Ophelia's story:

Going home to collect my belongings wasn't how I imagined it. I thought my dad would beg me to rethink and come back. He didn't though. Maybe it was because I had Mitchell with me, maybe it was because he just couldn't give a flying fuck. "Is it okay if I go in your room to get a few of Fran's things too?" I asked my father.

"Do what you gotta do, Phee." He replied. I saw him look at Mitchell, trying to see if he had a bruise or a cut from the hit he gave him last night. There was nothing though. My dad on the other hand was sporting a purple looking black eye from the smack that Max had offered him. It made me smile on the inside.

Mitch and I chucked all manner of things in to a bag, Just wanting to get out of there. I got the items that Fran asked me to get for her and made our way back down the stairs. My dad was waiting by the door, perhaps scared that I would leave without saying goodbye.

"You should take this." He said. Handing me a family picture of me, Fran and him when I was little. It had always been a favorite of Frans.

"Thanks." I said, tucking it in to the rucksack I held.

"You will visit won't you, Phee?" He asked.

I felt sad. "Yeah... When things have settled down... Maybe you could cook me dinner." I suggested. We both gave a little chuckle. My father was the worst cook.

"Maybe takeout would be the safer option... You take care okay. I love you sweetheart." He said pulling me in to a hug. I felt my emotions surge. It made me want to stay but I knew deep down it would be a mistake.

"Love you Dad." I said in to his shirt.

I walked out the house with Mitchell by my side and got back in to Fran's car, now in the safety of her blacked out windows.

"Come here." Mitch said, pulling me in to his arms. I let him hold me and cried my eyes out. What was happening had really hit home now.

"Why did he have to be so fucking stupid!" I wept.

Mitchell didn't have any good excuses on my dad's behalf, he just held me in his arms until I was ready to drive off.

Not in any rush to get back or drop Mitchell off home. I drove down to the beach, parked up and switched the engine off.

"Do you remember your mom?" I asked Mitchell as we both stared out in to the car park and tried to catch a glimpse of the sea.

Mitchell shook his head. "No, not at all." He replied.

"I wish I could remember mine." I said thoughtfully.

"It's just the way shit happens." Mitchell added.

I nodded. My phone vibrated in the central dash of the car. I looked at the message. It was from Georgi. "Treating myself to a new tattoo and staying with Devin tonight. Can you let my dad know for me. I don't want to see him yet, Love you. G xxx"

Great, now I was piggy in the middle because Georgi didn't want to facetime her dad and have another argument by sign language.

I showed the text to Mitch. "Another tattoo... Jesus." Was all he said.

"You should be more concerned about the Devin part. That guy is prick... Parker is home today. He was asking about her." I revealed.

Mitchell just shrugged. He wasn't one for drama. Georgi, however was. She was always the wild card. She went away on holiday once with her friends and came back with her entire left side from shoulder to ankle, covered in various tattoos. It cost her thousands. The sleeve on her arm was 30 grand on its own. James hit the fucking roof but I thought it was fantastic. She looked amazing and the guys found her hotter than ever.

"Are you still okay to help me with those forms... It's all online." Mitchell said with a smile, but mine faded.

Was now the best time to tell him?

"Mitch, what would you do if you didn't get in? I mean just cause your dad thinks you will doesn't guarantee it. He is a record producer, not a Captain." I said to him.

"I've told you. My dad would never set me up for a fall. Plus he knows someone that can pull some strings." He admitted.

I shook my head. "Why on earth would you want to do something that risks your life if your dad has got to pull strings to get you joined up. Mitch, if your not fit, you're not fit." I said to him.

Mitchell placed his hand in mine. I could see he was pissed off and a little hurt at my words but it needed to be said. "I know it's scary, Phee, but I know in my heart that I can do it. I want to be able to give us a great life when the time is right. I don't want to live off my dad's money forever. I'm barely scraping in with the grades I have because I missed so much school. What else can I do in life, huh?" He replied.

I placed my hand on his chest. "But think about why you missed so much school in the first place... Your heart, Mitchell." I clarified.

"My heart is fixed and I've got the scars to prove it, Phee... I don't want to argue about it. If I don't get in then I don't get in." He finished.

I nodded. "Maybe you should speak with your dad again... Just to put my mind at rest." I suggested.

Mitchell nodded. "I will, I promise... You want to go for a walk on the sand?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'm still in yesterday's clothes and I've not brushed my hair... Maybe it's best I drop you back. You could come over to the beach house later though... We could get cosy like we were this morning." I said, fluttering my eyelashes at him.

Mitchell laughed, it broke the tension. "Come here." He said. Pulling me closer to him. His lips found mine and I was in heaven once more.

After dropping Mitchell back to his, I made my return to the beach house. I was carrying 3 heavy bags as I walked in through the door. I slumped them down and took in my surroundings. First thing I noticed was Parker. He gave me a despairing look. The second thing was Fran, puking her guts up in to the waste paper bin that Parker was reluctantly holding. "What the actual fuck. How much did she drink?" I said walking up to the pair. I looked at the state of Fran. Her eyes were rolling around in her head. She lay back down on the sofa then passed out.

"She was on her third bottle when I got here. So... Things are shitter than I thought." He said sarcastically as he placed the bin down on the floor then gave me a hug. "It's good to see your face Phee." He said.

I took every comfort from that hug as I could possibly get. "It's really good to see yours too. Where have you been?" I asked him. He looked really well. A broad handsome grin on his face and a bit of designer stubble. He was so good looking with the Latino side that he got from his father.

"Surfing mostly. Been all over though. I should of called more." He said apologetically.

"I could of made more of an effort too. Sorry she is in such a state. Maybe it will do her good?" I said looking back over to Fran.

"I think we have all been there..." Parker added, he sat down on a small storage box to take the weight off his legs.

"How is the knee?" I asked cautiously. The cause of Parker's early NBA retirement was a touchy one.

"It's okay. The surf is good for it. Keeps it cold... It helps." He added.

"Good. What about girlfriends? Anyone special?" I asked.

Parker chuckled. "Nope. But enough about me. You and Mitchell Maslow, huh? How the fuck did that happen. I thought you was gonna end up with the other one." He added.

A snorty laugh popped out my mouth. "Max! You thought I would end up with Max?" I replied sarcastically. "No way, He is so arrogant. Mitchell is great for me, Parker. We have been together a while now... It was a secret but your lovely Mom over there sure does like to make a drama. It was so shit how it all went down." I added,

Parker smiled. "I'm glad Phee… Maybe I got them mixed up... I remember when we were younger, Mom brought me round there and I was stuck with them both all afternoon. Max or Mitchell, whoever the fuck it was, had this Pokémon tin. It was like super rare, I found this poem folded up amongst all the cards... It was dedicated to you. I took the piss so bad... Little shit kicked me in the shin to get it back. Obviously I was the one to get told off by Mom." He finished.

I chuckled. "How long ago was that? I can't imagine Mitchell being in to Pokémon... I remember you being in to it. You had that lame ass backpack that you would bring round at the weekends." I reminisced.

"It was years ago. I've still got that bag... Keep all my porn in it now." He said with a laugh.

"You're terrible... Is it okay if Mitch comes over later. Things are a bit tense at his house." I explained.

Parker nodded. "That's fine by me... Don't ruin my sheets on the bed in there though," He said gesturing to the spare room. "They are expensive." He added.

I felt my face flush crimson. "I wouldn't worry about that... We've not got that far. It's early days." I explained, now looking at my feet.

Parker laughed. "You've not got that far because you had no where to do it. My casa is your casa now baby sis. Fuck that little Maslow freak until he can't do his movies due to exhaustion." He added.

"That's Max, you're thinking of again. Mitchell is mine." I said with a huff. It annoyed me when people got them mixed up, they were twins, not clones.

"Whatever... I'm going to grab a shower. you alright to hold the sick bucket if she decides to blow again?" He asked glancing at his comatose mother.

I nodded. "No problem." I replied, hoping that Fran was just going to sleep the rest off.