It's important to understand that no matter how much I love my girlfriends, they'll just never meet the quality of friendship Seb and I have.

So, naturally, when I need a detox, he's the one I call.

And I need one; I haven't been able to get Hendrix off of my mind at all.

He's back at school, as untouchable as ever. An impossible nuisance, a suave Casanova, but while of course, I still hate all of him, I can't help but focus on that some of him I saw on Thursday. That broken boy with real emotions that run deeper than simply arrogance and confidence.

How he is now, it's not a façade, it's as real as it ever was, but there's a sliver of vulnerability just beneath the surface. That crack in his exterior that only I know of. It's all I can see. Obviously, I've told Seb none of this; he just think's that it's simply a detox which involves smoothies, a fruit feast, facemasks and lounge clothes.

Seb might deny it, but I know he loves these type of days. The big cocky playboy enjoys nothing more than sitting opposite me, cross legged on my bed, with a plethora of cut up fruits in bowls between us. Clay masks on our faces, joggers (and me a sports bra) with my Alexa playing those soothing raindrop sounds that sometimes make me need to pee.

We're practicing breathing exercises. Wiki-how tells me that it'll help me get my anger under control and with my hand still wrapped and restrained, I think that's something I can get behind. Besides, if my encounter with Hendrix has taught me anything, it's that I need to ask questions first before I allow my reactions to consume me. Philosophical, I know.

"And in," I mutter, the pair of us drawing breath as we sit with our eyes closed, hands rested on our knees, palms up, with our thumb and forefinger touching; the classic zen pose. "And out," I say, quickly followed by an audible exhale. "You know, this is quite relaxing. I think I could get behind this." I tell Seb.

"You say that," he says, popping a piece of kiwi in his mouth. "But I doubt when you see red, you'll think to count to ten." I look at him with an innocent smile.

"Well, my guardian angel will just have to be there to remind me, won't he?"

He tuts and throws a blackberry into my open mouth. "You know, I do have a life Chapstick. I can't just follow you around like a lost puppy every hour of the day."

"Really? You practically do that already." I muse with a wide grin.

He shakes his head and shoots me an accusatory look. "Your insults are ruining my zen." I straighten myself up, closing my eyes again.

"My apologies." I say simply before I fall back into my pose. "So, tell me, what's new in the life of Sebastian Walker?"

There is a moment of silence, disrupted only by the raindrops from my speakers. "I wish I had news, but I'm the same old, Charlie. Enjoying life as a single man, still wooing women in my seventeenth year." I scoff and peel open an eye to be met with his boyish grin. "What about you? What's all this in aid of?"

"I'm simply trying to better myself," I tell him. "After punching two men in the face in the span of a week, I realised that it might serve me well to control my anger." I explain. He laughs a short, forced laugh.

"No, seriously. What gives?" He says blankly. I shoot him a mocking gasp, taking a hand to my chest in insult.

"I am serious! Why, you don't think I'm capable of bettering myself?" I ask him.

"No, I think you're more than capable. But I've known you twelve years, I've seen you punch a significant amount of people, and not once have you considered managing your anger. So why now?" He inquires. I sigh and fall out of my pose, slouching slightly as I nibble on a strawberry.

"Well, if you must know, I had a run in with Hendrix. He said some things that hurt me. Then, the whole palaver on Thursday; it made me realise that sometimes, things are more complicated than they seem, and I need to chill out with the 'act now, ask questions later' momentum. It's an unhealthy attitude." I tell him.

"Oh? Why, what happened?" He asks.

I shake my head and return to my pose. "Not my place to discuss. Now button it and count to ten." I instruct, earning myself a grin.

"Diabla!" Oli shouts from the corridor.

"We're meditating!" I call back. He makes his way to my room, slouching himself against my door frame.

"Okay, Buddha Diabla." He corrects, in turn receiving a dead pan expression from myself while Seb chuckles. "There's a girl asking for you. She's at the door." I frown; I'm not expecting anyone, and it certainly can't be Nat or Lena, or else Oli would send them straight up.

I mumble and clamber from my bed, taking a handful of berries before skipping downstairs, Seb and Oli following behind. At the door, teetering awkwardly is a tall, model worthy blonde. I don't know her name, but I know that face anywhere. Adam's girlfriend. Or ex, if he's not a complete bullshitter.

I walk towards her, arms crossed, with Oli and Seb staying a couple steps behind. "Are you Charlotte?" She asks me in a voice that's so sultry compared to my man voice than it makes me want to tear out my larynx.

"No, I'm the tooth fairy." I shoot back blankly. "You know I'm Charlotte, or else you wouldn't be here. What do you want?"

She looks behind me, surveying those that loiter behind. "I was hoping we could talk, alone?"

"You can say what you need to say here. I don't mind that they're listening." I tell her. She ponders for a moment as if evaluating her options but then concedes to my terms.

"Well, it's just about Adam. I wanted to come and apologise about what happened." She tells me. With a narrowed glare, I survey her, only to let my sights glance on the vehicle behind her that seems oddly familiar. It takes a few moments, but then my eyes widen in realisation. This very same car had been parked up on a few days ago before driving off abruptly. It was her.

I scoff and look her up and down with every ounce of disgust I can muster. "So, not only have you stalked me to find out my address, but you think I'll give a single shit about your apology when it's four months late?" I ask her in disbelief. I can feel myself bubbling already.

"I was hoping you could forgive me? Things were complicated. It was never our intentions to have me be a 'mistress', but you must understand that sometimes things just happen. I'd like to clear the air and forget what's happened." She tells me.

"Forgive and forget? How about fuck off and die?" I spit out, folding my arms to resist the urge to take a fist full of her hair and brush the tarmac with her face.

Seb tip toes forward and taps me light on the shoulder. "This is where you count to ten." He suggests.

"Not now Seb!" I seethe, holding a hand up. He raises his arms in surrender and retreats. "You didn't give a rats arse about my feelings when you were still shagging my ex. Don't think you can come seeking atonement now because things haven't worked out." She recoils slightly at my venomous tone. "If I wasn't so zen right now, you'd be flat out. Lucky for you, I've been doing some breathing exercises. So, I suggest you fuck off before my inner peace has had enough of your bullshit too."

She hurriedly nods with a solemn expression and spins, her heels clip clopping down my path as she climbs into her car and drives off. I slam the door and turn around to look at Seb and Oli who are both wide eyed. "Who are you and what have you done with Charlotte?" Oli asks.

I shake my head and lift up my wrapped hand. "It wasn't for her benefit." I assure him. "I've got a party next week and I've already lost one drink holder." Seb chortles and wraps an arm around my shoulders, tugging me back upstairs. I turn to him and grin slightly, despite my furious temperament. "Do you think I scared her?" I inquire.

"You scared me Chapstick." He grins.

I match his smile and lift a brow. "Hardly a comparison. You're scared of your own reflection."

~

"Adam, hi." I begin, phone to my ear and fist clenched at my side. "I wasn't going to call you, but I think it's necessary. I had your girlfriend turn up to my house today. Actually, she's been doing some reconnaissance work for a while is seems. Needless to say, the exchange was hardly amicable, but I suggest you give her fair warning that if she pulls a stunt like that again, she'll end up with a face like yours. Don't call me back, just speak to your girlfriend, or ex, or whatever. Right, bye." I cringe as I hang up the voicemail, well aware of how shaky my voice sounds.

Now, I know what it seems like – Charlotte using the last viable lifeline to get in touch with her ex – but fear not; ringing Adam was actually Seb's idea.

Maybe the threat was my own personal spin on things, but his idea was vague and needed spice of Charlotte. Oli gives me a double thumbs up when I throw my phone aside, a forced grin on his face. "Come on kid; you've been the bigger person enough today. Lets go be children."

I raise a sceptical brow and fold my arms. "What do you have in mind?" He throws his hands up in exasperation.

"Must I think of everything?" He sighs.

"Oli, you've been gone so long, I've lost touch with my daredevil side." I tell him. He grumbles and grabs my hand, pulling me out to the corridor. "Where are we going?"

"Well, let's take Ezra's car for a spin and decide on the way." He grins. My lips twitch with the ghosts of a smirk and I nod in acceptance. With Oli actively distracting Ezra downstairs, I sneak into my brothers room and grab his car keys from his bed side table, stuffing them into the front pocket of my jumper before skipping downstairs.

I nod at Oli and he grins, dropping his conversation with Ezra as though he's had a sudden onset of amnesia. Ezzy throws us both a cynical look but I just fake a yawn, slouching myself on the breakfast bar as I nibble at a biscuit. When he's returned upstairs, I throw the keys at Oli and the pair of us scramble to get our shoes on before running to the car, giddy for our escape.

Oli is insured, we're not that irresponsible, but Ezra will flip his lid when he realises what we've done. His car is his baby and I'm anticipating the next two weeks of him pretending Oli and I are dead to him.

Oh well!

We play the music obnoxiously loud, windows down despite the rain, singing out of tune to every song that comes on. "Where are we going then?" Oli finally asks, turning the music down to a socially acceptable level.

I shrug. "I don't know. Lets go for food first; I'm starved." Oli nods and continues driving down the road, the water that's settled on the road spraying around us as the tyres disturb it. I watch over the bonnet, but I'm quick distracted when I see someone walking in the distance. A certain dark haired boy wearing that grin on his face that I'll never be able to misidentify. Elijah Hendrix.

And he's with a girl.

A pretty girl. With long blonde hair, protected lamely by a hood over her head, a scarf pulled tight around her neck. I scowl without even realising, but then have the biggest epiphany of my entire existence.

"Oli – the puddle. Drive through the puddle!" He looks at me strangely, but after casting a quick glance in the direction of my eyesight, he seems to connect the dots, putting his foot down on the accelerator until we're speeding through the puddle, forcing it up like a tsunami; a thick, muddy watered wave that crashes down on Hendrix and his friend.

I poke my head out, grinning at the sight of their gawking faces and drenched clothes. He's eyes meet mine and I all but cheer. "That's for the smoothie! Arsehole!" I call out before returning to the confines of the car.

Oliver is laughing, I'm laughing too, only until I realise that he didn't have Ellie with him.

He didn't have Ellie.

Grumbling profanities, I grab my phone and message him.

Mike Tyson: Where the fuck is Ellie?

Daddy Hendrix: At home. Just as well, considering the levels of your immaturity.

Mike Tyson: Are you fucking kidding me? You've fucked her off again for a date.

Daddy Hendrix: Is that what the puddle soaking was about? Jealous Osborne? It's alright – I always have time for you.

Mike Tyson: You're absolutely impossible. You've flaked more on this project than I imagined you would. You're an actual liability.

Daddy Hendrix: That's harsh, considering you're palming her off on your parents to get pissed this weekend.

Mike Tyson: Hardly the same. All the days I've had Ellie, I've actually looked after her.

Daddy Hendrix: Yes; and must I remind you all the times you've had Ellie, I've been interrupted through the night because you can't cope. Or is your memory acting up again?

Daddy Hendrix: Worry less Osborne. We're on our way home now to change out of these wet clothes. Thanks, by the way. You've really bumped up my chances of seeing this girl naked. IOU

I scowl at my phone, burying it in the bottom of my bag, deciding that Hendrix is just as impossible, insufferable, unreliable, arrogant, and conceited as ever. What a prick.

"You seem mad. Want to splash some more people with puddles?" Oli offers upon seeing my furious expression.

"Let's double back and do those dickwad's again."