3. Car Pooling

I was laying down on my bed, checking my phone when I heard my mom call me from downstairs.

"Yeah mom?" I asked not moving from the bed.

"There are new neighbours in our neighbourhood. Come on down, I want you to meet this guy. He says, he goes to the same school as you. He is is your age too. Just come down, I think you'll love to meet him."

I rolled my eyes. New neighbor? Same school? Who else could it be? Damien puts a check to both of them. 

I guess, moving in so close wasn't enough that he decided to come home and greet my mom too. We just waved our goodbyes a while ago for god's sake! And here he was already in my house.

I got up from my bed throwing my legs around and descended the stairs. I was almost down when I saw my mom talking to someone.

"Mom?" I called her.

She turned around upon hearing my voice and beamed the second she saw me, "Oh honey, you came," she moved aside as I walked down the last few steps. As soon as I was down, I could literally feel my mouth opening and dropping to the floor.

I felt my mom pressing her hands down on my shoulder lightly as she said, "I know you're happy, meeting Evan after so many years."

I looked at her in disbelief but she had no idea and continued, "And you know what's the best part?"

I shook my head still unable to recover myself to speak. I was looking at Evan, who was enjoying this way too much.

"He's going to go with you." She said excitedly.

This snapped my attention to her.

"What? Where?" I asked in all seriousness.

"Ofcourse, to your school. He applied with you."

I looked back at Evan and glared at him. He was suppressing a smile.

"And you're car pooling with him."

"I am fine!" I snapped at her.

She was surprised as she looked at me wide eyed, "Is there some problem?" She asked innocently. 

I stared at her and shook my head before sighing and looking at Evan. He was looking at me expectantly  whereas all I wanted to do was rip his limbs apart. 

I never told my mom what he did. I couldn't get myself to. I couldn't bear see her watching me suffer that pain so I never told her. 

But Evan was using it against me only.

"I'm fine mom," I said trying to cool down, "I can walk to school. Alone. Really. I always do!"

"If there is nothing wrong, then even if you can walk to school you won't and that's final." Mom glared at me and that was enough to shut me up.

"Okay?" She asked trying to get an answer from me.

There was literally nothing I could do. I didn't want to tell her about Evan and she was stubborn enough to send me off to school with him.

"Okay." I grumbled.

"Oh and there's one more thing."

"What?"

The front door opened making us all turn towards it.

It was my Dad. He came back from the office. I could see him tired but stopping mid way when he saw all of us standing in front of the door. 

"What's happening?" He asked confused.

"Nothing important honey. You should go and change into some casuals." mom smiled at him.

"Hmm." Dad nodded his head before noticing Evan, "I haven't seen you in a long time, Evan." He said acknowledging him.

"I had some matters to attend to, Mr Woods." He replied.

If I could shoot bullets through my eyes into his head. I would already have. Because everything this guy was saying right now was a lie.

We still haven't changed, Evan?

I watched as Dad came and kissed me on my forehead lightly, "How was your day, princess?"

I snorted, "Extremely great." Sarcasm dripping from my mouth. 

"We'll talk about it later, okay?" He said holding my face into his big warm hands.

I looked up at him and smiled, "Yeah dad, even I want to." He nodded at me with a smile before going to his room.

As soon as he was gone, I heard my mom clasping her hands together, "Anyways, what was I saying?" She continued but the door opened again. All our eyes snapped to the door. Again.

This time, it was Damien.

Oh wait, IT WAS DAMIEN!

Coincidence? I think not. Apparently, Evan was not enough, so my beautiful life decided to throw some more shade into it.

How fun. Isn't it?

"Come in." Mom said excitedly. I couldn't help but stare at her again. How could she just invite anyone in? What if he was a freaking murderer? We all would have been dead.  

 Damien came inside and shook hands with my mom, "Hello, Mrs Woods."

"Hello, Damien." My mom acknowledged him. She then turned to me and said, "Amelia, meet Damien. He is our another neighbour. You know what's so fantastic about all this?" She asked beaming at me.

I tried to fake smile and shook my head. How would I know? Fantastic wasn't a word in my life right now.

"He goes to the same school as you too." She was thrilled. Oh my god. How was she so thrilled that we had neighbors who went to the same school as me?

"Therefore, the three of you can go to school together." She finished her sentence with a proud smile. 

"What? Why?" Evan and I said in unison. I looked at Evan and made a face before looking back at my mom.

"Because sweetheart, it doesn't make sense. Two people going to the same school in different cars? Think about the environment. I don't see why you should have any problem in sharing a car."

"Yeah, she is right. Think about the environment. Besides, don't worry. I'm a fun guy to hang around with." Damien intervened with a smirk on his face.

Let me wipe that smirk for you? 

"Now, we all go to our home, and don't waste our time anymore." Mom said finally.

Evan and Damien soon left.

After that nothing important happened. I slept late at night disturbed just thinking about how disturbed my day is going to be tomorrow.

***

I walked into the kitchen where I could see my mom already doing her work. She sensed me walking in because she instantly turned around to look at me. A small smile automatically appeared on her face.

"Good morning." She said coming to me and giving me a hug. I hugged her back when she took a step back and looked at me, "The boys will be here in five minutes, okay?"

I sighed. Too much for a little soul like me to suffer like this.

I was sitting in a chair when Damien and Evan entered the kitchen together. They even arrive together! I am pretty sure it's a soulmate thing. 

"Good morning, Mrs Woods." Both wished simultaneously.

Soulmates! Forget about me. Can't they just go together to school?

"Good morning! And please call me Lydia." Then looking at me she said, "Mia, I think you should start moving or you'll get late."

I stared at her in disbelief. She is pushing me out of the house without any breakfast because of the guys? She is my mom, not theirs!

Groaning, I stood up and made my way towards the exit. Damien and Evan were not far behind. I heard them say their goodbyes to my mom.

After all the three of us were outside, I turned around to look at them. The both of them stopped and raised their eyebrows at me.

"So, who's car are we taking?" I asked folding my hands in front of me.

"Of course, mine. Your mom made me in charge." Evan stated as if it was obvious.

Damien turned to him, "Whoa there, I don't remember anything like that... We are taking my car."

"No, we are taking mine!" Evan glared at him.

"No, mine." Damien glared back.

Great. Now, they both get into a fight like an old couple.

The both of them were still glaring at each other when I intervened, "We'll really get late if you don't stop this conversation." They turned to me and glared at me, "Geez. Don't look at me like that... Let's do one thing, we'll take Evan's car for one week and Damien's for another."

It went silent. I looked at them expectantly.

"So?" I asked moving my hands in a questioning way.

"Sounds good." Evan said, "Let's take my car first for this week." 

"No, we are taking my car for this week." Damien argued back.

Great. Fight again. Wait, let me call a referee and we can have a whole smack down moment going on. Because no matter what, they'll still find a way to fight.

But we had a school to go to. And guess what? I was serious about my punctuality and the fight wasn't helping the situation at all.

"Wait," I held my hands in between them-- grabbing their attention, "Let's decide it with a toss." I took out a coin.

"Sure. Let's do this." Damien said rubbing his hands together and getting serious. 

I placed the coin on top of my fingers and asked them to call out their sides.

"Heads." 

"Tails."

I nodded my head before tossing the coin. I caught it in between my hands and looked at them both. They both looked at me curiously, eagerly waiting for me to open up my hands and see the result. Slowly, I opened my hands and stared at the coin with Damien and Evan.

There was a loud scream beside me and I swear I could have gone deaf if it wasn't for my shock proof ears.

"I won!...LOOK AT THIS, I WON! It's god freaking HEADS!"

__