CHAPTER 5

'Lily!' I whine and she looks at me before saying 'okay, I'm just thinking of where to start.'

'How about the start?'

'Shut up Kiera,' she smirks. I roll my eyes, waiting for her to continue 'They moved house-'

'I think I figured that bit out Lily,' I cut her off and she doesn't look pleased.

'Stop interrupting me!' I put both of my hands in the air, showing that I mean no harm. She smiles and continues 'a lot of stuff happened between your dad and Andrea and as a result, they moved out because they wanted a fresh start.'

'What was so bad that they wanted to move out?'

'Your dad and Andrea's relationship was going great but after a while, he became abusive towards her,' the second those words leave her lips; I sit up instantly, asking 'what? When the hell did that happen?'

'Stop interrupting,' she states. I sigh loudly and fold my arms, motioning for her to continue. 'I don't know exactly how that happened because Liz feels uncomfortable talking about it and I didn't ask but things got really bad.'

'Where is he now?' She opens and closes her mouth repeatedly, hesitating on what to say. 'Lily, just tell me, it's not really that hard.'

'He's..' she pauses, not finishing her sentence.

'Lily!'

'He's in prison,' she replies quietly. She says it so quietly that I don't think I heard her correctly. 'What did you just say?'

'Kiera, you heard me, don't make me say it again.' That's all it takes to confirm my suspicions. 'I'm sorry,' she apologises as she tries to take hold of my hand but I pull it away.

'Why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't you tell me?'

'It wasn't my place Kiera; I thought Andrea or Liz would tell you in their own time.'

'Well obviously not,' she sighs and I ask 'so did Andrea call the police then?'

'Only when he moved on to Lola-'

'What?' I shriek with a horrified expression on my face.

'He just slapped her and apologised, Andrea forgave him but he did it again and she wasn't taking any of that.' I purse my lips together, not knowing what to say. I have multiple emotions flowing inside me. I'm happy that he didn't get to hurt Lola as bad as he hurt me. I'm happy that he won't be able to do that again. I'm hurt that no-one bothered to inform me of this little incident. Little? It isn't even little. 'Kiera?'

'What?' I respond as she bursts my bubble.

'You just zoned out for a minute.'

'Was Liz hurt by him as well?' I ask barely above a whisper. 'No, she was staying with her dad once this happened, she feels guilty that she didn't protect Lola though.' I nod, a soft sigh escaping my lips. 'Lucy testified against him in court.'

'What? I ask loudly.

'That made the Judge's decision a lot easier,' she replies.

'Why the hell didn't she tell me?'

'Kiera, calm down-'

'Calm down? I just find out that Lucy helped put my dad in prison and I don't even know about it, so don't you dare tell me to calm down Lily!' I say through gritted teeth. I lean against the window, turning away from her, trying to "calm" myself down. She just watches me and remains silent. 

'How did her parents react?' I curiously question after a while of silence.

'Not good,' she shakes her head before continuing 'they were heart-broken and they blame themselves for working all the time.' I close my eyes several times, hoping this is a nightmare and that I'll wake up from it pretty soon. 'Liz, Katie and Lucy are in there,' she motions towards Lucy's house. 'Do you want to go in Kiera?'

'No.' I quickly reply.

'Just for a few minutes, I promise and then I'll come with you.'

'Come with me where?'

'To where you're staying.'

'That's the problem, I have no idea where I'm staying because when I went to my old house, some stranger opened the goddamn door. You know he invited me inside and he changed everything. He changed the paint colour, he changed the designs. My mum designed that house!' I don't notice that I'm crying until she wraps her arms around my neck pulling me into a long embrace. She wipes my tears away, using her thumbs. 'Kiera, I can show you where Andrea is living now, if you want me to?'

'If I knew my dad was in prison, I never would have come in the first place, I can't stay with Andrea that will be weird. It was my dad that was the magnet the entire time any way.'

'Then you're staying with me,' I open my mouth to deny her offer but she beats me to it, 'and no arguments, okay?' I consider it for a while before I nod my head softly. 'Now, do you want to come inside?'

'No, not really.'

'Kiera,' whines Lily and I roll my eyes at her. She gets out of the car and opens my door, pulling me out the car. 'It's going to be fine and if you don't want to stay, we can go, I promise.'

'Fine.' I sigh loudly and walk beside Lily through Lucy's front garden.

'By the way, there are two girls you haven't met before in there too. They moved to this school a while after you left,' she informs as we stand on the doorstep.

'Lily, why are you only telling me this now?'

'Because if I told you before, you would have refused to come,' she smiles and rings the doorbell.

'Lily!' I shout because I feel like cowering away under a rock.

'Lily, why were you gone so long?' A girl with black hair and brown eyes asks as she opens the door.

'I was sorting some things out Kara,' Lily replies, glancing at me.

'Who is this? Is she your new friend or something?'

'Erm-' Before Lily can reply, the girl begins speaking 'Lily, Lucy isn't going to want new people to join, this is our thing remember?' She places her hand on her hips and I roll my eyes.

'Yes, Lily so I'm just going to go,' I say but Lily's firm grip on my wrists prevent me from going anywhere.

'Lily, she has to go.'

'What's going on?' Liz asks as she stands next to the irritating black haired girl. 'Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?' She squeals as she hugs me.

'I'm just stopping by,' I reply.

'You have to come inside!'

'I don't even want to.' I mumble.

'Nope, you are,' Lily says agreeing with Liz.

'Wait, you know her?' The stranger asks, moving out of the way and they both nod their heads. Liz walks inside the house and Lily motions for me to go in before following me and closing the door. 'The others are in Lucy's bedroom,' Liz states and the girl goes back upstairs.

'I'll leave you two to catch up.' Lily smiles before walking upstairs.

Liz guides me into the kitchen and sits opposite me. 'I never knew you were coming, why didn't you tell me?'

'Oh you mean like how you told me that my dad is in prison? Or how you moved house?' Or how-'

'I get it Kiera and you have every right to be mad at me,' she says softly.

'I don't think "mad" even covers it.' She sighs and puts her hands in her hair.

'What was I supposed to say?'

'Maybe the truth?' I sarcastically state.

'I'm sorry I didn't tell you,' she admits. 'We lost contact and stopped speaking to one another on a regular basis, how was I supposed to call you out of the blue on day and tell you this?' I shrug my shoulders and say 'I don't know but if the roles were reversed, I would have told you.'

'Kiera, I'm sorry.'

'Its fine, just forget it' she nods her head and plays with her hands. 'Who is the man living there now?' She sighs softly before putting her palm on her forehead.

'He's actually Kara's dad, the girl who opened the door is Kara.'

'What? The one that opened the door just now?' I question and my eyes widen as she nods her head.

'She turned up when things got bad and her dad bought it.'

'Have you been there?' I ask and she nods her head.

'He changed everything.'

'I know, and I know that your mother designed everything so I'm sorry. But it is his house now, he can do what he wants with it,' she replies sadly. I sigh loudly, slouching on the chair I'm sitting on.

'What are you doing here?' Katie asks as she walks into the kitchen with Lucy.

'Visiting.'

'And you didn't think to come upstairs?' She stands in front of me but Lucy stands near the door.

'I was talking to Liz,' I reply. She sits next to me and asks 'so what were you two talking about?' Liz and I just look at one another not knowing what  to say.

'Oh nothing? Good, it's time for my questions.' Before she continues Lucy speaks up, 'Katie, I'm going back upstairs.'

'What? No, I'll do the talking, you just stay with me,' Katie walks over to Lucy, pulling her inside and they stand in front of me.

'What questions do you want answering?' I ask looking at Katie.

'You said that you'd keep in contact so why didn't you?' I bite my tongue because I don't have a reply.

'I've had a lot going on Katie-'

'So have we!'

'I'm sorry but when did you guys bother contacting me?'

'We weren't the ones who said we'll call and text and that everything would still be the same, now were we?' Lucy's cold tone causes me to scoff and I say 'you two are pathetic.'

'Oh, you mean like you?' Katie responds.

'Shut up Katie.' Liz stands up, standing beside me.

'I'm going to go now, can you call Lily?' I ask Liz who nods and goes upstairs.

'Can I just ask you a question?' Katie asks as I walk towards the door and I turn around to face them.

'Go for it.'

'What did you mean by "I've had a lot going on?" Or is that just one of the lies you told us?' They both stare at me with hard facial expressions, waiting for an answer.

'Hey, ready to go?' Asks Lily as she stands next to me. I nod my head and a girl with brown hair and green eyes walks into the kitchen, standing beside Lucy, followed by Kara.

'And who are you?' Asks the unnamed girl as we turn to leave.

'I could ask you the same thing.'

'This is Kiera.' Lily replies, introducing me to the new faces.

'Oh you copied my name,' Kara states.

'Oh really? Tell me, how could I have copied your name when they sound nothing like one another, or are you just deaf?' Lucy and Katie scoff loudly and Kara looks offended by my statement.

'We're leaving Kiera,' Lily drags me out of the house, without my permission. 

I sit in the driver’s seat and she slides in next to me. 'What was all that about?'

'Nothing.' I reply, starting the engine.

'I'm not letting this go' she replies and I roll my eyes before I start driving.