"Okay, I think this is yours..." I handed Zoe a box from the Chinese that was just delivered. We had a late lunch so this is more like supper than dinner.

We sat on the floor in front of the tv, watching Mamma Mia. I'd like to think I've had an easy, boy-free day, but I have checked my phone a couple times, to see if either of them have texted.

I'm debating on replying to Matthew. I told Theo I wouldn't, but if I'm talking to Theo like a friend, shouldn't I talk to him like a friend? What's that saying..? Even the playing field?

"Don't text them." Zoe sighed as I checked my phone for the 4th time this movie. "Girls' night." She raised her glass of white wine before taking a gulp. "Tomorrow night, you can text Matt, you can go to Theo's, and I can go on a date. But for now, it's girls' night."

"Fine." I tossed my phone. "Girls' night."

"Mhm mhm."

It wasn't even a minute after that my phone rang, and Zoe snatched it before I could even see who's calling me.

"Hey it's Zoe... She's in the bathroom, can I take a message?"

She paused, crinkling her forehead as she looked at me confused. "Are you okay?"

She raised a finger to her lips, and then her hand out like she wanted me to wait. "Let me shout her..."

I laughed as she pretended to shout, "Cami!" and waited silently.

"She's coming... No problem, how are you?"

She kept nodding, still looking concerned. "I'm alright- here she is."

I took the phone off her, watching as she mouthed "is he okay?"

I shrugged my shoulders and began making my way upstairs to my room "Heya."

"There you are, you ready to go, son?"

"Uh- yeah."

I said bye to Elle after exchanging numbers, we'll be back tomorrow anyway but I'm not sure if she'll be around, though I hope she will be.

"We'll see you again tomorrow, thank you."

Dad and I left the futuristic styled building, his head held high as we made it back to his car. He insisted we drove here together because it would 'look bad' if we didn't.

"You did good today, son."

"Yeah." I buckled myself in, loosing my tie until it was hanging around my stomach and slouching into the car's leather seats.

We made our way out of the lot, passing by cars that must be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars each.

I attempted to stay quiet and avoid conversation, the hotel's only a couple minutes from here anyways.

We made our way through the city, passing the neon coloured lights and busy people frantically walking down the street.

"What happened back there? When I mentioned you would be co-owner? I thought you'd be grateful, I'm providing you a job - a future."

"I want to go to college, Dad."

"Why though? You'd just be wasting four years of you life. You go to college so you can get a job, you already have one."

"I don't want it though! I didn't work for it, I didn't earn it. I don't enjoy doing it and I don't want my life to be like yours."

"Don't you dare talk down on me! I have worked my ass off for this company, to keep our family afloat and ensure you have a financially stable life!"

"I don't care about finance! You were so busy keeping our family afloat you didn't even realise it was falling apart! We're not a family anymore, Dad! It's just you and me, if that."

Tears built up in my eyes as we pulled into the hotel's parking lot.

"That's not my fault!" He raised his voice loud enough to be heard all the way back home.

"I'd rather live happy and broke than own anything of yours. I don't want to live like you do." I took off my seat belt, crossing my arms as we spoke.

"What's so wrong with living like me? Huh?" One of his hands that gripped the steering wheel lifted up and slammed back down on it again.

"All you care about is business! That's why Becca left, that's why Mom left, and that's why I want to leave! I don't want to spend my life worrying about money, and business, and divorces, I want to be happy!"

His fist raised again, but this time it left the wheel completely, forming a fist and slamming into my cheek.

My head hit the window with the impact hard enough to bruise as I felt blood trickling down my face. I gripped my cheek, rubbing the sore skin. I slowly raised my face to look at him, barely recognising the man beside me.

"Theodore..."

"No."

"I didn't mean to- you know I'm not-"

"Just you now, Dad. You've lost us all."

I climbed out of the car, rushing inside and fumbling to find my key card as I rushed to my hotel room.

I pushed through the door, letting my emotions get to me as I slammed it behind myself. He's only done that twice before - once when I was twelve, once when I was fourteen. I shouldn't be surprised though, I had it coming, but I needed to tell him. I couldn't take it anymore.

I fumbled with my phone, wiping my eyes so I could type in my code before calling my emergency contact.

"Hi..?"

"Hey, it's Zoe."

"Oh, um-" I covered the microphone as I coughed, not wanted her to be suspicious. "Is Cam not there?"

"She's in the bathroom, can I take a message?"

"No, I-" my voice cracked but I tried to cover it with a cough, "I said I'd call her tonight, it's fine if she's busy."

"Are you okay?"

"Mhm mhm, yeah."

"Let me shout her..." she covered the speaker it I could hear a muffled shout. "She's coming."

"Thanks, Zoe."

"No problem, how are you?"

Not a good time to ask that. "I'm good, you?"

"I'm alright- here she is."

"Heya."

I fell back onto my bed, sighing as her voice knocked the weight off my chest. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just a bad day, how are you?"

"I'm good, just been with Zoe all day."

"Tell me about it."

I put her on speaker as I got undressed, going to the bathroom to wash my face.

"Okay... well after I FaceTimed you I got coffee and came home, and we watched the vampire diaries, and then after lunch we watched pitch perfect... and currently Mamma Mia."

"Sounds fun." I checked out the slice on my cheekbone, which was already surrounded in a red bruise.

"Yeah, what about you? How was the meeting, are they going to invest?"

"Yeah, I think so." I kept my talking to a minimum so she can't tell what's really going on.

But she knows me better than that. "What happened, Theo?"

"Hm? Nothing-"

"Your voice cracked twice and you're barely speaking. I'm in my room now, spill."

"Apparently I'm going to be co-owner after I graduate."

"Do you want to be?"

"I don't have a choice. He didn't even tell me, he just blurted it in front of a dozen business men after I saved his ass. I'm the only reason they're investing and he has the audacity to-"

My voice was cracking again, speeding up and panicking like I was going into some sort of panic attack.

"What did he do, Theo?"

"He- I'm not going to college. I don't even have an option now. I can't just run away like Rebecca, I've got to stay here and continue what he started."

"You don't have to Theo... did you tell him you don't want to?"

"Yep."

"And what did he say?"

"Nothing supportive."

I wish I came with you so I could hug you right now."

"Me too." I sniffed.

She was silent and my phone rang again, and I realised she requested to FaceTime.

"I- uh, can't FaceTime."

"Why not?"

My mind was blank from excuses. I can't do excuses. "I'm naked."

I slapped my head in my hand as she laughed down the line. "You're joking, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Answer the FaceTime, Theodore."

"Okay." I replayed my excuse in my head- I walked into a door. I wasn't looking where I was going, I just got out the shower, I walked into the doorframe. That's believable enough.

"Have you been crying- wait, what the hell happened to your face?!"