The Family Mission

Chapter 16

"Scarlett? What're you doing here?"

Scarlett smiled, trying her best to make it look genuine.

"Hey yourself, Barry." Scarlett responded.

Barry simply stared at her. He looked tired, which was reasonable. His black hair shot up in all directions, as if he had just woke up, and his hazel eyes didn't have the normal gleam they would.

"Holly asked me to come take something home for her."

"Oh yeah?" Barry challenged, crossing his arms over his chest. "Prove it."

Scarlett held back a groan, trying to rid herself of any negative emotions.

'This is for the best.' She reminded herself. 'Stay calm.'

Taking a deep breath, she pulled her phone from her pocket, unlocking it and wiping away all the missed calls and messages she had gotten. She would explain herself to them later, despite not really seeing the reason she had to at the moment.

"See?" Scarlett said, turning her phone to face Barry after she opened her sisters message.

"Alright, alright. Come on in, then." Barry moved aside just enough for Scarlett to squeeze by. As she made her in the house, her phone started to vibrate again.

She reluctantly looked at the Caller ID.

Incoming call: Father <3

Scarlett made a motion of apology towards Barry, who shrugged it off and walked away, leaving Scarlett alone in the living room to answer her phone.

"Hello?"

"Don't 'Hello' us, Scar."

Scarlett grimaced at the harsh tone of Juila's voice on the other end of the phone.

She opened her mouth to respond, but was stopped by a rustling sound coming from the phone, as well as a few muffled voices.

"Careful, I payed good money for that!!" Scarlett chuckled at her father's sleepy exclamation, followed by muttered apologies from Jake and Juila.

After a few more rustles, Howard's voice echoed through the phone.

"You okay, Darling? Ya disappeared and gave ya friends here quite the scare." Howard said, his raspy voice telling Scarlett that he had been woken up, despite an undertone of panic.

"Yeah, I'm fine Dad. Holly asked me to bring something back home for her. You know how much she hates it there."

"Well, yeah but can you blame her?" Howard sighed, clearing his throat before continuing.

"Next time, tell someone before you leave, so I don't get woken up, please?"

"Since you guys were sleeping, I thought that I would be back befo-"

"Darling."

Scarlett groaned softly before she said defeatedly. "I promise, Dad. Now go back to sleep."

"You don't have tell me twice. Now talk to your buddies." Howard hung up, but Scarlett kept her phone out, waiting for her friends to call her on their own phones.

Scarlett rubbed her eyes, as Barry set a cup of what she presumed was some sort of juice in front of her. She quirked an eyebrow up, looking at Barry suspiciously.

"What? It's fruit punch!" Barry defended under her scrutinizing gaze.

"Right.." Scarlett murmured, taking a small sip of it anyways.