined. I didn't want that so I decided to smile back sheepishly at him.

I held him by his shoulders and shook him so hard that probably his head spanned. He held his palm near my face to stop me but I was way too excited.

"Char-" pops said, "Oh my god, Charlotte Allison Samantha Evans! Stop it for god's sake!" He almost screamed and I stopped on spot. I stared at him for a while and pretended to read his brown eyes that were identical to mine.

"It's gone!" I concluded. My father was puzzled and concerned.

"Oh my god, pops, it's gone! You don't love me anymore." I sounded like a five year old. Everyone was probably laughing at me. Damn it.

My dad sighed and muttered something like 'what will I do with you, char?' or maybe 'somethings never change' or something like that. I get to hear that a lot. 

I was about to leap on him again but I felt someone pulling me backwards.

My eyes immediately met El's. I passed her a death glare who stared back at me with a look that straightaway wanted me to stop. I realized Louis was facing our father now. He was tensed. He was freaking sweating!

I was about to interrupt them again when I felt someone's hold on my arm. I turned my head only to come face to face with Blake. I scowled at him and he immediately let go. His pupil dilated a little as a apologetic expression crawled upon his finely chiseled face. He mouthed a sorry, pulling his eyebrows together. I immediately knew that he was apologizing for teasing me a couple of hours ago. I hadn't been talking to him without snapping since then.

I turned my head away from him. I would eventually forgive him but not now.

Not. Now. Yes, I love to play hard to get.

"Louis Austin Evans-" my father began. Oh my god! My brother gulped.

Louis just gulped!

I had been saying that a lot lately.

"Y-yes, Dad?" he said, his blue eyes didn't meet my father's.

"I'm impressed by the words you've been using, son." Not.  He was clearly not impressed by Louis's colorful words.

"D-Dad, that's-" he stuttered.

"That's pathetic." Louis had his head down. "Do you want any kind of punishment, son?" dad asked in a stern tone.

"I won't prefer, dad." Louis said quietly and I almost choked from keeping myself from laughing. "However I expect I have already earned it and there's nothing I can do to help myself anyway."

Surprising my dad laughed. He was not Hitler. He just always wanted his children away from any kind of nuisance or bad influence. He never stopped us from doing anything. However, mom always did but still (don't let her know that I said that, like ever). He hated it when we swore.

As he laughed, I noticed wrinkles appear at the corner of his eyes that made him look old. He was just forty five then. He wasn't too old either. He moved forward, closing the distance between him and my brother and wrapped his arms around him. Louis relaxed and a grin broke on his face as he hugged him back. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed the two people on my both sides- El and Blake, smiling to themselves, loving our little family reunion. I ended up grinning as well and ran towards them and hugged them to death. I felt my brother's arm around me.

Dad was the first one to break the embrace. I didn't want him to though. He was back after ten months straight. Sometimes I don't understand why he had invested himself in his work so much. It barely left him time for us. However, he called my mother daily. I love him for that.

"That doesn't means that I've not planed anything for you, Louis." Dad said with a knowing smile. Louis frowned.

"Oh come on dad. I'm your lad." The idiot said.

"Hey there, Eleanor!" My dad said as he spotted her and ignored my brother's remark. My eyes widened in shock when I realized that never had my dad ever met Eleanor in his life but he still recognized her. El smiled and moved closer to us.

"Hello, Mr Evans. It's good to meet you in person." She had a big smile on her stunning face. I don't know anything about the expression that crossed my brother's face.

"Hold on." I said in confusion. "How on earth do you guys know each other?"

"That's a long story." A smirk appeared on my face as I heard El and Louis say the exact same words at the exact same moment. Ha! I ship them.

Louis rolled his eyes and let my friend continue.

"We kind of video called and chatted for a week...." El told me and my eyes oscillated between her and dad. Why....were they talking to each other??

"Actually-" Dad said, "Your mom called me once to let me know about Louis's acceptance to the university." My happy face dropped as I realized my brother would be leaving in a week. There's nothing in the world I love more than him. Well, except for dad and mom and food. Well, that's still a a few people, aren't they?

"El was there and she heard it all. She decided to bring me here with you all before Louis leaves. She wants me to stay here because she knows as much as you love Louis and want him to do better in life, you won't-" my dad sighed.

"I what?" I asked.

"You won't let him go. You'll try your best to stop him by hook or crook." Dad was smiling and I gulped because he wasn't lying. I was going to run my tiny little brain to make him stay or to take me away with him off to his college, even though that wasn't going to happen. Instead of thinking about Lou leaving, I tilted my head to greet my friend's face and hugged her.

"You're the best, Eleanora!" I said breaking the contact and she scowled back at me, shaking her head. She hated it when anyone ruined her name like that.

"So, I'm going to stay." Dad announced. It was the best news I had heard in months. In the past few months I've just seen people leaving...you know what I am talking about.

Or about whom.

"Where's the car?" Dad asked and the three of us looked at each other.

"It kind of broke down so we have another ride." Louis announced glancing back at Blakey boy who waved at my dad with his signature golden boy smile.

"It's alright." Dad said. I'm quite surprised that he didn't ask for details while he loved his car. He just looked over at Blake and smiled back. "Hey, Uber driver? Help me out son. You're pretty young to work there-"

"Dad!" I said, "He's not a driver." I said and Blake laughed. Is he serious?

Dad looked at him apologetically. "I'm so sorry. I should've known." A strange expression flashed through his face.

He extended his hand towards him. Blake moved forward and shook his hand with my father.

"Geoff Evans." Dad said warmly.

"Blake Vector, sir." Wow he was good at greetings. "I'll be talking you home. Let me help you with these." He said, lifting up the luggage with my dad like a real gentleman. The three men walked towards the car, calling us to join them.

"We would've been on time if it wasn't for the car." El informed me, "Anyway.." she said with a glimpse of playfulness in her hazel orbs. "I think I kind of ship you and that Uber driver." She winked as I scowled at her.

"No thanks," I said. Her ships involving me usually sinks, drowns me rather.

As she began walking away from me, I decided to stop her. "And by the way El-" She turned back to face me. "I ship you with that blue eyed boy." I immediately regretted saying those words because the sadness on El's face didn't go unnoticed by me.

****

Surprisingly all five of us comfortably got inside Blake's car which was thankfully spacious. The ride back home wasn't as long as I expected it to be. Maybe it was due to the fact that I fell asleep yet gain while dad was engaged in a conversation with Louis and Blake.

It took us forty five minutes to reach Rockville. Blake may not be an Uber driver but we made him one. The poor boy spent hours driving. I had to forgive him and I owed him.

"Where are you going, Blake?" dad asked, pulling his eyes together as he dropped us at our front door.

"I have to leave, sir. I have some work left undone." He replied calmly.

"Oh come on!" said dad, "you need to come with us, right now."

"Sorry, Mr Evans but my mom's waiting for me." Blake said looking at me. "I'll apologize to you later, alright?"

I stared at him blankly... he was so sure that there was going to be a 'later'. I thought he was mad at me for behaving like a jerk.

"I would have loved it if you came in." dad said and he smiled "But since it's about your mom, young man, you may leave but it doesn't mean I'm done with you. I like you and you have to visit us, soon."

Blake shook his head as a yes and everyone waved him an adieu after thanking him. Well, except for me because I don't know what crawled up my brain and commanded it to behave like a sore loser. His eyes met mine for a little longer than a second before he pulled over the ignition of his car and drove off to another direction. For a moment, I felt a weird sensation rushing through me.

Awkward.

The four of us stalked in, of course after we pressed the doorbell and mom paved the way for us. I thought mom would cry tears of happiness or jump around or whatever but she was much calm and controlled. She was not a kind of person who spilled her emotions in front of everyone. She loved each one of us to death but never showed it. That was her way of dealing with things, completely different from mine.

"How are you?"

"How was the flight?"

Mom and dad questioned each other at the same moment. None replied though. I saw my dad's expression calming down as a grin broke on his face.

"It was good. They weren't on time though." Dad said looking at me and Louis as he threw his bag on the sofa and sat.

"Oh Lord! That's why I told you to not sleep, Charlotte Evans!" my mom scolded.

"Mom, it wasn't because of me!" I complained. "You told me I had to leave for Olivia's!"

"Olivia Brown?" Dad said with a questioning look floating in his eyes.

"Yeah...mom's friend who supposedly opened a day boarding school for kids." I said tiredly as I took a seat beside my father. I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. He stroked my hair gently. There's no one in this world I love more than my family.

"Olivia is back here?" my dad asked mom. I detached myself from him and looked at him and mom. Louis had his arms wrapped around himself while El made herself comfortable on a chair.

"You know her?" I questioned.

"Yeah, I guess I do." Dad replied.

"Um, Geoff, I asked Char to help her out in weekends. You know as a part time job?" mom said.

"That's awesome!" Dad said happily. Of course, he'd want me to do this. "But your mom never told me what happened to your job? At Stanley's?" Dad asked curiously. "I never got the reason."

"Oh, that's because she was kicked out!" Louis commented excitedly. He should've been quite. Moron.

I mentally slapped my head as I felt my dad's gaze on me. He wanted an answer.

I remember the day I was kicked out of Stanley's. I was angry. I had even managed to piss my boss to the core.

Suddenly all the memories from that day started flooding back into my head. 

Suddenly, I was able to recall that day so vividly. It felt like it was yesterday. I remember how long I waited for Finn, then Sam, out of the Stanley's but he was way too late for his own good. I was mad; beyond mad but I still couldn't remember a time when I stayed mad at him for a long time. I always called it our 'hate-pact' which made it really necessary to keep talking with the enemy to bring him down. I couldn't believe how dumb I was. It's not like I had changed completely but I surely had learnt a lot.

I remembered how dumb things I used to say about his amazingly captivating orbs. I remembered how every time I blurted something stupid out of my mouth, he pretended as if he read my brain. I remembered, be it Sam or Finn, I had started falling for him.

"O-kay-" I heard my dad say, "I think that story is bad enough, eh?"

I shook my head and forced a smile. I couldn't shove away the memories that day bought.

"That's alright kid." He smiled back, "I hope you, handle the kids well." He said and Louis burst into laughter probably imagining me as a teacher or caretaker or whatever. Oh my god, please send him to the university now. I couldn't stand him anymore.

Nah..you liar

Me with kids? It's horrible.

Wait...kids?

Kevin!

"Mom!" I heard his high pitched baby shriek and face-palmed myself. My dad has been getting way too many surprises today. Not now Kev. 

I forgot about him. Anna was leaving him here today! Oh my gosh.

I looked at my brother who laughed at my face while El smiled because she couldn't help it.

"Kev, we are here, hon!" I heard my mom calling out for him affectionately. She left the room and came back with my little friend. He rubbed his eyes as if he had fallen asleep a while ago. He wore a white t shirt and a blue over shirt. I don't know what happened to him but he was fascinated by the idea of getting nicely dressed these days. He told me that looking good was his life goal. I don't even want to ask him about his inspiration.

He dropped his palm from his eyes and looked at me. His dark eyes were filled with joy as he ran towards me. I opened my arms and took him into an embrace.

"Oh mom! There you are!" he said mischievously.

I glared at him for a second, "I told you to not call me that, Kev!" I sighed.

"Hey that's my line, Char!" dad complained. I fully understand it now that how my father feels when I call him names in public. Well, that's karma on my face.

"Who are you?" Kev asked my dad without hesitating.

My dad smiled kindly at the innocent little boy. "This is Geoff, Charlotte's dad." He extended his arm towards him. Kevin looked at me as if asking for permission. I shook my head as a 'yes' and the little boy smiled back at my father shaking hands with him.

"That means, you're my grand dad?" Kev said excitedly and looked at me and smirked. He what?

He smirked? Where did he learn that from? Oh lord!

"I don't understand you, son but I prefer the term older brother more." My dad stated playfully.

"um- dad it is a weird story-" I said awkwardly, "-you see Kevin has a habit of calling me mom. I know it sounds weird. It almost gave mom a heart attack." I was embarrassed.

"I told you about him on phone." Mom immediately said and it was as if my dad was able to remember it.

My dad looked at Kevin and he shook his head with a smile. "You know it feels weird when I call, Char by her first name. So calling her mom is a habit now. Just like leaving is the habit of both my dads, real or fake."

I snapped my head in his direction. Where did he get that from?

"What?" Dad asked. "Both-"

"Um, dad why don't you go and have some rest or talk to mom? It's been long isn't it?" Louis said interrupting him. He knew I couldn't handle the topic. He knew it wasn't right to talk about Kevin's real dad leaving them right now, either.

"I wouldn't be this tired if you were on time, Lou." Said my dad and my brother rolled his eyes again. "If it wasn't for the Uber driver."

"His name is Blake, dad" I said, "He's not a taxi driver."

"Blake?" Mom asked.

"Yes Mrs. Evans, the new guy I'm shipping Charlotte with." Eleanor said in an excessively excited tone which surely made my mom interested. I groaned in frustration.

"And Charlotte-" she said, "you take Kevin to your room, I'll be joining you guys shortly." I shook my head and held Kevin's hand taking him upstairs with me.

I opened the door of my room and let the little boy go in after me. I shut the door behind and sighed. I heard Carbon barking downstairs. Dad had probably met him by then.

I didn't want any of this to come out in front of dad. Well, not that mom wouldn't have had already hinted him but still, I didn't feel like talking.

"Kev?" I said slowly.

"Yep." He said as he crawled on my bed.

"Why did you say that, love?"

"Because it was true." I sighed. I wanted to change the topic. It wasn't about Finn but Anna had told me to not discuss it in front of Kevin now. She didn't want him to grow up into a son who would hate his father.

"Mom 2.0?" he called me and I looked in his direction. "Can I have your phone? I want to show you something."

I smiled at him. Curiosity was probably visible in my eyes. "You want to show me something on my phone?"

"Yep, I need to call mom first." He said as he leaped out of the bed and left the room. I was about to question him but that boy shut me down in the name of privacy. He never fails to amuse me.

I crawled upon my bed and leaned on the wooden backrest attached to my it. I was way too tired. I wrapped my arms around my knees and buried my head within them. Many things happened today. My kidnapping by my own people, Eleanor and Louis and whatever they were hiding from me, dad and Blake.

"Aw, you forgetting about someone, babe?"

Oh no, not again.

I groaned, not wanting to lift my face. "I'm hurt. Real hurt." I heard the mockery in his words. I tilted my head and opened an eye to steal a glance. 

One glance, just one and I swear I won't look back at him.

He had curled his lower lip downwards and looked at me with his puppy dog eyes. He had one of his hand placed over his chest, right where his heart was. I realized my eyes were fixed on him. I looked at him without blinking away.

No no no, char! This is wrong! You need a psychiatrist.

My tired eyes met his dazzling green ones and I swear I couldn't stop staring.

"Thinking about your park boy, huh babe?" he winked at me and I could've murdered him through my gaze.

"Jesus Christ, I'm sorry woman. I said I'm sorry." He said almost laughing. His golden hair perfectly complemented his marbled face.

"Don't you ever call me that again, Finn." I warned. His name rolled off my tongue.

"Whoa, you realize one thing?" he asked, "It's not me who's actually calling you that? It's all in your head. So, technically you are the one who's making me call you that." He pulled over a victory smirk and I felt my cheeks turning red. "Don't be mad at me when you're the one having secret fantasies about me." a satisfied smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"You never fail to fluster me, Finn. Even if it's my own freaking imagination." I sighed and lord knows why he looked so amused.

"Now that I have accomplished my goal, can I leave?" he asked and much to my horror I stared at him with my eyes wide open. I know it isn't real. I know I spent time with a fragment of his image inside my head but still it feels so vivid, so real that I never wanted him to leave me ever again.

It was my way of hiding whatever I did to him.

"I miss you!" I blurted without even thinking. I had no hold over my emotions.

"I know." He felt quite, "but you need to understand that it's second time you're having this conversation with me in a day and it's toxic for you and-"

"Shh!" I hushed as I placed a finger on my lips and looked straight into his eyes. "I know. I know I shouldn't do this but I can't help it even if we both are toxic for each other."

He sighed and placed both his legs over my bed. "Char, what will be the first thing that you would do if I come back?" I had no clue about where that came from.

"Of course, I will-" I opened my mouth to say something but it was like I was short of words. What will you do Char? What will you do if he comes back out of nowhere? Taken, you have been pathetic to him but will you be able to forgive him for all the lies he told you?

"I would slap you across your face for sure." I awkwardly joked but an uncertain expression crossed his face.

"No," he said, concern flashed into his green orbs. "The first thing would be an apology. You just want to apologize for- well, you know. Isn't it?"

I fell quite. I was angry. I was angry because I knew how right he was. "Yes, you're right but-"

"There's no but, Char." he said calmly. "I don't know why are you letting your guilt superimpose with your other emotions! You are confused."

"No, I'm not!" I snapped looking away from him.

"Yes, you are." he was irritated as well. I could sense it in his voice. "Would you forgive me? For everything I did?" he demanded an answer.

I was horrified. Because the answer was no. He probably guessed it through my silence.

He sighed. "Whatever you feel about me, Char, is just because of your guilt card. Don't let it get inside your head. It will eat you from inside." he warned me. 

I fell quite. I immediately made up a reply in my head but before I could utter a word, her cut me off.

"If I ever come back, will you ever love me?" he asked.

Silence consumed me once again. Since when I became short of words?

I wasn't short of words, I just didn't want to admit it. 

While talking to him, I realized, he wasn't wrong. I started questioning myself.

Will I ever forgive him?

Finn smirked but sadness occupied his beautiful face. I knew he was a part of my imagination but it felt as if he was really there.

And I stayed calm because only my heart knew the truth.

Before I could think of a reply, I was interrupted by the creaking of the door of my room. I heard Kevin stomping inside, shutting the door behind.

"I got it mom!" Kevin screamed, "I asked my mom to send me these. Have a look!" he clumsily bought the phone to me.

I shifted my gaze from his face to the screen of my phone.

I blinked.

I blinked back the tears and swallowed all my emotions that lumped in my throat, partially due to my own answer to Finn's question.

"W-where did you get that from?" I whispered.

My eyes were fixed on the photograph that featured me drowned in sleep, resting my head over a certain fake-blondie's head who was in return asleep on my shoulder with a blue paint over his face.

I tried so hard not to cry.

"Mom took it the day you guys painted my room!" he exclaimed in happiness. "I was scrolling through her phone yesterday and I found it." I fell quite. I don't know why everything that's been happening with me today is driving me through the guilt road, straight to him.

"Hey, did I upset you?" Kevin said and I laughed.

"No you didn't. you never do and you never can." He was the only person who could not ever make me cry. The only one.

"Hey mom." He said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Do you miss him?"

I looked at him, shutting the screen of the device off and tossing it over the mattress.

"Don't lie." Kevin said.

Aw, he looked so cute when he tried to be serious.

I don't know what hit me but I almost cried. "yes." I faked a laugh to get through, "I don't know why that's even a question."

"You know what? Finn is not a good person for leaving you-"

"That's not it Kev." I cut him off. Finn loved him. I always saw it in his eyes so it wouldn't be right to him if Kevin hated him because of me. "He left because of me. I'm the bad person here."

"No, you're not." He said, "Besides, you said my dad 2.0 would be back soon. When is he coming back?"

"I don't know Kev." I said slowly. "I might've lied."

Kevin moved past me and got a hold of my phone.

"Let's call him." I looked at Kevin who was again, very serious.

"No, we are not going to call anyone. We are going to play-"

"No we are not." He immediately cut me off. "We are going to call Finn right now!" He was determined.

I looked at him, dejectedly. He really thought I had not tried calling him. I called him once every week but it always went to his voice mail. I tried recording a message but he never listened to any of them. He probably switched his phone number, I don't have any clue about where he was or how he was.

"Take this and call. Now." Kevin said stubbornly as he handed the phone to me. A million thoughts crossed my mind.

I tapped it open, reaching the contact list and pressed the one which read 'Jerk'. Even while knowing that no one would answer, I bought the phone near my ear.

Without even ringing, it straight away went to the voicemail. My heart sank in disappointment.

I took a deep breath.

"You have reached the voice mailbox of the dashing Finn Barconn." I smiled to myself silently I heard the narcissist praise himself. "If you're a hot chick, you may leave a message at the tone." I heard him say in an excited tone before tuning into a remorse one, "If you're Jax or Dave, you may also leave a message. If you're not hot, call back when you are." I laughed sadly at his words. He sounded cheerful, just like the way he used to be.

A tone beeped, indicating me to record my message for him.

"Hey there!" I did realize how fake my voice sounded or how heavy it had become. I paused for a while, not knowing what to say further.

"H-How are you?" I finally asked and let out a breath. "Don't get full of yourself about this but guess what? It's the second voicemail I'm sending you this week! Don't let it set in your head because no, I'm not obsessed with you, or you'll get high or something. High Finn is too much to handle for his own sake." I forced a laugh. I never got to know how I managed to get so much confidence every time it was for him. I could never shut my mouth in front of him.

That was weird.

"Guess, who is with me at the moment?" I paused and signaled Kevin to say something for him.

"Hey there, dad!" Kevin immediately giggled as he said. "It's been long since I last saw you. You don't come to play with me anymore and I miss you-" he quietly looked at me and I gestured him to continue. "And whatever my mommy said before-" he laid excessive emphasis while pronouncing 'mommy', "-about not missing you was absolutely wrong!" he said and laughed watching my face drain colors. "Over to you, Char!" he said as he pushed the phone towards me.

I paused again. I had a lot and nothing to say at the same time.

"You know I can't fake it anymore, Carbon-No, that's technically our dog's name so I'm not going to call you that anymore." I mentally cursed myself for bringing that up. "Even though, I have no right to say this but I really wanted to make sure if were okay. I'm pathetic Finn, I know and I'm sorry for all the things I've done to you. Trust me I-"

Before I could compete, the tone beeped and the message was sent. I sighed, looking down at my feet, preventing the liquid from accumulating in my eyes.

Sending Finn voicemails or even trying to contact him was like shooting arrows in the air- it was of no use. But, over the time, it became a habit. I sent him one, at least once a week.

I knew he wouldn't reply but I wish at least, he heard them.

Me and Kevin ended up looking at each other, the only difference being, he had hope in his eyes and I didn't.

A/N

Soooo... How was the chapter?  I have a few questions to trouble you guys. Answer if feel like.

1. Did you guys like Geoff Evans?

2. What about the Blakey Boy? Is he doing any good. Ik he didn't have much to do in this chapter.

3. And.... Was anyone happy to see Kev back in the story? Because I love that boy.

4. Anybody shipping #LouEl? I was thinking of giving Louis's story a spin off called 'when the Evans sighs'. I've got a plot in mind and a cover designed as well. I'm just waiting for your thoughts!

5. Favorite song at the moment????

Fact. The title of this chapter is stolen from my unpished book of same name 😂

Okayyyy.... Another little question, what song do you think suits this chapter?

Anyway, thanks for all the love. I love you all back. Your views and support means everything to me.