Chapter 12 Toxic
Ryder's POV
There were things I shouldn't have done.
For instance, I shouldn't have gone after her.
I shouldn't have claimed to be with her.
I shouldn't have even carried her home.
But all these, I did.
To top it up...
"Come inside, dear. Come have tea." Mrs Kennedy invited me inside.
"He's leaving. I'm sure he -"
"Oh, I'd love that." I smirked at Uriel, wanting to get on her nerves.
She should be thanking me for following her.
I just couldn't sit back and do nothing. Not when she bobbed her legs up and down halfway through the ride.
That wasn't nothing.
It meant trouble.
She was probably going to get scolded.
"Uriel, make him some tea." Mrs. Kennedy scolded, eyeing her with some kind of bad look. Then she turned to me, smiling like she didn't just do that few minutes ago.
"So, you're with Uriel? Can you elaborate on that?"
I was old enough to know when someone was being fake with a smile and right now, she looked at me with the fakest smile ever.
"Oh mother, I'm sure he meant -"
"I'm her boyfriend." I spoke out, cutting Emma off. A satisfied smirk left my lips when I saw her mouth drop open.
"You're what?"
"He's joking, mother. He's not my boyfriend." Uriel stepped in immediately, holding just a spoon.
"Why? Is it a crime to have a boy that is a friend?" I looked up at Mrs. Kennedy who suddenly chuckled.
"Oh dear! You should've just stated that you were her friend." She flapped her hand in the air. "Uriel is not allowed to have a boyfriend."
"Yeah. She's irresponsible. I'm the only one allowed." Emma chimed in, taking a seat beside me.
I caught Uriel rolling her eyes as she strolled back to God knows where.
"Why?" I couldn't help but ask.
Mrs Kennedy sighed, taking a seat. "You see, Uriel scares me a lot. She has the trait of being wayward just like... Well, I can't afford to fend for a grandchild now, can I?" She chuckled half-heartedly.
"Uriel is composed. She's one of the good ones in school." I defended.
It was the truth
Why was Emma not defending her sister?
Compared to Uriel, Emma was more wild and loosed.
Except...
"You must not be attending that school then. Just recently, she was seen in a compromising position with this stupid guy..."
"Mother." Emma said in a hushed tone.
"Oh please, allow me. He needs to know." Mrs. Kennedy shushed her up, looking back at me.
I nodded at her to go on, wanting to hear what she had to say about me.
"Yes dear. So, she was caught by the school authority or whoever, in a secluded area with a guy. We all know how hormonal you kids are these days. There's a high chance she must've been fucking the poor guy."
"Mother!" Emma yelled, her face flushed from embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Ryder."
"And did she tell you who this guy was?" I asked, watching Uriel as she walked carefully with the cup of tea.
"Oh I know she'll say what she's been saying for a while. That it is some guy she was tutoring. Very funny." She laughed, still not getting it.
She was slower than I thought.
"Uriel, you didn't -"
"Drop it, Ryder. Really." She frowned at me as she dropped the tea on the table.
Taking her advice, I did.
Only because I wanted to observe.
"What are you doing here? Don't you have assignments to do? There are dirty plates in the sink. Wash them." Mrs. Kennedy glared at Uriel, making her flinch.
"I thought... I thought it's Emma's turn to do the dishes." Uriel said calmly, trying not to anger the already angry woman.
It was as though her presence alone spiked Mrs Kennedy so bad.
It was surprising to see. I mean, wasn't she her child too.
"Do you want me to slap you?" Mrs. Kennedy launched forward. Uriel shook her head, scurrying away.
My jaw clenched, my grip tightly wrapped around the mug.
"Sorry. That friend of yours can be stubborn at times. She expects too much." Mrs. Kennedy laughed. "Though Emma here is very obedient and would make a good friend." She placed her hand softly on Emma.
"We're friends." Emma smiled brightly at me.
"We're not. Just acquaintance because we attend the same school." I said, my tone hard.
"It's in stages. I used to be acquaintance with my husband too." Mrs. Kennedy smirked.
"Good information." My eyes darted to where Uriel entered.
"Anyway..."
"Anyway, thank you for the tea. I just thought I'd let you know why Uriel returned late."
I hadn't forgotten what I also saw too. How she clutched the girl by her shirt as though she stole something.
"You're a good child. You should hangout with my Emma. She's a good child too."
I spurted out my tea, right back into the cup. "Sorry. It was too hot." I covered up, my eyes meeting Emma.
She rolled her eyes at me.
"That's fine. I'll get Uri -"
"No. I'll go to the kitchen myself. Where's it?" I stood up, already eyeing the way I saw Uriel pass through.
"I can get Uriel to come take it from you. You don't have to -"
"I also need to use her phone." I lied, thinking it'll be a good one.
Her mother chuckled, looking at Emma. "He doesn't know." Then she turned to me, "I seized her phone for bringing such shame upon us."
The more I heard her talk, the more pissed I get.
"I'll just drop this then, pass on an important information to her too. Is that fine, Mrs. Kennedy?"
She shrugged, "sure."
I nodded curtly, making my way to where I thought was the kitchen. The sound of a masculine voice had me stop on my track.
"You're not crying again because of them, are you?" The voice was mature and elderly.
"Something got into my eyes, father. It's not because of them." Her voice faltered.
I clenched my fist, still hiding from their view.
The man sighed heavily. "As usual, take my share of food okay?"
"You always give me your share of food. What do you eat?" Uriel's voice held genuine concern for the man.
Why was he giving her his share?
How about her own share?
"I'm a man. You're a growing child." The man said, his voice holding some sort of sadness. "You're just a child."
Having heard enough before I burst into anger, I made myself visible.
"What are you doing in here?" Uriel shot me a glare, cleaning her hand on her dress.
"Ryder Connell, Sir." I stretched my hand to her father.
He eyed me carefully before taking my hand. "Captain of basketball team?"
I was scared of answering because I didn't know what he must've heard about me from Uriel.
"I heard you're good at your shit. Seen you on newspaper twice too." He spoke again, making me sigh in relief.
Uriel snorted, focusing on her plates.
She knew what I was thinking, didn't she?
"I stopped playing." I told him, dropping the mug on the counter.
"Why?"
"Father, don't engage him." Uriel groaned, turning to meet me. "You've dropped me home, please go."
"Don't be like that, Riri." Her father scolded at her softly, with love and a bit of playfulness.
She rolled her eyes, turning back to her dishes.
"It's fine, Sir. I'm used to her."
"I'll walk you out." Her father insisted.
"Father..."
"What? Because my legs are not so active, you think I can't walk him out?" He shot at her playfully.
"You know that's not what I meant." She said, her face dull.
"I know, dear. I know." He chuckled, rubbing her arms softly before rolling himself in his wheelchair.
"See you around." I told her but she wouldn't even bat an eyelash at me. Like she was pissed at me.
When I got to the living room, Emma and her mother paused their conversation, looking up.
"I'm leaving." I announced.
"I'll see you -"
"Stay back. I'll do that." Mr. Kennedy frowned at Emma. She huffed, folding her arms.
"Paul, you know you're incapacitated. Allow Emma -"
"That's enough." He yelled, shooting them a final warning look.
"No problem." Mrs. Kennedy folded her arms, turning sideways. Emma frowned, going upstairs.
And me, I left with Mr. Kennedy.
"What's going on in your house, Mr. Kennedy?" I had to ask.
It looked too toxic to Uriel.
I didn't like it at all.
"Please, look after my daughter in school." Mr. Kennedy said, his tone serious. "Uriel, I mean."
I wanted to.
As easy as that task was, it wasn't something I could 100% fulfill.
I couldn't even look after myself.