EVIL VILLAIN (The Royal Court #3) - Rebel Hart Page 0,57
any of my friends. Avery and Alistair were the two people I considered my ‘real friends’ from The Royal Court before everything changed, so my parents had gotten used to seeing them around. When I asked Avery to drive me back to their house so that we could have a chance to talk, both her and Alistair got excited about the idea of being able to say hi for the first time in half a year.
I lifted my hand to the door and went to knock, but then stopped. My keys were in my pocket, and my parents didn’t take them away from me. Even though it felt awkward, I used them and let myself, Avery, and Alistair into the house.
It was a little after eight at night, but I could hear the quiet drone of the television coming from the living room. I led the way towards it and walked in to where my parents were sitting on the couch, my dad totally passed out, and Gus was sitting on the floor, also half-asleep.
“Cherri,” my mom said, and then she smiled. “And look who else you brought.”
Avery lifted her hand with a smile. “Hey, Rebeccah.”
The voices stirred my dad and Gus, who awoke and looked over. “Cherri!” Gus yelped, jumping up and running over. He slammed into me in a big hug and I squeezed him back as tightly as I could. “I missed you.”
“I just saw you a few days ago,” I replied, but Gus squeezed tighter.
“I know. I always miss you.” He was such a sweet kid, and I had to imagine still traumatized by my sudden disappearance, so I took this statement with the weight it held and kissed him on top of his head.
My mom stood up and walked over, offering both Alistair and Avery hugs, then she turned to me for one. “Hi, baby.”
I hugged her back. “Hey, mama.”
“To what do we owe this unexpected visit?” my dad asked, sitting up on the couch and stretching.
“Uh, I actually have to talk to you guys about some stuff, but Avery and Ali just wanted to say hi,” I explained.
Alistair put his arm behind my mom’s back and pulled her into another side-hug. “I’m hoping we can have a homemade Rebeccah dinner sometime soon.”
That lit my mom up. “Of course! I’d love it! You just say the word and it’ll be done!”
“We’ll have to do it soon because Ali and I are leaving for New Haven in a couple of months,” Avery said as she beamed. “I got accepted to Yale. Full ride!”
My mom and dad gasped loudly, then my mom threw her arms around Avery. “Oh sweetheart! Congratulations! I always knew you’d knock ‘em dead.” There was probably a part of them that was sad they were missing out on the college experience with me. It wasn’t like I wasn’t going to college. It wasn’t like I definitely was either.
I had no idea what my plan was. I was just focused on finding Deon.
“Thank you,” Avery said, then pulled away. “So, yes. I’d love dinner soon. To celebrate!”
My mom nodded. “I’ll make whatever you want. You just tell Cherri what and when and it’ll be done.”
“Okay!”
Alistair put his hand on my head and ruffled my hair like I was some little sister. “Well, we won’t take up any more of your time. I know you have things to discuss. If you need us to come back for you, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Ali,” I replied.
Avery and Alistair offered a final round of hugs to my mom, Gus, and my dad who finally wandered over, then they offered me warm smiles and good lucks, and left.
“Are you hungry, honey? There are leftovers if you’d like. Dad made his fresh fried rice,” my mom said, already charting a course for the kitchen.
“I’d love that,” I replied.
I wasn’t hungry at all. In fact, I’d gorged myself on pasta at the restaurant, but the idea of getting a mouthful of my dad’s home cooking was too good to deny. Looking back over my shoulder, I smiled at my dad. “You comin’, daddy? I got some stuff I wanna talk to you guys about.”
My dad had his hand on Gus’s back, and Gus was already starting to drift again even though he was standing straight up. “Yeah. Let me just get this kid to bed. He can barely stand up.”
“No,” Gus whimpered. “I wanna stay with Cherri.”
“You know what?” I said, walking up to him and putting my hands on