Collateral Damage

"Dad, are you home?" I called as I emerged into the front door, throwing my bag on the couch and slipping off my flipflops.

"In here sweet pea!" I heard him shouting from the kitchen making me slid in there again. "Hey, how was job hunting?" His hands moved around and I knew he was making food. This confused me because he never cooks. He hates it, so that's usually my job. I mean, I don't mind cooking but this was a one in a life time thing.

"Fine?" It came out as a question since I was still watching him cook in confusion. "What are you doing?"

He looked up from his boiling water and narrowed his eyes at me "Making dinner... What does it look like?"

"Your cooking?" I walked in and peeked into the pot, noodles fumed and bubbled inside the dish and I frowned "What am I missing?"

"What? I can't just make dinner one night?" He raised an eyebrow and continued stirring the noodles in a rhythmic pace.

I gave him a "really" look and shook my dad "C'mon, what's going on?"

He snorted "Fine, you caught me. I was forced to make dinner."

I chuckled and hopped up on the counter, swinging my legs back and forth "Forced by whom?" I continued and watched him cook, just incase he managed to burn water. Knowing him, he'd find a way.

"Simon and the boys are coming over and I want to impress them." He was sweating and I frowned at how stressed he looked.

"Dad, you don't need to work so hard to impress them." I tried to sooth him.

He gave me a weird look "Their famous, of course I need to impress them."

I kicked off the counter and stood next to him "What are you making?"

"I'm trying to make Penne Pasta with garlic bread." He sighed and wiped his forehead.

Its just food... He doesn't need to get this worked up over it "Go get ready. Clean yourself up, get yourself looking snazzy and I'll finish up here." I gave him a sweet smile and gently nudged him away from the stove.

"What about you?" He questioned and hesitated at the kitchen entrance.

I shrugged and continued to stir the noodles "I already saw the boys today. So I'm fine with the way I look. Now go on, what time are they supposed to be here?"

He turned around and called behind his shoulder "6:30." Before vanishing.

A smile formed on my lips. I liked the boys. They were bubbily, cute, and they make nice friends. I miss Livy though, she was my best friend, and I know she would like the boys. I have yet to call her and tell her the band dad is working with. I should probably do that. Quickly I snatched my phone from my back pocket and tapped on her call icon. Her face instantly appeared on my screen and I put he phone up to my ear. It rang about three times before she answered "OH MAH GAWD CHLOE!!! ITS BEEN DAYS, WHAT THEY HELL?!" She shrieked into the phone.

I giggled before stirring the noodles again "Its only been two days Liv."

"Feels a lot longer." She huffed.

"Feels that way because we went from seeing each other everyday to not hanging out anymore." I told her.

She sighed "Its been rough."

I remembered her whole situation with her step dad and real dad. "Hows Paul?" Before I left, her dad Paul and her step dad Tony got into this huge argument. It lasted three days until Paul finally stepped up and beat the shit out of Tony. Apparently Tony has been getting into some trouble with a local gang and Paul doesn't want Livy to be brought into that. I mean, i wouldn't blame him. You read in those stories that gang members tend to go after family to get what they want. So Livy and her mom Megan were both in deep shit. I would feel bad for Tony, but he's a bad man. He drinks and when he's drunk he tends to get a little touchy. Livy has experienced his touchy side, and to be honest so have I. So Paul found out about all the sick shit he has been putting Livy and Megan into, and he went to put a stop to it. Paul and Tony were big gruff dudes so they both pretty much beat each other into a bloody pulp, but I only cared how Paul was doing.

I heard her sigh again "He's hurt, but he'll be fine."

"I'm glad." All this sad talk was making me depressed so I decided to change the subject "Oi, you'll never believe who my dad is working for now!"

"Who?" She sounded genuinely excited to hear the answer.

"Simon Cowell!" I gushed into the phone.

"OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD!!!! Simon Cowell, THE Simon Cowell?! X-Factor Simon Cowell?!" She was screaming into the phone and I had to keep myself from cringing.

I laughed "Yes, THE Simon Cowell, Dad was assigned to a new band in need of some improving."

She giggled "Whose the band?"

"You may have heard of them? One Direction?"

Again more screaming "GAHHHHHHHH YOU'VE MET ONE FUCKING DIRECTION?!?!?"

Now I winced at the ringing in my ears. I debated wether or not to tell her I'm friends with them... But then again she might wanna know if she comes out that we might hang with them. "I-uh-I'm friends with them."

MORE AND MORE FUCKING SCREAMING JESUS MOTHER OF FUCKIN PEARLS I'M GONNA GO DEAF! "I'm gonna die! This is just to exciting!!" she gushed.

"Obviously." I grunted. Suddenly my phone started to vibrate and I sighed "Hold on Liv, I have another call coming through."

"Alrighty." She said in a bubbily voice.

I tapped answer and held the phone up to my ear again "Hello?"

"Hey Clo!" And Irish voice sounded through the other end. Not only did the Irish twang give him away, but so did the fact that he called me Clo.

"Hiya Niall, what's up?" I smiled as I drained the water from pot of noodles, setting it back on the stove.

"I have some fantastic new!" He squeaked.

"Can't it wait? Your literally coming over in less then 30 minutes." I chuckled and poured the red sauce over the pasta.

"NO! THIS IS TO IMPORTANT TO WAIT!" He declined.

"Fine then, what is it?"

"I hear food..... Is that food? Oh, mah gawd what are you making?!"

I sighed and shook my head "Niall, important news, focus."

I could hear him snap back "Oh right."

"Dammit Ni, tell me!"

"YOU GOT THE JOB WITH LOU!!! YOUR GOING TO BE OUR NEW MAKEUP ARTIST!!!"

Notes

Hmmmmm... I like this chapter :3 hope u did to. Love ya. *mwah*

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