I Don't Call It Home

Slowly over the next two hours the hockey players began to leave. First it was Zeke and Eric complaining that I wasn't servicing them anymore, and that was because they had had plenty to drink and Raphael had cut them off. Dumbasses didn't need to stumble home in the middle of the day. Then the others began following getting bored or had other places to be. Jonathan left with his two -not drunk- girls glaring and grumbling something that I didn't care enough to listen to. Mark was still there and I was surprised he was staying the two whole hours. His whole team was gone when I finally got off work, Lily had charged out of the kitchen when I called my farewell.

"What?" I gasped almost falling backwards to avoid her sudden closeness.

"Here. Be careful, you never know." She smiled folding something into the palm of my left hand.

"Huh?" I stated peeling my fingers away from it but when I saw the shiny foil corner I clamped my hand around it like it was a live grenade. "What the hell?" I hissed at her.

"Think of it as a sisterly gesture." She giggled as she walked away.

I peeked sideways at Mark who was waiting by the door and felt my face go hot with embarrassment. I don't get embarrassed easily, but looking at the guy who asked to talk to me while holding a condom in my hand was definitely an embarrassing situation. I hurried to get my backpack from the cupboard and slipped the foil packet into one of the smaller pockets.

"I'm off!" I called again meeting Mark by the door. He smiled down at me as he opened the door for me like a gentleman. I didn't think guys still did things like this. Jonathan would never do it unless he was kicking someone out of the place.

"How often do you work there?" He asked as we made our way down the street. Mark was leading and he was heading in the opposite direction of the bus stop. Where were we going? Was I going to be home in time to have the Morgenstern's weekend chef's delicious dinner? It was definitely a perk of living with high class loving guys.

"Just about everyday." I answered fiddling with the strap of my backpack. It gave me something to focus on instead of fretting over where he was leading me. It was Mark, he was a nice guy.

"Wow, that means you're always busy." He sounded surprised.

"Yup." I nodded. I don't deny it. I work my ass off every day of every week to live on. Though the destination of that work is yet to be found.

We turned a corner onto another street that also had very few pedestrians.

"So what was it that you wanted to talk about?" I asked looking up at him.

Mark looked down at me with his gold and blue eyes and a very serious expression. It caught my attention. "I'm really sorry about my team. They're all immature, and I'm really sorry they harassed you like that. Also thank you for standing up to them, most girls just go along with it and it only causes more problems later on." His shoulders slumped and he released a sigh saying, "Jonathan being one of the biggest problems. And Jace and his fan club, but Jonathan. . ."

"You don't have to say anymore. I know. " I said patting his shoulder sympathetically. "Lightwood is a pain in the ass, but Morgenstern is pretty off the charts."

"You have no idea." Mark groaned tossing his head back, and his pale hair flew through the air shining like stands of pale gold.

"No I think I do." I mumbled to myself.

"Sorry for holding you up for just this." He said looking at me with a sheepish expression. "But I just wanted you to know."

"Thanks." Was all I could say.

We made it to the end of the street before he spoke again. "You're really strong Mira. I think you might be the only girl I know that would willing take on an entire sports team all alone just to right their morals. Well you and my younger sister Emma, but she doesn't count." He chuckled.

I stared down at my shoes debating if what he said was a compliment or a subtle insult on my lack of being girly. I didn't wear skirts. I didn't like makeup. I wasn't afraid of getting a blood stain on my clothes. I most certainly was not girly. "Yeah probably." I replied scuffing the heel of my shoe against the pavement.

'Sit Back Now
Let Me Tell You A Tale
Where Justice Does Not Prevail

About An Ill-Fated Life
So Very Full Of Strife
Where Two Wrongs Do Not Make A Right'

"What is that?" Mark gaped as my phone continued to ring.

'So

When I Was Born
I Did Surely Scorn
My Proud Parent's Name
Then Their Lives Went Down The Drain
Drove Them Insane'

"Personalized ring tone." I answered as I finally managed to pull my cell out of my pocket. I paused wondering why this person was calling me all of a sudden, then I tried to remember when we exchanged numbers but I couldn't place the time.

'My Birth Was A Curse
I Bit The Nurse
Oh, But I Love The Worst
I Deserve To Be Slowly Submersed
Dried Out Then Laid In A Hearse'

I shook my head and flipped the phone open and pushed it to my ear. "What?" I grumbled.

Mark looked at me curiously, probably wondering who would have such a horrible ringtone on my phone. I was going to do my best not to say his name and not have Mark know, if he found out who called there would be a lot of questions that I wasn't about to answer. Ever.

"Don't what me!" Spat Jonathan on the other end of the call. "You're late, get over here and make dinner!" He ordered.

"What happened to your stupid chef?" I shot back.

"Quit. Now get back here and cook." He demanded in his superior tone that makes me want to punch him in the face, repeatedly.

"Quit? What did you do?" I accused.

"Nothing." He defended.

I narrowed my eyes at a street sign like it was Jonathan himself. "You slept with his daughter didn't you?" I challenged flatly.

"No." He growled.

"Wife?"

"And niece." He grumbled and my right hand clenched around my phone. I really was looking forward to a decent meal tonight instead of something quick that I find after work. Now I have to cook for two men that annoy the hell out of me.

"Damn you!" I yelled and Mark next to me jumped back startled. "Damn you. Goddamn you! Why can't you keep it in your pants? All I want is one meal a week that I don't cook, but you have to fuck it up don't you? DAMN YOU!"

"What Blackthorn didn't take you on a date?" He sneered back without pause.

"IT'S NOT A DATE."

"So you'll be here to cook." He stated darkly.

"FUCK YOU."

"I thought I was damned?"

I pulled my phone away from my ear and snapped it closed. "Gah! I hate him!" I growled frustratingly. I shoved my phone back into my pocket then spun around and kick the post of a street sign with the toe of my shoe. The impact sang up my leg and my toes cried in pain. I ignored it as I began stomping off towards the bus stop.

"Who was that?" Mark asked hurrying after me.

"The devil and his demanding ways." I replied.

"Brother?" He inquired and I came to an abrupt halt. He stumbled back to face me.

"He is not my brother." I corrected darkly. Not in this life or the next. I would never be related to such an asshole.

"Step-brother?" Mark raised a brow.

"Not even." Looking into his eyes I could see he was only curious, but that only got the cat killed. "Look I have to go. Sorry that you over heard that, and thanks for the apology. I appreciate it." I started to walk past him.

He grabbed my arm and stopped my getaway. "Wait, is it you're father? Is it safe to go home?"

"I'm not going home." I answered without thinking.

"Then where-"

"Mark I have to go, can you let go?" I said shaking the arm he held.

His face reddened and he dropped his hand. "Sorry."

"No problem. Bye!" I called as I took off down the street. I didn't run to make it to the bus stop sooner, or to get to the Morgenstern's quicker. I ran so I could yell and punch Jonathan. I ran to check on him- he sounded calmer than usual. I ran because that's what my brain told my body to do. So I ran.

Hope you guys enjoyed. Please leave a review. ^^ In the next chapter you'll see why Jonathan was acting weird and how Mira reacts to it.

The ringtone is the song Such Horrible Things by Creature Feature.