Chapter Eight:World War What?

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One whole week and five days until my mothers birthday.

It seems that it's coming around faster than I anticipated. On her birthday every year a carnival was held and we always used to go.

So on that specific day, every year, we would go there then go for food. Each year she would have the same thing; Fries and a burger with no ketchup.

"Andie! Hurry up! Mia is picking us up literally in two minutes." As Josh just said, Mia is picking us up today because Josh's car is in the garage. Turns out that Josh can't park a car without causes some type of damage.

Thankfully, I get my own car tomorrow so I won't have to constantly rely on Josh's car not being used. I wasn't too keen on the idea because a car isn't something I was expecting to just be given but both Nadia and Mark assured me they wanted to do it.

Mia shows up as soon as I get downstairs and after locking the house, we both get inside. I'm sat in the back while the 'love birds' kiss each other as their greeting. Thankfully when I start driving to school myself, I won't have to witness this.

Just because I find them cute doesn't mean I need to see them kiss all the time. He is my cousin after all, gross.

"Hey, beautiful." He says once they both pull back.

I cringe just a little and resist the urge to make a sarcastic comment. Me being the loner I am, and always will be, just stays silent and doesn't say a word until Mia starts the conversation.

"Are you feeling better today, Ands?" I nod in response and remind myself that she is driving and can't see me. Idiot.

"I'm feeling much better thanks." Lies, but she doesn't have to know that.

As soon as we get on-site, I head to my locker to drop all the things off that I didn't get to yesterday. While I struggle to get all my books in without one tumbling out, I feel a presence beside me and I turn to see Cole.

Isn't this just great?

"So Mandy," He puts one hand above my locker and continues. "What made you leave so suddenly yesterday?" He obviously hasn't stopped with the whole name thing yet.

I grit my teeth and finally snap. "You not what Cole? I'm really not in the mood so just leave me the hell alone." I slam my locker and head to class, not bothering to look behind me.

******

Once I get home, everyone is home early but Josh because he has football practise. I'm more shocked that Mark has finished already, he is never home this early. Not that I'm complaining, of course, It's just different seeing them already.

"Hey, guys." I wave and have a wide smile on my face.

"We have something to show you." They both motion for me to go over to them and I do exactly that, just a little bit curious as to what they want to show me.

We make our way to the garage and I think I begin to know where this is going and as soon as they open the door my jaw drops.

A black car, not even a car. A Range Rover.

Nadia is the first one to speak because I can't seem to find any words. I wasn't expecting to get the car until tomorrow and this type of car was even more unexpected.

"It was mine but as you already know I got a new one so seeing as you're still adjusting to living here, I want you to have it. Consider it a welcoming present." It's one big welcoming present that's for sure.

"I-I-I don't even know what to say..." I smile at them, still too shocked. I never expected to get such an expensive car.

"Thank you so much." I'm still not sure if I should even accept such a gift. I hug them both but I still feel like I owe them something in return. I shouldn't just get a car for doing nothing.

Josh gets back not so long after and I show him Nadia's—well my—new car. You could say his reaction showed just slight jealousy but I don't see why because his car is just as nice.

We all spend the night downstairs catching up on all the stuff we don't seem to cover during dinner every night while the television plays in the background.

******

Waking up the next day, I get up a lot more refreshed than usual and excitement begins to grow when I remember I get to drive the car to school today.

Josh wants me to drop him off as apparently he's going out with Mia after school. Personally, I think he just wants to go to school in my car because he didn't stop talking about how nice it was last night. He even asked 'what are you going to name her?'

Who the hell names a car?

I meet Mia in the parking lot and she hugs me. "We need to hang out more often after school. We haven't in like forever." She frowns slightly and I smile warmly.

"Josh not as good company as me, huh?" I tease.

"Well, my best friend will always trump my boyfriend. You know what they say... Sisters before misters." She wiggles her eyebrows playfully and I just laugh at her goofiness.

We need a sleepover soon because ever since she got with Josh I don't think we have had one.

Throughout the day I pretty much keep my distance from Cole as I have a feeling that the only solution for him to stop calling me Mandy is if I tell him the reason why I hate him saying it.

However, that is definitely not an option because Mia doesn't even know about my mother and she is the person I am closest to here, excluding Josh of course.

I unlock my car and once I fling my bag onto the passenger seat, someone calls out after me. I think we all know who that someone is.

"Hey." He says and I just smile awkwardly. I know I said I've been avoiding him but he hasn't tried approaching me since I told him to, and I quote, 'leave me the hell alone'.

"Nice car." He runs his hand over the paintwork and I nod.

"Thanks." I go to get into the car and I stop for a second time when Cole begins to speak again.

"I'm sorry by the way. I must've pushed you too far with the whole Mandy thing." Well, I wasn't exactly expecting that but me snapping yesterday must've made him realise how much it pissed me off.

"It's fine." I smile at him, kind of relieved that he got the message. It's not that I don't like Cole because I do, it's just that if he finds something that'll annoy me, even slightly, he'll continue to do it. Luckily, he must know when to call it quits.

"Getting sick of Josh driving you around I presume?"

"Yeah I guess, It was either that or relying on Mia to take me places. I don't like having to do that." He's looking at me but it looks like he's thinking.

"Why did you move here?" I'm taking back slightly by how abrupt his question is. For some reason I've never kind of thought about what I would say if someone asks me this so I'm slightly stuck on what to tell him.

I throw a question straight back at him as it was the only thing I could think of, "Why does it matter to you?" There is a hint of bitterness in my voice.

"I'm just curious. It's obvious you're here for a reason and something must've happened for you to move here otherwise you wouldn't have just got so defensive." I could blame myself for not coming up with a reason quick enough but really, Cole is just being pushy.

It's like he is trying to test me. What I said earlier about Cole being half-decent could be thrown back in my face at any minute.

"Not to sound rude Cole but I don't think it's any of your business as to why I'm here."

I know I should just get in the car and drive off because I have a feeling deep in my gut that this isn't going to end well. But for some reason, I stay. I think it's because I'm curious about what he might say next, even if I might regret it.

"Well you live with your cousin who is the biggest dick I've ever met so if I were you, I'd rather live with my parents, so why aren't you?" I grit my teeth trying not to show any signs of anger.

From the weird glint in his eye, I now know he is doing this to test me. I don't want to play right into his hands but I can feel myself getting angrier by the second.

"It's none of your fucking business as to why I'm here." I grit my teeth and clench my fists, my nails digging into the palm of my hand. My hand is most probably bleeding but I don't check.

"Why are you so secretive? Let me guess you got into some deep shit at home and your parents moved you out here."

"And why would that be the case? You know absolutely nothing about me." I step forward, challenging him. I will not back down.

"Most spoilt kids are the same, get into so much trouble at school that they get expelled, parents send them far away so it's not there problem until the holidays." Did he just call me fucking spoilt?

"How the fuck am I spoilt Cole? You don't know me well enough to give me a fucking example."

"I might not know a lot about you and your past but I sure do know you're spoilt." That's it. I tried but I can't stop myself any longer. I slap him across the face, hard. I'm too livid to even feel guilty.

"As I said, you don't know anything about me and where I come from, stay the fuck away from me. I can't believe I even considered you a friend for even a second. You're just a dick. What were you wanting to achieve from this, huh? See how long it would take for me to snap? Well, congratulations I have. Now I don't want you to look in my direction ever, ever again."

I look at him up and down in a mixture of disgust and disapproval while shaking my head. I get in my car as fast as possible, slamming the door shut. I don't have time to see his reaction as I'm already speeding off and I'm glad, I don't want to see his face ever again.

I can't believe I even slapped him but I don't regret it. He deserved it. He doesn't know one thing about me and he never will.

******

The week goes by quicker than I expected despite the horrible way it started. It's now officially three days until my mother's birthday so it's a Wednesday. So for what feels like the first time ever, I dread the end of the week. Please don't let Friday come.

I grab my stuff from my locker and as I'm about to head over to Mia, Cole stands in my path. I see her in the distance over his shoulder and she's looking at me with concern.

I just roll my eyes at him, not interested in arguing with him again. It's like he likes to see me angry. This is the first time we've properly crossed paths since he acted like a complete douche, with the lessons we have together I've just ignored him not even making the mistake of looking his way. Thankfully, he has just let me keep my distance, until now...

"Get out of my way Cole." He just smirks at me. That stupid, stupid smirk.

"Don't underestimate me, princess." He laughs at me. Does he find this all funny?

"Leave her alone Jones, I won't hesitate in knocking you unconscious if you don't back off."

Cole laughs dryly, "Tsk tsk, always the empty threats. I would've thought that you'd follow through with at least one of them by now."

Josh just growls and the next thing I know, the corridor is a war zone.

Punch

Punch

Dodge

I stand frozen, stuck on what to do for what seems like hours but is only a minute or two. Me and probably Mia are the only ones who aren't cheering right now, where is she anyway?

"FIGHT!FIGHT!FIGHT!"

Is all that can be heard along with the grunts and groans coming from both Cole and Josh. I finally come to a state of mind where I can at least try and stop all of this. I run right by both of them, trying to pull them apart.

Seriously, where is my best friend to help me with this?

"STOP!" I push Cole off Josh. Cole has a bruise appearing on the side of his cheek meanwhile Josh has a bloody lip and nose.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH BOTH OF YOU?"

Cole looks up at me and we make eye contact for what must be only a second and I really think he's about to stop but Josh drags him back down to the floor before he has a chance to.

My pleas for them to stop has put an end to the cheering and the principal appears, finishing this chaos.

"You two, my office now!"

Josh, good luck because it will be a miracle that your parents don't kill you by the end of this...

I do even bother going to my next lesson, I just sit outside the principal's office while I wait for them to come out. It took a lot of convincing for Mia to go to her lesson but after I reassured her that I'll text her an update once Josh comes out, she agreed to go.

After twenty minutes of overhearing sarcastic comments being thrown back and forth between both imbeciles, they're finally allowed to leave. Josh has a black eye now. a cut lip and a little dry blood around his nose while Cole still just has a bruise on his jaw.

As much as I hate to say it, Cole looks the less injured one out of the both of them.

"You're a complete idiot. Why did you even start that?" I exclaim.

"He deserved it." Josh mumbles and Cole scoffs,

"Imagine starting a fight that you couldn't even win, pathetic."

I snap my head in Cole's direction, "Say anything else and I won't hesitate in slapping you again."

We walk away and a different emotion is evident in Cole's face. I'm not sure what it is but I don't stay around to figure it out. Josh and I leave before anyone can utter another word.

"You slapped him, huh? When was this?" A smirk grows on Josh's face and I glare at him.

"Just be quiet. I'm grateful you tried defending me but I can do it myself and if you can't already tell, I'm still slightly pissed at you for causing such a scene." He rolls his eyes but doesn't say another word as he follows me back to my car.

Turns out they both got suspended for two days and let's just say Nadia and Mark weren't the happiest of people when they found out. Once I updated Mia, she wasn't too happy either but he could've landed a much worse punishment than a two-day suspension.

******

The next day at school, no one talked about anything but the fight. Like seriously, does nothing else interesting go on in this school?

Because Josh was grounded, Mia and I decide to go on a spontaneous shopping trip as we needed a girls day anyway.'

"I think I might buy that cologne just because the model's hot." I look at the poster she's been staring at for the past god knows how long and I roll my eyes but still laugh.

She's right, he is hot.

"You do remember that you're dating my cousin right?" She smiles sheepishly and nods.

We intend to buy what every girl buys when they go shopping; food and clothes. We've done the clothes part and now all we have to do is eat, my stomach rumbles just on cue.

"Let's go get some food, I'm starving." We head to the food court and Mia groans.

"Finally, I'm starving." We order a variety of different sides and slurp on our milkshakes.

"This food is delicious." Mia moans while eating a bunch of fries all at once.

Once we finish up we both head out, bidding our goodbyes as we both brought our cars. After a hug, a 'see you tomorrow' and 'text you tonight', I head in the direction I hope my car is parked in.

Just as I'm about to unlock my car I hear an all too familiar voice. The same group of guys I saw that night weeks ago are huddled together and Cole is with them.

"I say we do something to the house, that's a way of getting him back."

"No way are we doing that, Andie lives with Josh," Cole argues back.

"Why would you care if Andie was there or not?" Exactly what I was thinking, Cole and I are not exactly seeing things eye to eye at the moment.

"I well I don't. We have other ways if we want to get back at Josh, remember?"

"She slapped you around the face though. I'd say my plans better."

"I deserved that, I was being a dick. You touch her and I will punch you so hard that-" My face suddenly turns red, shit am I blushing? And I can't seem to fight off the smile that's growing. Why is he defending me so much?

"Alright dude chill," The other guy says, putting his hands up. "Why do you keep defending her anyway?"

Cole pinches the bridge of his nose, "Look, I would do shit to Josh's house I just don't want to go back into the mall to get supplies." They just nod, ignoring Cole's poor excuse for not being down on the plan and then they all go their separate ways after saying bye.

I go to get into my car, debating whether to text Cole later.

No don't do it, he was a dick the other day.

He can be pretty sweet when he wants to be, give him another chance.

I stop arguing with myself and decide I'll figure it out later. I throw my bags in the back and I don't get in the car when someone shouts a string of curse words.

"Ow! Son of a bitch" Someone hisses. But it isn't just someone, it's Cole and I go over to help him because maybe he isn't as much of a douche bag as I first thought.

I quickly head over to him, hoping he is alright.

"Oh my god, are you okay? What did you even do?" I don't bother to hide the concern that's lingering in my voice, it just spews out.

He looks at me, almost surprised I'm even talking to him but his expression turns cold when he begins to shake his head.

"It doesn't matter." He grumbles, slamming his car door as he leaves me standing there,

Alone

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AUTHOR'S NOTE:

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