67| Mother Love

After the last class, Zoey made her way to the parking lot where her driver was already waiting for her. She was about to enter the car when she heard someone call her name.

Angling her neck, she found Travis leaning against his car, his hands hidden in the pocket of his jeans. Closing the car door, she went towards him to meet him. In the whole last week, they rarely meet because his schedule was so jam-packed so seeing him was definitely a treat.

"Hey," She stood on her toes to peck him on his lips.

"How are you?" He asked, tucking a loose curl behind her ear.

"Peachy." Zoey shrugged.

"Maya has a tutoring session and Mario has detention. So, will you give me the honour of driving you to your house?" He smiled sheepishly, staring deep into her eyes. "Or do you prefer the big car?"

"Um... Let me think." Zoey said to tease him and then tapped her finger along her chin.

"Are you coming or not?" He said and sat on the driver seat.

"That's what she said." Zoey said and entered his car.

Once Travis started the car, Zoey extended her leg and put it on his legs. He stared at her from the corner of his eyes warningly. Not listening to his warning glares, she brushed her heel over his inner thigh, making him gasp.

"Are you trying to get us killed, woman?" He scolded her.

"It's called living on the edge." She smirked and withdrew her leg. "Not that you would know."

"I am dating you. That's the most edge I can afford in this lifetime." He replied sarcastically.

"Ha ha." She fake laughed and then slid lower on the seat so now she was half-lying.

Travis turned his head towards her, assessing her from head to toe. His eyes lingered on particular places of her toned body. "I like the color of your dress. Green is my favourite colour." He said, observing the dress that reached her thigh.

"Remind me to buy a green lingerie for you." Zoey winked.

"Lingerie? Like one of those lacy undergarments they show in movies?" He asked innocently.

"What kind of movies do you exactly watch, Mr. Anderson?" Zoey asked, sitting forwards.

"Let me drive in peace, Miss. Crawford." He responded in an embarrassed voice.

"Fine. No lingerie for you." She huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

When they finally reached Crawford mansion, Zoey took him inside for lunch. They had just reached the hallway to the lounge when she heard loud sounds of laughter from inside.

Zoey slowly stepped forwards, with Travis following him silently. Reaching the wooden door of the lounge, she heard the familiar voice from inside and her eyes widened.

"Run. Go to my room and hide." She said and pushed him away.

"But why?" He asked in confusion.

"Don't ask questions. Just go and hide---"

She couldn't finish the sentence because the door opened up and someone stepped outside. Zoey's face contorted as she slowly turned around to face her mother. Last time she saw her mother Layla, she came to meet Zoey briefly on her seventeenth birthday before leaving for Australia with her boyfriend.

"Mom." Zoey acknowledged as her mother enveloped her in a tight, crushing hug. She still looked the same; green eyes, light brown hair and a body that failed to indicate that she was Zoey's mother and not her sister.

"My pumpkin, I missed you so much." Layla, her mother, said.

"Likewise." Zoey rolled her eyes as she struggled to part away from her.

"And this must be the guy Sam was telling me about." Mom passed a flirty smile to Travis, who looked just as nervous as Zoey. "Well, hello handsome. I'm Zoey's older sister."

"Mom!" Zoey grunted.

"Fine. I am her mother. But keep in mind, I had her when I was quite young. I am not a day over 30." She said and Zoey groaned internally.

"Travis has to go, Mom. He is late for work." Zoey said and pushed Travis towards the exit of the hallway.

"But---"

"I'll introduce him to you another time." Zoey said and walked inside the lounge, pulling her mother with her.

Her mother could be a huge pain in the ass, specially in front of guys. She didn't want Travis to know how both her parents were a mess. No wonder she turned out to be the person she was, when she had a father like Richard and a mother like Layla.

Once inside the lounge, Zoey sat on one side of her and Sam on the other side. They heard in silence as she went on and on about her adventures in different countries. Sam left soon after, leaving Zoey alone to be with her unbearable mother.

"So this Travis guy looks nice. I didn't know you had a boyfriend." She said, playing with Zoey's hair.

"There are many things about me that you don't know." Zoey said dryly. "You could've find out if you stayed here."

Layla silenced for a minute, and then started again. "You are right. My bad."

"He is amazing. I mean, I didn't think I'll find someone like him because of my daddy issues and abandonment issues, thanks to you guys of course." Zoey made sure to let her know she hasn't forgiven her yet.

Layla chose to ignore Zoey's accusations. "I am happy for you. In fact, I'm staying in the city for a week. Why don't you and Travis come over to my hotel some day and we can have a nice dinner? Murat will be lucky to meet you." She said in her signature excited voice.

"Murat? What happened to Andre?" Zoey asked about her boyfriend for which she left her family.

"I broke up with him during our Turkey trip and there I met Murat. He is so handsome, I tell you and amazing in bed." She added the last part in a whisper.

No wonder Zoey has no filter whatsoever.

Rolling her eyes, Zoey made an excuse. "I have my finals coming up. I don't have time."

"Oh come on, you are not a nerd. I'm sure you can make some time for us." Layla insisted.

"But Travis---"

"No more excuses." She said.

Fuck me, Zoey thought.

After spending half an hour with her mother, Zoey was finally able to force her to leave. The first thing she did next was to call Travis and tell him about this dinner.

"Oh. Okay." Travis responded.

"Okay? Can't you make an excuse for both of us? You are supposed to be the smart one." Zoey groaned.

"Why? Are you embarrassed to introduce me to your mother?" Travis muttered in low voice.

"No. I am embarrassed to introduce my mother to you. She isn't a normal mother. Imagine me, but twice as slutty and with a mouth four times bigger than me." Zoey yelled in frustration.

"That would be a sight to behold. I don't want to pass on the opportunity of meeting her." Travis chuckled, making Zoey's blood boil even more.

"Fine. Then don't come running to me if she ends up breaking us apart." Zoey huffed.

"Come on, Zoey. Do you seriously think I'll let that happen? You are mine." He said, making her blush a little at the last sentence.

"I am not yours. I am my own person. Don't pull that caveman crap with me." Zoey said mischievously although internally, she felt warm and gooey.

"Ugh, feminists." Travis whsipered under his breath.

"I heard that." She said, earning a gasp from him.

"Okay, laters. I have work to do." Travis said and cut the call.

••••••••••

Ethan was lying on his stomach, playing Call of Duty on his mobile when the door to his room opened suddenly and Althea barged in.

"Althea?" He stared at her in confusion. Althea rarely comes to his house because it was mostly the other way around. The reason being his house didn't have the warmth that was usually found in the Harper mansion. This place was more like a house, instead of a home.

"Can't I come to meet you?" She asked, staring around his room. There was pizza boxes, juice cans, bottles of beer and clothes littered everywhere, making her mind go haywire. "Good god, it looks like a wild animal was left free here."

"I'll clean it." Ethan sprang to his feet and started picking up the trash.

"I'll talk to your house help. She is paid to clean the house." Althea said, staring at the heap of laundry with a disgusted look on her face.

"Forget about the room. Why are you here?" He asked.

"I was just around the block to meet a designer. I had a fitting for my prom dress." She replied.

"Prom." Ethan smacked his lips. "Do you knows what's going to happen at the night of the prom?"

"What?" Althea faked innocence.

"You don't remember." Ethan took a step towards her.

A hint of red appeared on her pale cheeks. "No."

Ethan reached her and put his arms on both of her sides, caging her in. "Do you want me to remind you?"

"Ethan! What are you doing?" Althea shrieked as he wrapped his arm around her thin waist, pulling her forwards.

"Kissing you. Can I?" He asked while his warm breath caressed Althea's skin.

"Only if you promise me you will meet my stylist. I want us to have matching outfits." Althea replied.

"I can wear a clown outfit if it means I can kiss you." Ethan said and locked his lips with Althea. Her floral scent enveloped him, urging him to suck on her lower lip. His hand felt her soft curves and rested finally on her buttocks. Althea angled her neck, letting him deepen the kiss by entering her mouth and exploring it.

"Wait, we have to make sure I become the prom queen and you become the prom king." Althea parted.

"You are already my queen." Ethan said and kissed her again.

"We just have to beware of whoever Zachary brings." Althea said in between the kiss.

"Don't worry. Your brother might not even bring the date." Ethan said.

"Yeah, he is an annoying prick these days." Althea said and responded to Ethan's slow kisses on her neck by closing her eyes.

For a moment, she enjoyed his touch but then her mind filled up with other thoughts. "What about Zoey? If she is coming with Travis, that's a worry. People love nerds like him."

"Thea, I don't want to hear about other guys when I'm kissing you." Ethan said, taking his mouth off her skin.

"Sorry," she said and loosened his grip on her waist. "I'm just panicking and I can't help it. I have to be the prom queen. I have been preparing for it since I was in elementary school."

"I know." Ethan said and cupped her cheeks. "I heard your speech with that fake tiara of yours."

"You must be thinking I'm crazy." She pouted.

"No. I love you, the whole package." Ethan said. "Even the crazy part."

She didn't say it back because it was too early for that. She still wasn't sure if their relationship was going to be stable or not. She had hundreds of doubts about them and she wouldn't let herself fall in love without clearing each one of it.

"Where is your Dad?" She asked to change the topic.

"He is in his study." Ethan replied and went back to his bed.

"Does he ever leave?" She asked.

"No. He just works on his cases most of the time." Ethan replied.

"Wow. Uncle must really love your Mom. He still hasn't moved on." Althea commented as she spotted a clean place on the couch to sit.

"I think it's stupid. It's been so many years. He should have moved on by now." Ethan said in aggravated tone.

"Oh. So if something like that happens to me, will you move on that easily?" She asked.

Ethan's facial expression changed at this. He didn't want to live in a world where there was no Althea. Even the imagination was giving him a tug in his chest. "First, don't ever say that again. Second, I don't even know what I'll do." He said.

"Don't worry, I am not going anywhere anytime soon." Althea smirked.

"What about you? Will you move on if I die?" Ethan asked.

Althea teased him by saying, "I'll find a rich husband. Don't worry. We will name our first born son after you."

"I'll come back to haunt you." Ethan smirked. "Especially when you are taking a shower."

"Ethan!" Althea chucked a pillow towards him that hit him right on his face.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Which ship is your favourite?

Mine is Travis and Zoey. There is something so sweet about them. Maybe because they are so different but they fit perfectly together, like the missing pieces of a puzzle.