Chapter 13

Later in the afternoon, Irene arrived home from working her shift at the diner and saw Chloe sitting on the couch.

"I want a word with you, girlie!" Irene said, slamming her handbag on the kitchen counter.

Chloe looked at Irene guiltily.

"You know, don't you?" Chloe asked Irene.

"How dare you do something so stupid, Chloe?!" Irene shouted at her. "Do you have ANY idea what sort of problems drugs can do to your body?!"

"I'm sorry." Chloe said quietly.

"Well, sorry isn't good enough!" Irene continued to shout. "You're just damn lucky I don't give you a good clip around the ear, which is what you rightfully deserve!"

"Irene, please hear me out." Chloe said.

"How long has this been going on for?!" Irene asked her.

"A few weeks." Chloe replied.

Irene's rage was slowly starting to build, but she managed to maintain her composure and say, "You're grounded for three weeks!"

"Three weeks?!" Chloe shouted.

"That's right, Chloe!" Irene snapped. "That means no TV, no seeing your friends, no seeing Curtis and no talking on the telephone! I will also be taking away your computer!"

"But what am I going to do my homework on?" Chloe asked.

"It's a thing called a writing book and a pen!" Irene shouted. "Oh, just get out of my sight! I'm too angry to even look at you right now!"

Chloe ran upstairs and into her bedroom. Hot tears started to spill over Chloe's cheeks once she closed the door. She then laid on her bed and began to cry.

The next morning was Saturday. That was the day Stephanie and Tiegan were going to visit Louis and Corey in the city. Stephanie and Tiegan left Pippa's house at nine-thirty to get a bus in to Yabbie Creek before catching a train to the city.

"So are Travis and Kelly cool with me staying the night?" Tiegan asked Stephanie on the train.

"Of course." Stephanie replied.

"That's good." Tiegan said. "I'm just glad Pippa didn't ask more questions."

"What do you mean?" Stephanie asked.

"She didn't ask why I wanted to stay the night at your place. We've already lied to her about meeting up with the boys." Tiegan responded.

"A white lie." Stephanie told her.

"We told her we were going to Mangrove River, not the city." Tiegan said.

"She won't know." Stephanie said.

The girls got off at Central train station, but didn't see Louis or Corey.

"Don't tell me they forgot!" Tiegan said, looking annoyed.

"I see them." Stephanie said, pointing at the lift.

Louis and Corey waved at the girls before they got out of the lift.

"Hey girls." Louis said, smiling.

"I thought you guys forgot about chilling with us." Tiegan said.

"No way." Corey said.

"Where are we going?" Stephanie asked them.

"We're gonna kick back for a few hours before going to the beach. Louis replied.

"But Tiegan and I haven't brought our swimwear with us." Stephanie told him.

"Yes, we did." Tiegan said, pulling out swimming clothes from her bag.

"It's like you read our minds." Corey said, laughing.

"I totally came prepared." Tiegan said to him.

Stephanie looked embarrassed.

"Hey, come here." Louis said to her.

Stephanie hugged Louis tight.

"Steph, I hope we run into some of our old friends in the city." Tiegan said.

Stephanie looked over at Tiegan before saying, "Me too."

"Let's go." Corey said.

The four of them then started walking around the city. When they arrived at Haymarket, Louis got a great idea.

"Why don't the four of us get lunch on our way to the beach?" he suggested.

"Sounds good, man." Corey said.

"I agree." Stephanie said.

"Me too." Tiegan said.

The four friends then got into a group hug.

Meanwhile, Selina was at the Bayside Diner when Melanie stormed over to her.

"I want a word with you...NOW!" Melanie said through clenched teeth.

Selina rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Just rack off, Melanie!" Selina snapped. "I have nothing to say to you!"

Melanie threw Selina's milkshake cup in temper. Chocolate milk spilled over the floor.

"HOW DARE YOU TAKE JEROME FROM ME!" Melanie screamed.

"You pretty much brought it on yourself when you cheated on him with Jeremy!" Selina said calmly.

"SHUT UP!" Melanie continued screaming.

Melanie's angry outburst caused Ailsa Stewart to come out.

"What's going on here?!" Ailsa demanded.

"Mind your business!" Melanie yelled.

"This is my diner so it is my business!" Ailsa snapped at Melanie.

Melanie glared at Selina before storming out.

"And don't come back!" Ailsa called out.

"Thanks, Mrs Stewart." Selina said.

"No worries, love." Ailsa said.

Outside, Melanie broke down in tears. In her mind, she hated Selina for stealing Jerome off her.

Selina HAS to pay! Melanie thought.

That afternoon, Stephanie was watching Tiegan and Corey swim in the ocean at Manly Beach. Louis had gone and caught up with one of his mates he bumped into. When he returned, he sat next to Stephanie on the sand.

"How's your day going?" Louis asked.

"I'm having a really good day." Stephanie replied.

"That's good to hear." Louis said smiling.

Stephanie put some sunscreen on her arms and face.

"Stephanie, can you please do me a favour and put some sunscreen on my back?" Louis asked her.

"Sure."

Stephanie lathered sunscreen over Louis's back.

"That's nice." Louis said.

"It's just a shame we didn't met sooner." Stephanie told him.

"I know." Louis said.

"You're a really nice guy."

Louis blushed slightly. "You think so?" he asked Stephanie.

"I know so." Stephanie responded.

Louis put his arm around Stephanie.

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not." Stephanie replied, before putting her arm around Louis.

"Get in the water!" Tiegan called out to them.

"Last one in the water is a rotten egg!" Louis said.

"You're on!" Stephanie said.

Louis and Stephanie raced over to Tiegan and Corey and went in the water.

"This is fun!" Tiegan said.

"It sure is!" Corey said.

"You said it, brother!" Louis said.

Louis and Corey shook hands just as Tiegan and Stephanie gave each other a high-five.

Selina was walking home from the diner when she was hit from behind.

"What the hell?!" Selina shouted.

Selina looked up and saw a teary-eyed Melanie standing there holding a small rock.

"You had this coming for a long time, Selina!" Melanie yelled. "You took Jerome away from me and now you must pay!"

Selina held her head in agony.

NEXT TIME...
- What will happen to Selina?
- Stephanie and Tiegan receive some devastating news