No Matter What

First the brand new clothes and trainers, and then the expensive watch and perfume, and now a shiny new car? Phoenix wondered exactly how her brother was making enough money to flash and show off like this. Mick walked over to the vehicle and mumbled something about wheels and plates, and the pair soon descended into boy talk. She didn't care to understand it. Once her husband and son were out of earshot, Liz turned to Phoenix with a surprised expression. "Did you know about this?"

She sighed, slightly annoyed by her mother's question. "No, Mum, and I would prefer you not to ask me about it. I just stay out of his business. He's twenty, not ten." Phoenix descended down the steps of their porch. "Now, unlike you, I have better things to do than to meet his new skank. So I just want to get this over with."

Her father and brother noticed her opening the car and slinking into the backseat without a word. They shared a glance and then quickly closed their conversation as they entered the car. Once everyone was in, Kieran began the half an hour drive into town. It wasn't long before they were at the restaurant, but the drive was awkward and quiet the entire way. Phoenix simply stared out of the window until they pulled up at the site.

Kieran led his parents and sister inside and they were guided by one of the hosts to a large table which he had already booked. As his family members found their seats at the table, Kieran glanced at his watch. She was supposed to be here already, but he supposed he didn't mind waiting a little while. It allowed him some time to make some meaningful small talk with his family. Before he could get a word out, Phoenix beat him to the punch.

"Where's your new skank?" she asked bluntly.

Kieran sighed. "Do you have to use that word?" He then looked over to the door to check if she was arriving, but nothing. "Her taxi is probably just caught up in traffic or something."

"Mm," she hummed.

"How is everything with you?" he asked, changing the subject. "Have you started looking at colleges yet?"

"I don't think I want to go to college," she said, ignoring Mick and Liz's shared glares. It was apparent that the discussion of college must have led to numerous arguments in his absence as both his parents seemed frustrated by her words yet too defeated to discuss it again.

"How come?" Kieran asked, raising a brow. "I would have thought that would be a place for you to thrive. A little freedom would do you some good, you know."

She shrugged. "I just don't want to."

When the waiter came over, Kieran had to send him away, and the rest of the family seemed slightly irritated, but they resumed their conversation.

"Did you enjoy your summer?" he asked her.

Phoenix scoffed as she turned to look him dead in the eyes. "If you bothered to show your face, you would know that it has been absolutely wonderful." Her tone was dry and sarcastic, and her lacklustre expression gave away the fact that she had not enjoyed her summer holiday at all.

"Well, like I said, you're eighteen now. In a few months, you'll be done with high school and then you can get yourself into a good college." She glared at him. "Or you can get an apprenticeship, or a job, whatever you fancy."

Phoenix didn't bother to reply to him. Their parents began to make small talk to fill the awkward silence, while Kieran and Phoenix exchanged uncertain glances towards one another from across the table. The waiter reappeared at their table twice more and Kieran had to send them away again and again. Phoenix sighed in disappointment each time the waiter was sent away. Just as she was about to kick up a fuss, a slender mixed race woman with long, frizzy black hair sauntered over to their table with a nervous smile on her face.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," the woman said as she bent down to kiss Kieran on the lips.

"My God, get a room," Phoenix spat coldly as she glared at her brother.

Aaliyah paused and then laughed nervously as she took the seat next to him and smiling shyly at his parents. "It's so lovely to finally meet you guys. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long."

"Babe, this is my mum Liz and my dad Mick, and this is my little sister Phoenix," he introduced, gesturing at each one around the table as he went along. "Guys, this is my girlfriend Aaliyah."

Mick and Liz offered Aaliyah a friendly smile but Phoenix's glare remained fixed only on Kieran. Aaliyah tried to draw Phoenix's attention with a shy wave of her fingers. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks. Can we eat now?" Phoenix asked. "I'm already irritated and you having to wait on your precious little girlfriend has kept me starving for almost an hour." She crossed her arms and glared at the girl. "God knows what she could have possibly been doing that took that long but I have a pretty good guess. Now if all you're going to do is make out all night, I don't mind walking home."

Aaliyah smiled politely at Phoenix but it was clear that she was hurt by the outburst. Kieran glared back at his sister. She had always taken up an aversion to his girlfriends, but usually she would give it at least a week or two before her disdain manifested. Mick and Liz were also staring at Phoenix with narrowed eyes as if to say that her behaviour was unacceptable. She didn't seem to pay any mind to them.

"I told you they wouldn't like me," Aaliyah whispered awkwardly to Kieran as her gaze fell sullenly to the table.

"No, they'll love you," he whispered back to her, still glaring in his sister's direction. "They just have to get used to you." Kieran forced a smile as he gestured over to a waiter. "Hi, excuse me, my little sister has been starving to death for almost an hour. Can you please feed her before she goes into all-out bitch mode on me?"

Kieran chuckled as the waiter seemed confused by his comment before leaving to fetch menus for the table. His laughter was joined somewhat reluctantly by Mick and then Aaliyah, an effort to break the ice, while Liz looked cluelessly in Phoenix's direction.

"So, my dear impatient sister, tell me," he said, folding his arms as he leaned back into his chair. "How did you spend the first half of your day?"

"I'm surprised you actually care enough to speak to me when it's not about rushing me to meet her," she said coldly. "Especially when I could have taken my time."

Kieran frowned. "What is your prob-"

"And I would appreciate it if you didn't speak for me when it comes to these situations. I'm capable of saying whether or not I like someone. And I don't like her because she's just another gold digger after the money you have that none of us knows where it comes from."

"Phoenix Ariel Taylor, apologise to this woman right now!" Liz hissed, in complete shock at her daughter's sudden change of behaviour.

"I'm not apologising for speaking my mind," Phoenix said, as she stood up and shook her head. "Who did we even come here for, Kieran? Me or her? I should have known that you didn't care. See you guys at home."

"Wait," Kieran called out, but she ignored him and made her way to the exit without so much as looking back. "Wait here, babe." Kieran placed a hand on Aaliyah's shoulder, before standing up to follow Phoenix outside. However, Aaliyah quickly grabbed Kieran's hand to pull him back down into his chair, shaking her head slightly as a sign to let his sister leave. Just as Kieran was about to settle back in his seat, Mick sighed and then slid his chair backwards.

"I think we should go home too, dear," Mick said, as he turned to Aaliyah and forced a smile. "It was lovely meeting you though, Aaliyah. I'm sure we will have the pleasure under much better circumstances."

"Mick," Liz said sharply. "Why should we let that little brat ruin our meal?"

"Because that little brat is our daughter," he snapped, standing up. "And it happens to be her birthday. We can spare her one day, unless you want to eat her birthday meal without her?"

Kieran sighed as he pulled his car keys from his pocket and passed them over to his father. "You're right." He turned to Aaliyah and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry about Phoenix. Dad, could you drive Aaliyah home for me, please? It's not too out of the way. I think I should go and catch up with Phoenix."

"Good idea," Mick said. At least his father would be able to enjoy playing around with the new car. "Come on, Aaliyah, let's get you home."

Kieran quickly left the restaurant and made his way down the street. He could spot his sister in the distance, given away by the blue skirt and the yellow heels, and jogged over to catch up with her. She walked very fast when she was angry.

"What's your problem?" he asked as he closed the space between them, placing a hand on her shoulder to slow her down. "I thought you would like Aaliyah, at least more than some of my other exes."

Phoenix immediately pulled away from his touch and turned to face him, tears streaming down from her eyes to her chin. "You mean that gold digging slut that you just introduced us to?" she scoffed. "When are you going to grow up and realise that every single chick you find attractive is just with you for the sex and the money." She took a step back and folded her arms. "And watching you two make out in front of everyone is not the way I wanted to spend my evening. I'm pretty sure neither did Mum and Dad."

"We were hardly making out," he defended himself, crossing his arms to mirror her actions. "And you haven't even given Aaliyah a chance yet. Don't just assume she's after my money, she's a nice girl. I wanted you to get to know her."

Phoenix shook her head. "You're so clueless."

"Look, I don't know what's really wrong here, but I know it isn't because you think that Aaliyah is after my money. Why would you care about that?" He shrugged, before chuckling to himself. "And if she's just there for the sex, I wouldn't mind that. I have to admit, the sex is great!"

At the mere mention of sex, Phoenix had enough. She took a step closer to him as if she was going to speak before kicking him straight between the legs.

"Have fun fucking the skank while your dick is bruised and swollen," she spat coldly, as she turned around and stormed off.

"Phoenix," Kieran growled as he fell to his knees, holding onto his crotch in a desperate attempt to soothe the pain. "For fuck's sake." He tried to stifle a groan as he crawled towards the wall of the building next to him and sat with his pain. It took him a couple minutes to recollect himself when he realised that he didn't have the car. He was going to have to make the journey home on foot. Not only was it over an hour's walk, but he would be in total agony on the way.