Page 8 of Law Of Love

One girl looked me up and down, pursing her lips. “You don't need to do that. Kaleb doesn't care.”

“I wasn't—”

“Who are you anyway? Are you even allowed up here?”

I blinked at the blunt question, furrowing my brows. “Yes, I am allowed up here, actually.”

“Kaleb specifically told everyone to stay downstairs,” jeered the tallest girl, her frame feeling feet above mine. She arched her eyebrows, a fake smile playing on her lips.

I scoffed as she yelled down at Kaleb, waving him upstairs, which he reluctantly adhered to after a few seconds of complaining.

He gazed at the girls questionably. “What, Maggie?”

“Who is this girl? She’s up here in a bedroom.”

I gazed up at Kaleb, raising a brow, silently asking him to take care of his friends. They were more than annoying, and I didn't want any part in their game. They were looking for trouble.

“Maggie.” Kaleb sighed, running a hand down the side of his face, scratching at his stubble in irritation. “Jesus Christ. Just leave her and go downstairs.”

She brushed her long, dark hair behind her shoulder, groaning as Kaleb stepped aside, making room for the girls to shuffle past him and head downstairs. However, she didn't follow, glaring at me instead. “What are you staring at?”

“Are you just looking for a fight?” I laughed, shaking my head in disbelief. She was definitely an aggressive drunk, and people like that baffled me. What was the point in ruining everyone's fun to feed your ego? It didn’t impress anybody.

“Do you want a fight?” threatened Maggie, taking a step forward, her face inches from mine.

I laughed. “Oh, please. You’re so drunk I could push you over with my middle toe.”

Her eyes blazed. “Why don’t you just—”

“That's enough, Maggie.” Kaleb slid his hand between our bodies, gently nudging her backwards.

“God, some people are just so boring,” she jeered at me as Kaleb ushered her away.

He raised a brow at me, a frown masking his face. “What did you say to her?”

“Nothing,” I told him, scoffing.

An awkward silence settled upon us.

“Maggie and her friends are bad drunks.” Kaleb’s jaw twitched. “Or more like bad people.”

I nodded, dragging my bottom lip into my mouth. As much as I never let words get to me, Maggie's boring comment had wriggled its way under my skin. I was never usually one to turn down an opportunity to socialise. However, since receiving my disappointing college grades a year ago, I’d decided it was time to knuckle down and actually begin trying. I couldn’t float along anymore.

“Well, I’ll let you get on with whatever you were doing.” Kaleb turned to leave, but before he could take another step, I closed my bedroom door, making my way past him.

I would show Maggie just how boring I could be.

There was nothing wrong with taking a brief break, and it was also impossible to concentrate with the noise, anyway. That was the excuse I was going with.

Kaleb released what sounded like a small chuckle from behind me, but I refused to look at him, moving past a few people who were too engrossed in their conversations to move out of the way.

Grabbing the first drink I could find once I entered the kitchen, I poured myself a shot, downing it and releasing a strangled hiss. Drinking on an empty stomach was definitely not a good idea. However, I was too frustrated to care.

My father had answered my call but hadn't said anything. I’d come to the conclusion that he’d probably listened before realising he didn’t care for my pleas. Maybe he’d finally left for good. It made sense. He’d hidden the debt from us, and now he didn’t want to face the consequences—the coward.

Not only that, but I had a bunch of bitchy girls acting as if they owned Kaleb’s house, berating me for simply trying to mind my own business.

“Woah,” came an amused voice from behind me, making me turn. A tall, attractive man stood in the kitchen's doorway, a smirk playing on his lips. “Take it easy there, sweetheart.”

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