Shouts❤❤ to these amazing people who are consistent readers❤----

xxx

Lara froze in shock and Emma withdrew from the short kiss.

Before she could say anything, the door opened and Ella walked in, followed by Brie.

Emma immediately pushed herself away from Lara and rose to her feet.

"Em," Ella called her sister, "You coming?"

"Yeah." Emma walked over to her sister, who was standing at the door with Brie.

"Good night, Lara." Brie said and headed out with Ella and Emma following.

Emma glanced at Lara who was still in the same position with the same shocked expression on her face.

She inaudibly sighed and walked out of the room.

Did Emma, Ella's quiet twin sister, just kiss me? Lara asked herself, still trying to process the entire night into her little head.

Cutting her short in her thoughts was a phone call.

She quickly picked up her phone to see who it was, and realized it was her mother. But deep down, she was hoping it was someone else... Jayden. She hadn't heard from him since that morning.

"Mother!" Lara yelped.

"Lara, dear, how are you doing? How's everything? Are they treating you well?"

Her mom was one to worry a lot. Well, whose mom didn't worry a lot?

"Yes, I'm fine. They treat me very well." Lara said, when funny enough, the image that came into her head was of Katy calling her a slut and Brie staring at her in disappointment.

"That's great darling! But look, Lara dear, you don't have to do this. We can ask your Uncle Steve to-"

"NO." Lara sounded so loud her mom shook on the other end of the phone,

"Absolutely NOT, mom. Don't ask him for anything. I can handle this on my own. And Mrs. Benson pays me really well. I can take care of us. Trust me, mom."

Lara's mother paused on the other end of the phone, and Lara heard a sob.

"Mom, are you crying? Please don't cry."

"But what about college, dear?" Her mother's voice wobbled, "How are we going to pay for it?"

"Mom, I told you I've already applied for some scholarships, plus I'm saving good money and taking classes online. I've got this. Trust me, mom."

"Alright, dear." Her mother sniffed, "You know you're the only one I've got. And I want the best for you."

"I love you mom."

Her mother smiled. "I love you more honey."

"How are things at the salon?" Lara asked and her mom replied,

"They're alright. It's better than before. I'm working my ass off to give my baby the life she deserves."

"Mom," Lara laughed, "You don't have to. Let me do all the work to give YOU the life you deserve, okay?"

"But-"

"Okay?"

Her mother gave up, "Okay, dear."

"Good." Lara smiled.

"Alright, let me leave you to sleep. It's past eleven and you shouldn't be up late. Less sleep gives you eye bags."

"Sure, mom." Lara smiled, "Good night, I love you."

"Good night my dear, I love you more."

Lara put her phone on the bedside table after waiting for her mom to cut the call. Somehow, she felt it was wrong to end the call first.

She lay in bed, deep in thoughts.

***

The next day Lara had left her room around 1:00pm in a pair of denim jeans, a black T-shirt and a pair of Adidas sneakers and her hair was in a ponytail.

She specifically stayed in her room till that time because she wanted to avoid everyone else. She felt like they were all against her for some strange reason.

She wasn't wearing her uniform because she was going to the grocery store to buy the items on the long list Mrs. Benson had left for them.

Two days ago, Lara had volunteered to go grocery shopping since being Jayden's personal maid was close to being free most of the time.

She stepped out of the house and started her fifteen minute walk to the grocery store which felt more like five minutes, considering the fact that she was listening to music while she walked.

She entered the grocery store, grabbed a trolley from her left side whilst taking out the ear phone in her left ear, and headed towards the aisle where most of the foodstuff on the list were.

After ticking off almost all the items from the list, she dragged the half-full trolley down the aisle and stopped in front of the bread section, checking the list to see how many she was supposed to buy, and which type of bread, when someone placed a hand on her shoulder.

She immediately turned and found Pierre, Brie's brother, with a smile on his face.

"I knew it was you." He said.

He was in a pair of grey shorts and a caramel polo shirt.

"Hi, Pierre." Lara smiled and acknowledged the fact that he was really good looking. "What are you doing here?"

"Grocery shopping." He smiled as if he was holding back the 'obviously'.

"Oh, yeah," She glanced at his almost full trolley, "Buying the entire store?" she asked, which made him laugh.

"No, I buy for an entire week, so I do grocery shopping weekly."

"Ah, I see."

"I love food. And I cook." He added.

"Wow, really?" She said after pushing her trolley closer to his to let some people pass.

"Yeah. You should taste my cooking sometime."

"I'd love to." She said before she could take her words back.

She had just accepted his offer to taste his cooking, and he definitely wasn't going to do 'his cooking' at a restaurant or Mrs. Benson's house.

"But I can't." She quickly added, and his eye brows pushed together,

"Why can't you?"

"Because I don't have a life." She shrugged, "I'm tied to the house. I'm not given permission to step out unless I'm on an errand."

He stared at her, then asked, "Are you on an errand now?"

Lara nodded.

He then took her trolley from her and pushed both trollies down the aisle to join the shortest line to check out.

"What are you doing?" She managed to keep up with him, "I haven't gotten the bread and all the fruits on the list."

"You'll get them." He simply said, without giving an explanation.

After checking out and paying for the groceries, including hers which she highly protested, they walked out of the grocery store, with some of the bags in his hands and the others in two trolleys, one of which she was pushing.

He walked her to his white SUV and unlocked the trunk.

"We literally bought the whole store." Lara laughed as they put the grocery bags into the trunk of the car and he smiled.

They finished putting all the bags in the trunk, and Lara was even surprised they could all fit.

"Thank you," she said softly, and he winked as he walked to the passenger seat to open the door for her.

She sat inside, and he closed it, then went around his car to the driver's seat.

"So," He began when he sat down and put on his seat belt, "Where to?"

"Home, where else?" Lara smiled confusedly. She had already buckled her seat belt.

"Not yet." He started the car and glanced at her, "Somebody needs to get a life, no offence."

Lara laughed, "None taken but, where will we go?"

"Wherever you want us to go. You've got an entire afternoon and evening away from that house and I'm with you."

Lara smiled, mostly because of his last statement, and shifted in her seat to look at him better, "Well, we could go to a fast food restaurant. I haven't eaten since morning."

"Or," He decided to suggest, "We could go back to my place and I could fix you something real quick."

Pierre saw the look on Lara's face and quickly added, "No funny business, I promise. I genuinely want to cook for you."

"Why?" Lara asked.

"Your approval seems to matter."

Lara chuckled, "I feel important already."

"Maybe you should." He smiled and drove out of the parking lot of the grocery store and headed to his apartment..