Theo's POV:

"Theo, honey." Was the first thing I heard when Mya handed me the phone.

The fact that my mom was on the other end of the phone was annoying enough, but the fact that she interrupted us in what we were about to do was even more frustrating.

"What do you want, mother?" I bit out.

"Oh. I'm just calling to check up on you, sweet-"

"Cut the lies. What is it that you want?"

She sighed and as if she turned off her nice mode a completely serious tone took over. "Your father and I need you to come home."

"No! I'm not coming home! I refuse! I have other commitments." I yelled into the receiver.

I looked over to Mya and she looked worried. I mouthed to her that I was okay, but she didn't seem to believe me.

"Oh, not today, but soon!" She piped up.

Trying to get off topic I switched to a new subject that had been bothering me ever since I picked the phone up. "How did you even get this number?"

"Theo, darling, you know I have my ways, and if those ways don't work out, I have a whole team of hackers that can find out any little thing I need to know." I could literally hear her smirk on her face as she wanted me to know who exactly was in charge.

"Could've just called my cell. You didn't have to call the landline. Who even uses them anymore?" Also if she did this Amaya and I wouldn't have been interrupted because I definitely would've let it go to voicemail.

"Where's the fun in that?" She chuckled darkly.

Excuse me for my language, but what a bitch!

"Well fun or not, I'm not coming home." I told he truthfully.

"Oh, yes you are. Whether you like it or not, you are coming home!!" She yelled in my ear.

"Since when do you care if I'm there or not?" I questioned.

The woman missed my whole childhood and didn't even bother to come to my graduation. She obviously did not care about me.

"I don't."

Wow. Harsh, much?

"Then why do you so desperately need me there so badly?" I questioned curiously.

She remained silent and that's when I remembered that every year my mother hosts a huge Christmas celebration. She invited everyone involved in the company, along with other wealthy company owners and entrepreneurs. It's her biggest event of the year.

The last few years I hadn't attended and she seemed totally okay with that decision since "I have a tendency of screwing things up."

"Never mind. I know why." I rolled my eyes and looked down to see Amaya still looking concerned.

I leaned down to kiss her on the forehead before interlacing my fingers with hers.

"It's okay." I cover the phone receiver before whisper into her ear.

She nods up to me as she leans her head on my chest and sighs in content as she waits on me to finish up this wretched phone call. I wrap my arm around her as my mother begins to talk again.

"Oh, so you remember! Good. Then you know I need you there."

"Why should I help you? You never do anything for me and are never there for me." I tell her truthfully.

I look down to see Mya's sad eyes looking up at me.

"Come on, Theo. Just help me out this one time. I was going to discuss all of this at the stadium, but you ran away with that little witch of yours." I can practically see her picking up her wine glass and taking a long drink.

"You don't get to call her that! You don't even know her." I whisper-shouted at my mother.

I covered the receiver again as I looked down to Mya. She had her eyes closed as if she could fall asleep at any moment. I just really hoped she couldn't hear my mom's evil words directed at her.

And I didn't want to take the chance of her hearing, so I gently shook her. Her eyes fluttered open but they fell shut again. She was really tired, so I decided to take care of her before dealing with my dramatic mother.

"I'll have to call you back." I say.

"Theo don't you dare hang up on-" I clicked the end button making her condescending voice finally stop ringing in my ears.

I slipped the wireless phone (A/N: not all landline phones are connected to the wall. They can be wireless too...) in my pocket of my pants and picked Mya up bridal style. I carried her to her bedroom and laid her down on the bed before covering her up. I placed a quick peck on her cheek and turned to leave, but she grabbed my shirt stopping me.

"No. Don't go. Lay down with me." She patted the spot in her bed beside her.

I chuckled at how cute it was, especially since she kept her eyes closed the whole time she said it.

"I'll be back, baby. Just keep my side of the bed warm for me okay?" I asked as I held her face in my hands.

Her brilliant smile shined before she plopped back onto the bed. I chuckled and walked back into the kitchen. I grabbed a water out of the fridge and drank greedily as I pulled the phone back out of my pocket.

I hit the re-dial button and readied myself for the continued talk with my mother.

She answered on the third ring. "Theo! I told you not to hang up!"

"Oops." I muttered sarcastically.

I could practically see her rolling her eyes at my behavior, but I couldn't care less.

"Anyways, I want you to come home December 20th and you can stay up until the 23rd. The party is the 22nd, but we have other people coming over those days in between." She said truthfully.

"You don't need me. I'm sure you'll manage without me. I have better things to do with my life." I say thinking about Amaya, football, and hell even my classes would be better than spending time at my childhood home.

"Come on, Theo." She pleaded. That was a first. My mother never begged for anything. She usually just got her way as soon as she wanted it. Glad to be the first to break that streak. "We have a potential buyer, but they believe in a strong family image. Without you, we wouldn't have our whole family, now would we?"

"Why help you? You never helped me." I rolled my eyes as I leaned against the counter.

"I've had a busy life, Theo. Your father and I have been busy supporting your brother and you."

"We didn't need money to be supported. All we wanted was for our mom and dad to actually be involved in our lives. For our parents to come to our football and basketball games, attend our school events, cook us just one meal without help, anything. If you would've actually spent time with us at all, we would've loved it and been grateful. If it had just been five minutes a day that still would've made me or Will ecstatic." I say with a huff of distress.

I'd never said this to her. She never gave me the time to, or always cut in before I got to the end, which is why I was surprised when I didn't hear anything back from her for so long.

After about two minutes of nothing but silence I heard her take a deep sigh. "The past is the past, Theo. Just let it go. You and your brother turned out just fine."

It was like she didn't even listen to what I told her. I sighed letting it go. No reason wasting my breath or time over something she'd immediately brush off her shoulder.

"Fine. You're right. It's in the past." I lied.

"Good."

"But back to the reason you called. Why am I going to do this for you? Why should I?" I questioned.

She chuckled. "Because if you don't, your father and I will stop sending you money."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Take it. I don't need it."

She scoffed as if she wasn't expecting that as an answer, but she seemed to quickly recover. "Fine. I'll have your car picked up, towed and sold."

"I can walk places. Campus also has transportation that I can take." I tell her as I begin to get bored with this game.

Hell, yeah, I would miss my car, but not having it is better than having to fake act like the perfect family in front of people whose names I couldn't even recall.

I heard her chuckle evilly as if she had come up with her perfect piece of blackmail.

"I'll have your little girly friend kicked off campus and she'll never see the grounds of the school again in her lifetime." I could practically hear my witchy mother's grin. She was truly proud of herself for coming up with this one, and I was actually taken aback by it.

"You can't do that." I told her skeptically as I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yes I can. A scandal and some photoshopped pictures would surely convince the Dean." She snickered.

"You wouldn't."

My mother was truly evil. Taking something that meant so much to Mya just to get back at me? She really was a piece of work, but I'd go through anything to keep Amaya's dream coming true.

"Oh, sweetheart, you know I would. So you better have your ass here in New York on December the 20th. I'll have proper wear brought to the house for you, and even a hair stylist. I've seen your hair lately and it's horrendous."

I ran a hand through my hair and half-pouted. It wasn't even bad...okay it wasn't THAT bad.

"Fine." I growled. "I'll go to your stupid mixer or whatever you call it."

"A benefit." She was quick to correct me.

"Whatever, but I have a condition of my own." I smirked.

"What is it?" She sighed annoyed.

"I get to bring Amaya with me." I grinned knowing she'd hate this idea.

"Absolutely not! She doesn't know how to act properly, and I highly doubt she even knows how to dance like a decent young lady." She said all posh as if she was the most knowledgeable person in the whole world.

"She does too! Amaya is more of a lady than you'll ever be. She either comes with me or you can say goodbye to you 'perfect family'!" I yell.

"Fine. You can bring her. But let me make this perfectly clear, Theodore. If she messes up this deal, there will be a price to pay, are we clear?" She questions.

Before I can even answer, she lets out an irritated huff and hangs up the phone.

Typical mother. Always dramatic. I put the phone on it's charging unit and make my way to Amaya's bedroom.

As soon as I walk in her room, I realize she's fast asleep by her soft and cute snores. I quietly chuckle before I start to tip-toe across the hardwood floors before I slip into bed behind her.

She cuddles into me as I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her closer. A beautiful grin graces her face as she turns till she's facing me.

"I love you." She whispers.

I give her lips a quick peck and smile. "I love you too, baby."

I don't even want to think about tomorrow. Not only do I have to explain myself and my actions from the party, but I also have to tell her about my mother's deal. I didn't want anymore secrets between us.

Especially the fact that she has to come to New York with me next month.

I know it was selfish of me to drag her into my family drama, but I needed her there. She's the one that keeps me sane, and will be the one keeping me from stabbing somebody with a salad fork by the end of the our time at the Thompson house.

I love Mya. With her at my side I can make sure she stays safe and protected.

It was going to be a long four days in New York. I just hope my mother keeps her awful comments to herself and actually acts the decent human being she always pretends to be while we're there.

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Okayyy!! Here's a new (& very unedited) chapter 😛 Sorry it was shorter than usual /: But I really hope you guys enjoyed it & are as excited to see what happens in New York as I am to write it!!

Theo caved into going to New York all for Mya. Is that chivalrous or what?? After this chapter how do you feel about Mrs. Thompson? Also when Themaya go to New York you'll finally get to meet Will, Theo's older brother!!

For this story, I think I'm going to have about 4-5 chapters & a definite epilogue left. Maybe a couple bonus chapters? I don't know. We'll just have to see where it goes. I am so excited for you guys to see what happens.

This story has been such an exciting journey, and I really don't want it to end, but all good things must come to an end, am I right? But no worries!! I'm still here for about 6 definite chapters!!

I love you guys & all the support you've given me through TFPR!! (#1 in Teen Fiction, 4M reads, tons of votes & comments, & 14k followers??) You guys seriously have no idea how much it means to me. It's crazy. I never expected to get 1k reads on this story. You guys are the best readers ☺️❤️

Lots of Love,

~Kealy