I am so sorry for the late update. Please enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 11: Bad News

Reese's POV

"What is this?" My mom held up the bag. I shrugged.

"So you don't know what this is. You have no idea." She shook it for emphasis. I shrugged again.

"Do you know what this stuff does to your body? ¿Por que eres tan estúpido? ¿Quieres morir?"

"It's not even mine." I said.

"So you hang out with people who take this stuff. You might as well be the user."

"So what if I die? It's not like I'll be missed." I snapped.

"Don't even start," She warned. "I know his death has been hard on you but cocaine? Cocaine is not the answer."

"Yeah it seems like his death has only been hard on me," I snatched the bag from her hand. "Don't worry mamá," I said sweetly. "I only tried it once. The high didn't last very long."

Her palm connected with my cheek and pain exploded cross my face.

"What happened to my niñito?" She asked tears shining in her eyes.

"He died." I said flatly.

"I've let you act out long enough. You got tattooed without my permission, you stay out late sometimes not coming home until the next day doing God knows what, you have sex with countless amount of girls throwing them away like used tissue, and now I find out your smoking marijuana and taking drugs? You're grounded."

"I'm shaking." I held up my hands.

"I won't let you do this to yourself. You're going back to your therapist."

"You can't make me!" I stood up outraged.

"Yes I can. And if you don't you'll have your father to deal with. You know he'll ship you off to live with your abuela in a heartbeat. Your lucky I haven't told him any of this."

I clenched my fists.

She checked her watch. "You have work in an hour. Get ready." She left my room.

"Just pretend it all away!" I yelled after her. "Because you're real good at that!"

I took deep breaths but it wasn't working. I knew she was still pissed about me getting arrested that night. Also the fact that I was suspected for gang activity which was not at all true. Could I really blame her though? I hadn't given her any reason to trust me.

Lately the weed, the girls, nothing had been working. The hole in my heart that I worked so hard to cover up was finally unraveling. When had it started? When had I started to let myself slip back into my oblivion? I was in pain and I wanted it to all stop.

There were only two reasons I woke up every morning and both were gone.

Rarely did I ever let myself think about the second one because then I got this really tight feeling in my chest, and my eyes would sting, and a lump would form in my throat. And I hated that feeling because it was for pussies. I didn't deserve happiness. So I wouldn't let myself have it.

Like a robot I put on my clothes and trudged downstairs. The kitchen and living room were empty meaning mom was waiting in the car so I locked the door behind me. The drive was silent and filled with tension. After getting dropped off she sped away and I glared after her.

"Hey,"!It was Marcus. He was leaning against the side of the building smoking a cigarette. "Everything ok?"

"Found my coke stash. I'm grounded. She's making me go back to my therapist." I didn't even bother saying hi back.

"Tough," He replied stamping out the cigarette. "Life sucks doesn't it?"

"Yeah it does," I replied. "Let me get one."

He handed me the pack. "Don't you have work right now?"

"Eh I'll just clock in late," I inhaled and relaxed a bit sitting against the wall. "We're horrible people you and I." I chucked.

"True. That's why we gotta stick together." He smiled. Marcus was like a brother to me. I've known him since we were kids. We've been through a lot of shit together. He's helped me through some of my darkest times but I'm afraid he can't help me much longer. The darkness of my past and horrible decisions always haunt me.

And they'll consume me one day.

Cheyenne's POV

I was up in Krystal's room again changing the sheets because frankly I was afraid to ask her mom if another maid could have done it.

The normally cheery woman was now a phantom menace. One wrong look and you'd be fired. She'd already dismissed five maids this week for the smallest things like not having all the glasses turned the same way or not putting the forks in a certain drawer. I needed this job so I kept my mouth shut and worked harder than Cinderella.

After I finished the sheets I wiped some sweat from my brow. I'd scrubbed the floors of the entire foyer, washed all the draperies, cleaned the kitchen and vacuumed the living room. I was pooped. Once I took out the garbage I was done for the day.

As I was putting the supplies away my eyes caught the corner of a magazine sticking out from under a huge stack of them. It bothered me so I tried to put it back in place but a few fell from the top sending the entire pile crashing down. I cursed and started to pick them up.

I was about to put the last one back on top when I realized it wasn't a magazine but rather a pamphlet.

A readers guide to becoming a parent.

What the? I thought. Why would Krystal have this? I shrugged. Maybe it was a homework project. Suddenly the door slammed open.

"You again!" The she-witch screamed. "Can't you just stay out of my room?" Her eyes fell on the pamphlet and all the color drained from her face. "Give me that!" She yanked it from my grasp. "Now your snooping through my stuff too! What is wrong with you?"

"I wasn't snooping. The stack of magazines fell and I was picking them up." I defended myself sick of her psychotic behavior. I glanced at the pamphlet in her hands and noticed how she was shaking. I looked up. There was fear in her eyes. I looked at the booklet again. Then at her.

No way...

"Your preg-" I started to say but she slapped a hand over my mouth.

"Please don't tell anyone." She begged. I was flabbergasted. I'd never heard her sound so desperate or beg anyone. And she was pregnant! Holy shit.

"I'll do anything," She pleaded. "Just please don't say anything to anyone."

I removed her hand from my mouth. Maybe it was the way she looked, so tiny and helpless, and very very fragile, or the desperation and anguish in her voice but I caved. "Unlike you Krystal I'm a nice person. I won't say anything. But are you ok?" I had to ask.

Then a shocking thing happened.

She burst into tears.

I have never ever seen Krystal Parker cry. Ever. It was like pigs flying or the sky turning green.

"No I'm not ok! Everyone's been asking me if I'm ok and I say I'm fine but I'm not!" She sobbed. "I have horrible morning sickness, I can't stand my favorite foods and I have to pee, like, a lot. I'm getting fat and my hormones are all out of whack. My boobs are getting bigger apparently storing milk or whatever and they ache! And today, today was the worst! I finally got a picture of my stomach and it just all clicked. I couldn't pretend anymore. It's real, I'm real and pregnant and I can't deny it anymore!"

My eyes were wide as I watched her cry. What did I do? Comfort her? Just stand here? I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact she was fucking pregnant! This was way too much for me to process right now. I felt like I'd landed on Mars.

I awkwardly patted her back. "There....there?"

She sniffled. "There there? Really?" She asked.

"I'm trying ok? Give me a break."

And then another thing happened.

She actually laughed. Well it was more like a laugh sniffle but still.

Alright someone please tell me I'm dreaming.

"You won't tell anyone?" She questioned in a broken voice.

"No your secret is safe with me." What was wrong with me? Was I actually feeling sympathy for this girl?

"Ok," She wiped her eyes. "Ok." She repeated straightening.

"I'm just gonna go now." I quickly grabbed my stuff scurrying out.

What the hell had just happened?

Kimora's POV

"Hello?" I waved my hands in Cheyenne's face. "Anybody home?"

"Oh yeah sorry." She picked at her breakfast. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Ok what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." She said quickly.

"Alright then since you won't tell me I'll just find out myself." I was hoping to bait her into spilling but she kept her lips tightly sealed.

"Where's Reese when you need him?" I muttered to myself. He was totally AWOL doing God knows what where and he'd been acting strange lately. Was everyone keeping secrets from me?

Vincent was absent too and so was Rozae. Where is everyone when you need them? The bell rang and I sulked to first period. It was boring without Reese to make jokes with and talk to. The rest of school passed by dully.

When I got home there were suitcases by the door.

"Mom?" I called out.

"You're finally home," She came downstairs. "Your father and I are going to Asia. Your grandfather is sick so we'll be gone for a few weeks."

"Oh..." I trailed off.

"Kimora you know what this means. You'll be home all alone and I want to make it clear to you what we expect."

"No boys at all," Father popped out of nowhere. "No parties, no friends over, no going out and staying out late, nothing. Keep the house clean and
tidy, study for at least five hours a day and keep your grades up."

"Got it." I nodded like a bobble head.

"We trust you Kimora. Don't let us down."

"I won't." I said solemnly.

"I love you," Mom hugged me. "I know I don't say it often but I do."

Her sudden display of affection was weirding me out. Still I hugged her back.

"I love you too."

"Take care ok?" Father patted me on the head. "You know where everything is. Don't hesitate to call."

They loaded up the car and I waved as they drive away. This was all so sudden. Was it a test? Had they installed security cameras to make sure I stayed in line? Paranoid I checked every nook and cranny. No cameras to be seen.

Now what? I called Rozae.

"Hey." She picked up the line. Her voice sounded stuffy.

"Hey where were you? I didn't see you at school."

"I-" there was a noise over the line. "Can I come over?"

"Uh?" They'd only left a few minutes ago and I was already considering breaking one of their rules.

"Please?" She sounded like she'd been crying.

"Alright." I agreed.

She didn't even say bye just hung up. A bad feeling settled in the pit of my stomach and I paced nervously waiting for her arrival.

After what felt like an eternity the doorbell rang incessantly. I opened the door.

"Gee don't break it." I joked but she didn't even crack a smile. Her eyes were red and puffy, her skin blotchy.

"What's wrong?"

"Nice place you got here." She ignored my question stepping inside.

"Thanks. Want anything to drink?"

"No I'm good." She sat down.

"So are you ok?" I asked again.

Then she started to cry. Rozae was a tough person and I knew she didn't just cry for just anything so this must be bad.

"Is it Janice?" I found my heart beating a mile a minute.

"No Janice is fine." She sobbed.

"Then...what is it?" My voice was unsure and I found myself wondering if I really wanted to know the answer.

"It's Vincent. He's dead."

My heart dropped like a stone and I stood up.

"What?" I whispered.

"He's fucking dead!" She yelled.

"B-but how?"

"He was showing me a new trick he learned at the skatepark. When he was going down the ramp his skateboard slipped on a banana peel. Funny how they make those cartoons of someone slipping on one and it's always so hilarious. It wasn't funny this time."

She stopped and took a breath.

"He went flying. It was like everything was in slo mo. He looked at me his eyes wide and I just stood there frozen. Then he landed and there was this sickening crack of head on concrete. By the time the ambulance came it was too late. He was already dead."

My knees buckled and I collapsed. I held my hand to my chest clawing at it. It hurt, why wouldn't it stop hurting?

"Oh God." I chocked out. My eyes were completely dry but there was this searing pain ripping through me. I'd never had anyone close to me die. Distant relatives that I never met but it wasn't really sad because I'd never known them. But I'd known Vincent. I'd known his kind eyes and smile. His beautiful eyes and the way he made me feel. And in a blink he was gone. Just like that.

"You're doing it, you're skateboarding!" Vincent yelled.

"Hey I am." I laughed and put a little more pressure.

"I knew you could do it." He smiled at me his eyes glimmering.

"All thanks to you." I came to a stop in front of him. "Thanks by the way."

"For you? Anytime." Then his smile got all shy and I blushed and we did that awkward staring thing we always did. He cleared his throat.

"So I've been meaning to ask but I've been too chicken." He coughed. "Would you like to go on a date with me?"

"Really?" I jumped up. "I mean I'd love to. Because I am a classy sophisticated lady."

"Your fucking adorable." He grinned and I thought my heart would burst from happiness.

Krystal's POV

It was another grim day at school. A memorial had been set up in honor of that kid who'd just died.  I didn't know him well but I went to pay my respects anyway.

There were candles and a lot of flowers. Some kids were crying, others just looked sad. I spotted Kimora among the crowd staring at his pictures. Her eyes looked empty and Cheyenne had an arm wrapped around her.

Life. A delicate thing it was.

I'd never been a very deep person but this had me thinking. I placed a boutique of black roses among the others. It looked so out of place with the bright, vibrant flowers but this was a sad occasion. Not a happy one.   

"Rest in peace." I made the cross sign before walking away. Cheyenne caught up to me.

"How are you?" She asked quietly.

"Oh I'm fine. I'm not the one who just died." She winced and I sighed.

"Sorry. I'm trying to turn off my bitch today. It's not really working. All this bad stuff just keeps surrounding me. I'm tired of it." This morning I caught my dad with his assistant again, this time in their own room. On the sheets that my mom slept on. I threw up the breakfast I'd managed to keep down.

"You and me both," She ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Well I just wanted to check on you. This is too weird, us being friendly towards each other."

"Tell me about it. Thanks for keeping my secret." She didn't say anything else so I just walked away.

I went to the ladies room and splashed water on my face. Ugh I looked like one of the dead. I couldn't even stand to look at myself. Why couldn't something good just happen to me?

On my way out I bumped into Josh. Great.

"Can we talk?" He looked nervous.

"No, I don't want to talk. I just want people to leave me alone. Can no one understand?" I made a noise of frustration and stormed off before he could follow.

Fuck it. I grabbed my bag from my locker and left school. A year ago my life had been perfect. Girls envied me, boys wanted me, and I was happy. But then that summer happened and everything changed. My relationship with Josh took a nosedive. I became even more of a bitch. And now I was pregnant.

My cell phone chirped and I looked at the screen. It was my mom.

"Hello?" I said wearily.

"Come home. You father and I need to talk to you."

Apparently they had no problems with me ditching. When I opened the front door they were both sitting in the parlor.

"Have a seat." My father said glaring at me. I rolled my eyes and sat down.

"We heard you broke up with Josh," My mother said. "You two were so perfect together. Why would you mess that up?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose feeling the anger that had been lying dormant start to awaken.

"Once again you shame this family," My father said. "Can't you do anything right?"

"I don't want to be with him. Can't you just understand. I. Don't. Love. Him."

"Enough!" My father slammed his fist in the table. "You're just a disappointment. Without Josh you're worthless! What are you good for except to whine and use our hard earned money! No one will ever love you!"

"Shut up!" I stood up screaming. "Shut the fuck up you cheating bastard!"

His faced paled considerably.

"Look who's scared now?" I sneered. "I know your dirty little secret. I saw you at the party when I went to look for you. I slammed the door."

"Honey what is she talking about?" Mother looked confused.

"Krystal don't. If you do this you will ruin this family." Father pleaded.

"Fuck this fucking family!"

"Language." Mother scolded.

"Every news outlet would just love to hear how Paul Parker is cheating on his dear wife with his twenty year old assistant."

Now it was moms face who paled.

"And in their own bed! How audacious of you!" I laughed manically.

"It's not true. Please tell me she's lying?" Her face looked crushed.

"And the curtain falls." I took a bow before heading upstairs and slamming my room door.

Let's see him fix this.

Sebastian's POV

"Let me in!" Dad pounded on the door. We'd been locked inside for two days because every time I reached for the door handle Haley panicked and begged me not to open it.

"We have to let him back in sometime." I tried to reason with her.

"No." She shook her head wildly.

"I want to go back to school Hales." I sighed. If I kept missing practice I'd be kicked off the team. Plus I missed a certain someone. I wonder if she thought I was avoiding her after the kiss.

"I won't let him hurt you again. Don't you want to visit mom?"

She shook her head again. "I just want to stay here with you Sebby. Forever."

"What about your friends? School? We can't just stay here. We'll run out of food and starve."

She though about it for a moment then shook her head again. Fine. Looks like I was going to have to do this the hard way. I stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To open the door. We can't live like this Haley."

"NO." She grabbed my hand pulling me back but I was stronger. She wouldn't let go so I ended up dragging her across carpet.

"SEBBY NO! STOP!"

"Let go Haley."

"YOU STUPID JERK!" She was screaming now as I reached to unlock it. At the last second she bit me.

"Fuck," I cursed. "What the hell?" My hand throbbed. She stood up blocking the door.

"I won't let you."

"Move."

"Never."

"You have three seconds. Three, two, one." I tried to move her but she resisted and even clawed at me.

"Haley!" I yelled and she froze. I never raised my voice at her. 

"We. Can. Not. Stay. In. This. House. I have a life. You have a life. Bad things happen Hales, to everyone. But hiding won't make them go away. Now please move aside."

Her eyes watered but she stepped back.

"Thank you." When I opened the door the first thing I did was punch my dad in the face.

"Hitting me with a lamp and locking me out of my own home wasn't enough." He groaned.

"You lay a hand on her ever again and I'll kill you. Understand?" I growled.

"Understood," He stood up. "Can I come in now?"

"Your not even going to apologize?"

"Look boy I was drunk and angry ok. Give me a break. I'm going through a lot."

"No you give me a break! It's all hurting us dad not just you. Your not the only one suffering! We're all supposed to get through this shit together. As a family."

"Ain't no getting through this boy. I got word from the hospital her cancers getting worse. Now if you'll just let me in so I can grab my keys and a bottle of jack I'll be out your hair."

"Go to hell." I threw the keys in his face and slammed the door.

Again I'm super sorry for the late update. This chapter is dedicated to a good friend AamalUsmani04   Keep being amazing and writing. Don't give up!

P.S. I didn't edit this chapter so sorry for any silly mistakes.

Stay groovy✌️