c h a p t e r | 17
PAID ADVICE
'I should give you a twenty.'
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Sorry for the long wait guys, I have no words. But now it's Christmas! And my schedule is opening up again soon, so don't worry! I promise I'll be back to frequent posting again soon enough! Now enjoy this chap. My Christmas gift to you.

Happy Holidays!
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WITH A FINAL SCOWL AT THE DOOR, she steeled herself for what was to come the minute she opened it. Who knew the tip toeing around each other would be just as tiring as bickering and provoking each other.

"I'm not the one who should apologize. It's him. I'm down one credit card and a cellphone due to him," Tessa muttered under her breath while surprising herself with the common curtesy of knocking on the door before she trotted through it. "He got the front page, the commercial and the small feature and what did I get? Parker's old phone who keeps losing battery," she continued to grumble and hung further up in the suit covers.

Another thing that bugged her as Hale had been very vague on the phone. "Casual attire... Funnily, one would think his casual attire didn't need any styling. Besides, he already got a wax."

Out loud, she cleared her throat, "You were very vague on the phone about this thing tonight, so I brought over different choices as I wasn't sure whether it was blazer casual, leather jacket or just minimalistic shirt and slacks," she yapped once again not bothering with a proper hello, thinking the knock would have to suffice and headed straight for the kitchen. "But hey, I actually scored one of the shirts from Duan and I must personal— Oh. Hi," she stopped herself. Her self-pleasant smile of anticipation, from Hale admitting her sweet-talk skills, wavered into one of surprise.

"Hi," the boy, Tessa suspected had absolutely zero excitement for quality shirts, waved lightly before he once again dug his spoon into his cereal as if he hadn't been interrupted.

Tessa titled her head, studying the miniature Hale after fleetingly sneaking a glimpse of her watch, "Ceral for dinner. Now I know why it's called breakfast for champions," she commented with vague sarcasm. Noah just shrugged, causing milk to escape from his spoon and drop down his chin which he quickly wiped off with the back of his hand.

"I like Lucky Charms," Noah stated obliviously, "Hale prefers Cheerios," he grimaced before he took another huge spoonful of charms while Tessa eyed the Lucky Charms box.

"I like Lucky Charms better too." She poured a handful of charms into her hand before throwing one in the air and expertly caught it with a swift crunch, chewing noisily.

"Lucky," Noah grinned and they both chuckled by the cheesiness. Tessa nodded for Noah to try and threw one, only to giggle when it hit him on the nose instead.

"So, you and Hale going out?" She asked offhandedly as Noah finally caught one, wondering where the other Westbrook was. As of right now she was not even sure what she was doing there. Surely Hale did know how to dress himself for a playground date. If not, they had bigger problems than Deluca once again postponing the meeting.

Before Noah could reply Hale appeared around the corner, barely looking up as he typed away on his phone, "You got the clothes?" He questioned, seemingly aware of her presence in spite of his lack of acknowledgment as the phone remained his main focus.

"Um... Yeah," Tessa stuttered trying to chew down the multiple charms Noah had thrown, and gulped it down, "Well, I didn't bring any t-shirts, but—- I mean your request wasn't very specific," she shot him an annoyed look however that too failed to catch his attention, "And you didn't—" she got cut off as the phone beeped, "And you didn't—" again the phone beeped halting her sentence as she glanced at Noah who just shrugged and slurped.

"Yea—?" If the tone wasn't enough to indicate his continuous lack of focus, the unfinished word surely was. Tessa scrunched her nose in annoyance.

Shaking her head, she left Hale to his own endeavors and returned to the Charms tossing with Noah. "And here I thought the Pokémon Go hype was finally over."

"You were saying?" Hale started again, his voice this time more clear, which made Tessa look at him mid-throw.

"Yeah, you didn't say where you were going—" The phone beeped again, making both her and Noah roll their eyes. Hale however let out a pleased smile, obviously satisfied with the response on the phone before he finally pocketed it.

Blinking twice, he looked at the two of them who were back to their game, before clearing his throat.

"Oh, sorry, were we interrupting you?" Tessa replied in feigned innocence that had Noah chuckling into his bowl.

"Clothes?" He raised a brow questioningly, choosing to ignore both of them and Tessa gestured to the kitchen counter behind them.

"Like I was trying to say, before I was so rude—" she let out a sigh as Hale looked at her from the corner of his eye while unzipping the rest of her bags, "Anyways, you didn't tell me where you were going so."

"First Trix, then Grant's afterwards," he informed apathetically and picked up the Duan shirt, "The new release?" He glanced at Tessa, who had been looking forward to the impressed look he was giving her. However that was before her mind stopped to process the information about him going clubbing.

"Yeah, but—" Keeping the recurring factor of being interrupted intact, Hale whistled appreciatively.

"Sweet," he proclaimed before slinging the shirt over his shoulder and started flicking through variations of pants, slightly chuckling as they could hear Noah in the background trying to whistle too.

"Look," she started, briefly glancing back at Noah who seemed in deep concentration to pucker his lips correctly. Another beep sounded from the nuisance that was his phone and she internally wished it had been the one to drown instead of hers.

"Hale, I finished, now can we please play? I need to show you the fortress! I'll even let you build the moat," Noah pressured as he skidded in between them and Tessa bit her lip, looking down at an expectantly Noah, who tried to catch the attention of his gadget absorbed older brother, whose expression turned into a frown.

"Ye-no, not no..." He trailed off before shutting off the screen and ran his hands through his hair exasperatedly. The action titled his head so he was looking straight at Tessa, causing a thoughtful shade to his features.

"Hey," you think you can look after Noah?" He inquired, as Tessa was about to scold him for ignoring him. Instead nothing came out as she just opened and closed her mouth as a fish.

"Hale?" Noah knocked his fist lightly into Hale's arm to get his attention.

Subconsciously she nodded, which Hale took as confirmation, his face splitting into his usual pleased smile, before grabbing the grey pair of slacks, which was Tessa's own favorite to go with the shirt.

"Hale, you said you would play Minecraft with me," Noah continued to speak to deaf ears, except for Tessa who picked up on his pleading tone.

"Not tonight, Noah. I got a thing. Maybe tomorrow, okay?" He said and casually ruffled his hair.

"Hale—" Tessa's own tone of voice dropped, however Hale still seemingly distracted didn't catch on.

"Thanks," he cut her off, taking the belt she had absentmindedly picked up, which would finish the look and left both Noah and Tessa back alone in the kitchen.

"I'll play with you," Tessa tried to lighten the mood as Noah stood there watching his foot rub at one of the grouts.

"You know Minecraft?"

"No, but I'm a quick learner."

"It's okay. I'll just play with Sean online," he quickly dismissed her and left into the living room which had Tessa move herself, stomping after Hale.

"Becoming addictive to me undressing?" Hale questioned as Tessa appeared in the doorframe, before pulling off his t-shirt.

Letting out a small breath through her nose she chose to ignore the remark, "About you going out, I don't—"

"It's just until midnight," he quickly reassured her, before she could start another one of her long speeches that really just felt like a scolding. Holding up a hand for emphasis he took her silence as passage to continue, inattentive to the shadow that ran across her features before vanishing again, "Chris and a few others confirmed their appearance at the Vicca Verce billboard reveal and suggested I tagged along."

"But VV... That reveal was invite only," Tessa's mind stuttered. Normally she would very much consent to him appearing at that event, but that was before Noah played Minecraft in the other room.

Hale nodded, and tugged at the shirt, the midnight blue blending well with his tan and the light stubble that had begun to compliment his strong jawline. "Thought you would appreciate the exclusiveness of it," he interpreted her expression wrongfully, "More mature, you would say, right?" He quirked his brows overbearingly.

"But about Noah," she started again and felt a tugging of her insides. She took a step forward, only to stop and turn to watch the doorframe instead as Hale pulled off his pants.

"Yeah, really a bind. Our aunt got sick, so Noah is stuck here and the babysitter bailed," he gestured to the for once discarded phone, before pulling the slacks over his hips, swiftly buttoning them. "So, perfect that you don't have anything to do on a Friday night," he responded while occupying himself with pulling the belt through the belt loops and Tessa smacked her lips bitterly.

Feeling rather unsure of how to formulate herself without blowing up in his face, she went to his dresser and grabbed the gel to tame his hair into proper quiff, her bottom lip still caught between her teeth and Hale stopped moving.

"As much as VV is quite the spectacle I still don't think—" Hale cut her off with an eye roll, quickly taking a step backwards.

"Not this again," he huffed under his breath, grabbing his phone and wallet.

"It's not about the tabloids, Hale," she called after him, "Though surely, they're to be present tonight and even more so than usual, but—"

"I'll—" Hale breathed however this time the phone beeped again keeping both of them from continuing. "I gotta go, I promise it won't be late," he said already hurrying out the door without another glance, and she barely heard him say bye to Noah before the door slammed and she let herself fall down with a sigh on Hale's bed, before getting up with a grimace and hurried differentiate herself from it.

She groaned by the suppressed thoughts and opinions she'd for once failed to express. She slapped her forehead before rolling eyes at herself. Shooting a quick message, she walked into the living room to Noah who was sitting comfortably on the couch fully indulged in the game with headphones on.

She wasn't sure how long she stared at the bricks that made absolutely no sense to her, but sooner than she expected the doorbell rung and a quizzical Noah pulled off his headphones to look at her and she smiled lightly before heading for the door.

"Someone ordered Mickey D's?"

"Hi," Tessa breathed gratefully and Parker's face fell momentarily as noticed his best friend's countenance, though she tried to cover it with a small smile.

"You Tessa's boyfriend?" Noah popped up from behind Tessa, making Parker blink at Tessa in understanding before he turned his attention to the youngster.

"Will you believe she wouldn't have me?" He quirked with a lopsided grin that made Tessa snort.

"Shut up, Park."

"Hey, no cursing!" He proclaimed dramatically holding out his hand to bring attention to Noah. "No need to corrupt the innocent further than what has already been destroyed," he scolded making Tessa look at him with mock disbelief. "The other day I swore I overhead a kid saying she wanted a Christian Grey for Christmas."

"Parker...."

"For real! And you should have heard her mother when I told her why not wish for a Magic Mike instead..."

Tessa shook her head, and placed her hand on Noah's shoulder not sure whether she should just push him back inside or shove Parker out and close the door.

"—She had the audacity to scold me. Me!"

"I can't believe why," Tessa muttered sarcastically under her breath as Noah chuckled.

"Whatever. If you ask me a lap dance is way more innocent than a spanking," Parker scoffed and Tessa's eyes turned wide, quickly covering Noah's ears.

"Parker!"

"What? Every kid loves ponies," He stated as a matter of fact that had Tessa smack her forehead.

"Yeah, you're definitely not her boyfriend. Cool a happy meal!" Noah exclaimed and quickly ripped the bag out of Parker's hand already running towards the kitchen.

"And what's that supposed to mean?!" He yelled after him, though he was already gone, "Can you believe that kid?"

"What kid?" She spoke innocently and gestured towards Parker's shirt while closing the door after him.

"Funny." Parker scrunched his nose exaggeratedly. "Lovely kid."

"He's cute," Tessa nudged him, "Not at all like Hale."

"Of course he isn't. He's eight. It's their MO to be cute, trust me I would know."

"When you were eight, all you were was curls and buck teeth."

"Do not doubt the charm of curls!" Parker exclaimed and ran a hand through his ruffled hair, his curls even more visible as it was still wet. "Besides I wasn't the one persistent in wearing that oversized bow!"

"You said I looked like Minnie Mouse!"

"Because you did! But no girl is supposed to look like an overgrown mouse outside Disneyland and that bow literally covered your whole face!"

"At least I didn't sound like a mouse in front of Amanda Clearwater in 7th grade." Tessa fired back as they entered the kitchen, Noah already munching on his fries.

"I was an early bloomer! Don't hate just because you couldn't fill out a bra until Junior year!"

"Parker!" Tessa slapped his arm, eyeing Noah carefully.

"Rebecca Mallard from 8th grade once threw a bra at Mike," Noah contributed.

"Nice," Parker smirked just as Tessa elbowed him again.

"It was purple and he still has nightmares about it," Noah continued and took a bite of his burger, while Parker chuckled.

"Just wait a few years and those nightmares won't be nightmares anymore."

"Why, did I text you again? You should be banned from interacting with kids!"

"Just a second ago I was a kid," Parker reminded, "Make up your mind. Cheeseburger?" He added in the same careless tone, dangling the burger in front of her. "Oh well." With an overdone sigh he started to unwrap it.

Yanking his hand, she twisted his thumb so he dropped the burger while letting out a surprised squeak before they both started grappling for it.

"You guys are funny," Noah surveyed being the only one who seemed to have proper table manners as they were leaned over the kitchen counter, the burger being pushed further and further away from them and they both stopped to look at Noah. Both of them blinking as if just realizing he was there.

Parker seizing his moment, quickly snapped the burger and dug in before Tessa could protest.

"How delightful," Tessa grumbled, scowling at Parker for a second before being nudged by Noah who offered her some of his fries. "At least there's one gentleman in the room."

"Hale says to be nice to girls," Noah stated proudly, which had Tessa to look at him incredulously as if they were talking about the same person.

"Is that so?" Parker was busy devouring the burger and were already down to the last bite.

"Yeah, it's not their fault they have cooties," he answered, which had Parker almost choke on the bite as he snickered and Tessa scowled at the both of them.

"Surely, he's one to talk probably having caught undiscovered STDs," Tessa muttered.

"What's an STD?" Noah questioned seriously, his forehead creasing in confusion, while Tessa felt the blood run to her face and Parker tried to muffled his laugh in the crook of his arm.

"Yeah, what's an STD, Marshmallow?" Parker egged her on, which made her turn even redder while urging him with the eyes to shut up.

"Errrhhh... Small Testicle Disorder...?" She croaked out, failing miserably and Parker chortled while Noah remained looking confused, "Yeah, some has it, some don't. Really not that big of a deal. Downside of the trade. Finish your happy meal," she laughed lightly, while Parker sucked in his lips, finding it hard not to crack up. Noah seemed to think on it, thoughtfully munching on a fry before looking at Parker, who opted for biting down on his hand. Tears started to form in the corner of his eyes while Tessa kept mouthing for him to shut up.

"Do you have small testicles?" He asked actively, which shut Parker right up. Tessa's expression turned mocking by amusement of how the topic had turned around.

"Is that a trampoline! It is. I race you!" He averted the question, "Couldn't you have said Snape tickled Dumbledore instead?" He hissed under his breath before grinning uncomfortably at Noah, who quickly finished off his Happy Meal and Tessa let out an honest laugh.

"That doesn't even make sense!"

Parker quickly grabbed Tessa by the waist pushing her backwards before running after Noah, and throwing him over his shoulder. Noah kept pounding his back before he got thrown down on the trampoline in a fit of giggles.

"Come on Tessa!" Noah shrieked ecstatically, immediately getting back on his feet and started jumping around with Parker.

"Wait, wait, wait!" He suddenly shouted and they both stopped jumping.

He held out his arms for emphasis, "You know when—" he talked animatedly, slightly out of breath while his eyes sparkled with humor as he tried to explain whatever he was trying to get at. "When you jump and then turn around—"

"Like, jump and turn around?" Parker repeated exaggeratedly, and made a small jump before twisting around and Tessa laughed as Noah's look darkened while wiping away his bangs that felt onto his forehead.

"No. Like you jump and then you do a somersault in the air but backwards!" He scolded him as Parker was about to get down on his knees to make a somersault and Tessa laughed louder.

"No!" Noah barely able to contain his serious face instructed, "Like this!" He started jumping before letting himself fall backwards, however not even making it halfway round as he just fell on his back. "Just all the way around!" he instructed with a grin as he sat up, and both adults tried not to laugh at the poor explanation.

"I don't know, it sounds awfully technical," Parker smiled.

"It isn't! I just. You'll see. I'll do it slow then..." Noah urged, his forehead furrowing in concentration as he took a breath before flinging his arms over and his only lifted slightly off the trampoline, however Parker quickly grabbed his legs and eased him all the way over. "Like that just in a jump! Easy! So just no hands!" He pushed, looking at both of them with excitement.

"Oh, I get it now. Seems easy," Parker surveyed going for a blank stare as Noah stared at him eager for him to try, "Tessa can do it!" He pointed at Tessa who giggled to herself.

"Yeah, Tessa you do it! Just. Jump, turn and land. Come on do it!" Noah hurried over to her and pulled her up by the arm.

"Okay, okay, okay! I'll try," she laughed and held out her hands, before shooing both of them away from her so she wouldn't accidentally hit them, and started to jump lightly, before she kicked off high enough to execute a perfect backflip.

"You did it, Tessa!" Noah hooted as he ran over to Tessa again.

"Yeah, yeah. Now see the master in action!" Parker intervened and grabbed Noah swinging him around before dropping him off at the edge.

"Well, shoo," he said looking at Tessa while gesturing her away exaggeratedly like she had done them. He too started jumping looking thoughtfully at the ground before he kicked off powerfully.

Both Noah and Tessa erupted into laughter while Parker let out a groan. Tessa quickly fell down beside him, "Oh my god, Park. Are you okay?" She asked between laughs.

"Orrrrrh, I think I ruptured my spleen," Parker groaned as he held his shoulder.

"I think we finally established I'm just more flexible than you," Tessa stated merrily while Noah jumped around them.

"Yeah right, we both know it's because you're vertically challenged. I'm way taller and has way more that needs to go around before hitting the ground!" Parker grumbled as he rubbed his neck, and Tessa leaned back on her hands.

"Hale can do it and he's taller than you," Noah interjected while he kept on jumping and Parker scowled at him.

"And I thought we were going places. Really bromancing here and FYI, he's only like what half a pinky taller?!"

"But he can still do it!" Noah shot back while sticking out his tongue.

"Oh, you wait until I get my hands on you, then I'll show you a backflip," Parker hollered with promise, and they started running around Tessa on the trampoline. Noah let out a exhilarated scream when Parker caught him and threw him in the air, before they started wrestling.

"Stop pushing," Tessa mumbled indistinguishably, before her eyes reluctantly fluttered open, after having just closed them for a brief moment.

Or so she thought as she came face to face with eyes much like Noah's however older and much darker. "Oh you're back," she groaned, rubbing her eyes before she looked at the clock which was way past midnight, "Finally."

"Yeah, things ran late. No biggie," Hale took it lightly, the top buttons of his shirt had become undone and his hair more tousled than when he left.

"Hope you had fun," she spewed irritatedly and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. The fact that he seemed sober not helping at the moment.

"Look," Hale sighed tiredly having picked up on the tone, "I'm tired, so whatever you need to throw at me can't it just wait 'til tomorrow?" He took too ran a hand through his hair. "I need to go to bed. I just wanted to let you know you could leave now."

"I can leave now?" She mocked indignantly, "Oh thanks. How thoughtful of you," she hissed, keeping her voice low not to wake Noah who was passed out cold in his room. "Funny, seeing your thoughtfulness doesn't extend to anyone other than yourself."

You could almost see Hale straining in the dim light not to roll his eyes.

"Well, I got news for you. It isn't always about you," she jabbed a finger into his chest as his expression turned stoic.

"Here it goes," he muttered under his breath and Tessa had to strain to hear him.

"Oh shut the hell up, Hale. Stop for once believing the world revolves around you. Oh wait, you can't. You just flash a smile, no sorry, a smirk and think everything is good. Cool, fucking awesome, but really, I got news for you—

"Of course you do, don't you always? Always so eager to boss people around."

"You're just so in love with your own voice, aren't you?" She sneered.

"Funny coming from you, since you never shut up," he retorted, "But please continue. Whatever floats your boat, but I'm going to bed." he started down the hall ripping off his belt, making it fall aimlessly to the floor.

"You're such a dick!" Tessa gritted and stomped her foot, wanting to pull her hair out, as there was a thousand words she wanted to say to him but she knew herself well enough to know she would start yelling.

"I'm the dick?" He stopped and looked at her skeptically, "You're the one yelling at me for no reason! I asked if you could babysit and you said yes. I don't see how that can be my fault! So don't blame me for your bitterness of having no life on a Friday night," he fired back and Tessa's mouth twitched angrily.

"Noah doesn't need a babysit, but you sure do, inconsiderate jerk."

"Oh!" He snapped his fingers as it finally dawned on him and he walked back towards her. An easy smile on his face as he looked at her. A baffled expression spread on her face by the change. "Money. Yeah, I should give you a twenty," he swiftly reached for his wallet. "Will you look at that. Seems like it's your lucky day. All I have a 50s," he proclaimed and put one in her hand.

Feeling her fuse blow, she flung it in his face, "I can't believe you! You don't pay shit attention to your surroundings," she spat hotly, "Do you have any idea what happened tonight?"

"What happened tonight is that I just got approached by an exec who wants me to appear in their perfume commercial and if you hadn't been in my fucking face from your very first waken breath, then I might have told you what a great day this night turned out to be," he drawled.

"Great, your career is blooming. Finally, whoop-ti-do!" Tessa spluttered sarcastically and crossed her arms. Hale's eyes narrowed surprised by her hostility as this should be a sign of them going in the right direction not taking 3 steps backwards.

"And what about Noah?"

"Noah?" Hale's brows furrowed as he was now thoroughly confused by the turn of the conversation.

His perplexed expression made Tessa's anger deflate. She shook her head, feeling her shoulders slump, completely stripped of energy. "As much as I hate spending time with you, he doesn't. In fact, that's all he wants to do," her voice wavered with remembrance, making her look away from his softening gaze. Locating the bill on the floor, she bought herself a minute by picking it up.

Clearing her throat, she tried to maintain a bit of anger in her eyes as she looked him straight in the eye, holding out the bill, "Some things can't be solved with money. So either shove it up your ass or use it to spend some time with your brother."

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A/N: For all of you who've continued to stick with TMS thank you so much. It means the world to me that you take your time to read it and I promise lots of great things is coming for this book in the new year, so keep with me.

So to keep it short I'm just gonna leave with Hale handing kisses to everyone. <3

Oh, and sorry about the rocky atmosphere between them. But hey, Parker lit up the mood for a bit didn't he? xD

Toodles noodles !