Chapter 4

“O.M.G. I’m going to sex you up, babe.” Megan screeched over the phone.

“Meg will call you back,” Alice added and ended the call quickly. 

Her eyes bugged out, horrified, as she fumbled to save her phone, which she couldn’t hold in time from hitting the floor. She kneeled down to pick it up, her heart beating. She didn't know how much of her conversation Vincent had heard. If he did, Alice had decided as she grabbed her phone and got up that she would not care what he heard.

"Are you spying on me?" Alice straightened her spine and looked at Vincent. 

“We have a nine-year-old in this house who doesn’t need to hear your disgusting calls.” Vincent unclenched his fist as he stared at Alice. He ran his fingers over his brows. "Can you be more decent? Katy looks up to you and if she heard that, what would she think?" Vincent places his hands on his side and fists them again, his stance still rigid. "This is not what I expected from you, Alice."

Alice felt attacked and irritated by Vincent. He had no right to tell her off. Alice knew well that Katy was fast asleep in her room, probably snoring or dreaming of ponies. What was more baffling to Alice was the way Vincent was talking. Taking a dad's tone on her like she was some toddler.

Alice scoffed, making a sneered laugh and glared at Vincent. “So you want to have an actual conversation with me now?” she rolled my eyes. “Katy is asleep, so you have nothing to worry about. Never lecture me about decency, Vincent,” Alice placed her phone in her back pocket, making her way out. She had nothing more to say to him.

“Ally?” Vincent's voice was soft as he grabbed Alice's hand before she could get past him. 

“NO!” she barked at him, pulling away. “Just don’t?” Alice glared at him as he looked at her sincerely, and part of Alice wanted Vincent to pull her closer to him again and hold her. 

"Can we talk? Don't walk away like this."

Alice melted, forgetting she should be angry at Vincent. She loved it very much if they could talk this out. It was important, and she would have probably had her chance if it wasn't ruined.

“Vincy, what’s taking so long?” 

They both heard a girl seductively speak as she halted, looking between them. The girl glared at Alice and sized her up. She slid her hands toward Vincent, marking her territory. Alice's face fell, and she wanted to hit the girl's head with any vase in the room she could grab her hand on. The options were endless as she glanced around. She also wanted to rip Vincent's shirt off her body and feed it to her before she kicked her to the curb. Alice desperately wanted to rip all the fake hair extensions out and pull her by her natural hair. She wanted her scalp to hurt.

“I thought I told you to wait in my room,” Vincent sighed and looked at Alice, who was trying hard not to push the girl or drag her out of her sight for ruining her talk with Vincent.

"You were taking so long to come back and I was getting lonely."  

Alice wanted to vomit. Her voice and looks alone made her want to puke her supper. She took a deep breath to calm herself, thinking of the lavender sage Megan promised her. She was going to burn the whole lavender stick so she can forget the vomit inducing girl in Vincent's arms. Vincent looked at Alice sympathetically. 

“If you will excuse me, I need to check on Katy,” Alice spoke first and gave her best-performed smile.

She didn't want to hear Vincent try to explain something that was obvious. She never looked at them twice and left quickly. Her movement was hard on her bare feet. She was stomping so loud that Katy could wake up to the sound of her walking. 

How dare he call me Ally? Alice clenched her fists. The audacity Vincent had to touch her when his hands had been touching some cheap person, he found God knows where. Vincy, really? Alice thought as she marched like a hurricane and tsunami to Katy’s room. She creaked the door a little and peaked in. Like an angel, Katy was fast asleep.

Alice managed a smile at the sight of Katy. She moved in slowly and walked to take Katy's phone from her hand. Alice stopped the calming sound video from playing and carefully took her cell off her hand. Katy stirred a little and shifted to the other side, not waking up. Alice moved carefully to plug the device on the charger before tiptoeing out. 

Alice wanted to get the hell out of the house as soon as possible. She prayed they were not downstairs by the time she goes to get her shoes. She would lose her mind and do something she would regret if she sees fake extensions again. After leaving Katy's room, Alice was still angry.

Alice's phone pinged with messages from Megan, but she shoved it phone back in her back pocket and waited until she was back home. She was a little shaky.

“You were the one who called me again and now you are blowing me off for what for her? Do you not like me anymore?” 

Alice made a gagging sound and rolled her eyes when she heard her voice. This was the last thing she hoped would not happen, but they were still downstairs. She wanted her shoes, but didn't want to be the subject of whatever business they had. It was clear something had happened in the short time she had gone up because the girl seemed to want a fight.

Alice wanted to storm in and tell her to shut the hell up because this was not her house and she was making a lot of noise. Katy was sleeping and she should leave and they could talk when things were settled, but she stopped herself. It was not her business.

Alice left her shoes and bolted. Mostly because she was afraid to hear Vincent's response to the girl. It was best to let them talk it out without her lingering and risk being caught. It was wise to run home than wait and hear something that would upset her more.

“Why do you look like you are running away from a ghost?” Alice heard her brother’s voice as she walked in, heaving from the running. 

“Hey,” Alice placed her hands on her knees and took deep breaths, “Why are you still up?” she asked as she walked to the fridge.

“It’s 8.17. Why would I be sleeping?” Riley studied Alice suspiciously before he paused the tv and walking to the window. 

"I ran home. Is that a crime?" Alice asked as she drank half the bottle of her water. 

"No," Riley responded whilst widening the curtain and kept prying through the window. 

"What are you looking for, then?" she asked, taking another gulp of water.

"Could be nothing." Riley looked over his shoulder briefly before looking outside the window again. "Could be something." 

"You are weird," Alice scoffed, capping the bottle and placing it back in the fridge.

"I'm not weird." Riley closed the curtain and looked at Alice with a smirk. 

"Weirdo." Alice said as her phone buzzed in my pocket. She pulled out the phone from her back pocket and declined the call immediately. "Why are you still staring at me?" Alice scowled and glared at Riley, who looked amused.

“Must have been some babysitting, sis,” he grinned, “For once you are the one being chased by Mr dreamy pants. You should probably answer his call. It's urgent,” he snickered and walked back to the tv.

Alice never argued because he was right. Vincent had chased after her and he was outside. It would have been exciting for her to be chased by him, but not this way. She didn't want Vincent's explanation or apology. Alice was frustrated by him, but Vincent was adamant and blew off her phone with calls. 

"Answer the phone or put it on silent please," Riley groaned, "Or just go talk to him. He is outside waiting."

"Mind your business." Alice hissed.

"Then don't make noise for me. I'm trying to watch a game." Riley scowled.

"Argh," Alice sighed, wanting to put her cell on silent, but a message popped in.

Vincent: You need to come outside before I knock on your door. I will do it until you answer because I know your mom and dad went out.

Alice read the message and ignored him. She silenced her cell and before she could lock it, bubbles were bouncing with another message from him and she waited to see what he would say again.

Vincent: I can see you saw my message. You didn’t switch off your read message setting. Come outside Ally, please. Let's talk.

Alice scoffed at Vincent's message and him calling her Ally. Another message popped in again.

Vincent: Fine! I will knock and will see what happens then.

Alice was fuming and marched to the door and just in time too. He was at the door with his hand in mid-air, about to knock. He smiled. This was the first time Vincent was genuinely smiling as his face relaxed at the sight of her. Alice was irritable to notice how genuine he was being toward her.

“What do you want?” Alice hissed.

“We need to talk,” he responded.

“Well, it’s a little too late, don’t you think, Vincy?” she crossed her arms.

“You heard her. It’s too late and you need to leave.” Riley stood behind Alice.

“Riley, it’s alright I got this.” Alice put her hand between them. “He is leaving. We have nothing to discuss.” 

“Try anything funny with her and I will knock your teeth out, pretty boy.” Riley added, showing his protectiveness by hovering behind Alice.

"I got this Riley." Alice grabbed Vincent and pulled him away from the entrance before things escalated.

"I'll be watching you from the window," Riley added.

"I said I got this. Get back to your match." Alice glared behind her at Riley. "You walk." she told Vincent.

"Okay," Vincent chuckled, amused by her bossiness.

“What the hell is your problem?” Alice stopped and crossed her arms. “You ignore me and fool around and now you are chasing after me and calling me. Stay away from me Vincent,” she moved away so she could leave.

“Ally, wait” he spoke softly, “I want- “ he stopped, shaking his head.

“That’s what I thought,” Alice sneered and spun around.

“I wanted to make sure that you understood that your call was inappropriate. Katy could have heard you saying those things.”

“You must be joking. You are giving me a moral lesson after having a girl in this house practically naked.” Alice scowled at him. “Maybe you need to look in the mirror before you give moral lessons. You are the one who is less decent than me. Don't lecture me Vincent.” She huffed.

“Does this mean you are going to sleep with the prom guy?” Vincent asked in an angry tone.

He was giving Alice a disapproving glare. Alice glared back, choosing this moment to ignore Vincent the same damn way he had been doing. She was finally making a choice to get over her crush.

A cruel smile crept across her face. "I will do as I please and what I choose to do and who I sleep with should not be your concern. Stay away from my business and don't come here again. Vincent."

"Ally, try to consider-"

"Save that lecture for someone who cares. I'm leaving."

"You have changed," Vincent whispered.

"No," Alice shook her head and looked at him, "You changed."

Alice walked off quickly before the conversation would carry on. She didn't want to stand and talk with him. Tears were threatening to slip on her face. She knew if she stayed longer, Vincent would sweet talk her and she would forget he was breaking her heart constantly.