Scarper. verb. (informal) to run away, especially after having done something wrong
A/N: Warning: couple of expletives ahead… oh no! ;)
~Theresa~
"Fo- oxx! Haven't you found it yet?" I whine, filing the last fingernail. There, it looks good enough now…or is there a bit of a bump in the middle?
"Unlike you Ms Lopez- Fitzgerald, I have been assiduously searching for that email…" He glances across at me and scoffs amusedly. "Still on your nails? It beats me how you could spend half an hour doing that!"
I roll my eyes at him, feeling guilty all the same. After all, I really should be helping him look for an email with my transaction details on it. But I feel kind of lazy today. And of course, I haven't forgotten that eight days ago, Gwenyth Hotchkiss married my…
No no no! I mustn't think about it, I mustn't think about it, I…
"Mustn't think about it!" I groan aloud, flinging away the file and burying my face in my hands.
"Mustn't think about what?" asks Fox smoothly.
"Shut up! And stop acting the Oblivious Oberon!" I snap, frowning to myself. It can be so maddening how he could be such a good friend, but torture me by pretending not to know what's going on. Sometimes I wonder whether he's doing it on purpose…
"Fuck!" Sighing suddenly, he slams his hand on the table.
I sit up on the couch. "What is it?"
"They've done it again. They've raided my inbox…oh good! Here's an 'explanatory note'! Huh! I wonder how they'd like it if I 'collate' their 'private email for the interest of the public'!" Fox retorts, glaring at the screen.
I rush over to his computer. "What have they said?"
In a sudden change of mood, he laughs and leans his head on his wrist. "Here, have a look." In reply to my baffled gaze, he half- looks at me and smirks. "Just… just read it…"
"Omigosh! Rebecca? Rebecca's doing this? Oh Fox, I'm so sorry!" I can't believe that woman would actually do such a horrible thing to her own stepson!
"You don't have to be. She's nothing to me. She's not my mother, thank god!" He turns to me and shakes his head. "What kind of sad person would sell someone else's private emails for the hell of it? I mean, it's not like she's getting paid for this, right?"
I bite my lip and look away. Fox doesn't know I was induced to do a similar thing to his half- brother. My love-
No.
"Well of course, Rebecca would," I say quickly.
He stares at me unblinkingly and gets up.
"I've had enough, Theresa. I'll give that bitch something to howl about!"
I start to reason with him, but he won't hear it. He slams the door shut after him. I can hear his angry footsteps leaving the west wing of the mansion. Fox doesn't get mad very easily. He's a rather easy- going guy, but when something really gets on his nerves, it's like he's a completely different person. I could personally give Rebecca something to howl about myself, but the last thing I'd want to see is Chief Bennett hurrying over here to arrest Fox.
Please, please don't do anything to get yourself in trouble, I pray silently. If not for the Hotchkisses, most things would've been fine.
For instance, Ethan would have…
Fortunately, I don't get to ponder on that thought for too long. Fox returns quickly, closes the door and leans against it, face flushed thoroughly. As well as having a certain glint in his eye…
"Pinch me. Slap me. Whatever you like, but do it hard," he huffs, almost feverishly. I wonder what's happening, but at the same time, I can't help thinking how hot he looks right now. So like his brother…
Don't.
He mutters unintelligibly to himself till I become annoyed.
"What are you getting at, buddy? Stop muttering and talk!"
"Okay. Alright." He gulps and holds up his hands with a sheepish leer. "I doubt now whether I was fully awake or not at that moment, but Theresa, I thought I saw my stepmother pashing the new maid…"
*******
~Jessica~
I edge closer to the house where Tabitha once lived, wishing for a better view. I have to prove to everyone at home that I'm not going psycho- that there truly is someone living next door. Coz last night, they all had a good laugh at me when I told them I saw lights going on and off in that place. And I hate being laughed at…
I lean as far away as I can from the fence while still trying to maintain the view. I take a step forward and nearly stumble over a rock. There! See, the curtains moved again. And wow… someone's opening the window! I'm definitely not seeing things. And I definitely shouldn't be standing here any longer either, but I'm just too scared stiff to move.
So I look down, acting like I just happened to be there. No longer able to help myself, I dare to look up…
…to find the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen staring back at me.
"I'm, I'm sorry. I don't think my dog came over here at all! It, it must have gone um… to the other house!"
I cringe at myself for babbling on like some big idiot and run right back to my room without turning back.
Okay, that was really, really dumb. What would that guy have thought of me? If he actually turns out to be our neighbour, what would he have to say about the 'dog' bit? We don't even have a dog! Mr Hotter- Than- Anyone- I've- Ever- Seen is so going to think… hang on Jess, remember Reese?
I sigh and go back downstairs. Even if I'm with someone, that guy is something. No one can blame me for thinking that.
"Mom, Dad?"
Dad glances at me from the couch.
"What is it, honey?" he asks, eyes still glued to the TV. Well, he only gets the opportunity on weekends.
I flop down beside him. "I just saw someone at Tab…I mean, next door. And I haven't been dreaming or making things up."
He gazes piercingly at me with cop- eyes.
"Is it true, Jess?"
I nod exasperatedly. "You should go and see it for yourself."
Dad frowns and shakes his head.
"But it can't be! That house isn't for sale or lease- I'm sure of it!"
I shrug and take the TV remote from him. He sits thinking for a moment and finally gets up.
"Better check it out, then. Just to be on the safe side…"
He grabs his jacket and heads next door.
Some minutes later, Kay walks in from the kitchen, looking as if she's about to say something.
"What's up?" I ask, taking care not to sound too interested. She's hardly ever in a good mood these days. And it's no surprise coz no matter how hard she tries, she just can't get her loverboy to love her back. In fact, he seems to hate her now. Of course, Reese had stopped drooling at her feet ages ago. He had soon realised what was going on with his so- called 'girlfriend'. So poor old Kay is alone.
"Nothing much," she replies, swirling a smoothie. "Except that Fox Crane- well one of his servants anyway, just rang about an invitation to his party. At his place since he's gonna have it all to himself for the weekend."
She watches my mouth drop in disbelief and continues indifferently after sipping at her drink. "We've both been invited…as well as Charity…"
I jump up and squeeze her shoulders. "Omigosh! A Crane party? We've never been to one before!"
She shrugs off my hands and scowls. "Stop it! What's the big deal anyway? It's just some rich pig's party. And where's Dad? Checking up on your ghostly sightings?" She snickers mockingly.
I glance at her and turn away. "It's real, okay? I'm not kidding. There's a blonde god living next door…"
"Yeah right! Whatever," she sneers. "Maybe this god is in your head. Coz let's face it, baby sis; Reese isn't much of a stunner, is he? And he is pretty lame too…"
Just as I'm about to strangle my evil sister, Dad returns… with the 'god' behind him.
"Girls, I'd like you to meet your new neighbour," says Dad, indicating our (ooh!) neighbour.
He steps out in front of our father, and with a smile that almost makes me faint, holds out a hand to me…
*******
Hey guys…vote count: 7 for Foxay, 6 for Therox and 4 for Foxney. Thanx lotz to chocolate babe, Dawn, MahoganyMiss, silverskies, Foxayfan, annabanana, svata2004 and Foxay Fan for their reviews of chapt. 6. Foxay fans, I promise u that the sequel is 100% 'Foxay all the way' regardless of whether it's Foxay in this one or not. And if u like, I'll throw in a guarantee as well lol. Keep reading the current fic coz all will be explained! (Ie. u'll learn about how Kay learns to move on, & why Foxay becomes so strong…) THAT'S ALL I'M TELLING YA!!! {grins evilly}Well gotta go- remember to shout a review!! Luv yez!
