I snorted and batted my eyelashes.

"Better?" I sarcastically asked.

"No," Justin huffed. "You looked like that chick out of-"

"I don't care who or what I look like, Justin," I cut him off. "I really need your help, your stupid little brother has crossed a line with me, and I intend to make the bastard pay."

Justin sat forward and scrubbed his face with both of his hands.

"Tell me," he sighed. "What exactly has Darcy done to upset you so much?"

I swallowed down my rage, and reminded myself Justin wasn't the person who I was angry with.

"He stole a doll from me."

Justin raised an eyebrow and muttered, "A doll?"

I nodded my head. "Long story short we both fought for the same doll in Smyths yesterday. He wanted it for Dustin, and I wanted it for Charli. I won it fair and square." He didn't need to know that was a lie. "But that wasn't enough for Darcy. He came into me home pretending that he wanted us to be friends, and when me back was turned he stole the doll right out from underneath me nose. Who does that? That is me niece's Christmas present and he just took it! I knew better than to believe him, but Sean vouched for him so I had no reason to doubt him, you know?"

I looked down to my fisted hands and willed them to stop shaking, but I couldn't make them stop. They weren't shaking from the cold anymore. I was so angry with Darcy, and hurt that he would do this to me. The hurt I felt disgusted me more than anything because I swore a long time ago that Darcy's actions wouldn't phase me, and yet here I was close to tears over the idiot.

My brother's role in Darcy's messed up game was upsetting, but I knew deep down Sean thought I enjoyed my tug of war games with Darcy, and to an extent I usually did. But not today.

Justin frowned as he looked at me. "I agree he shouldn't have robbed the doll from you, but I don't think he intended to upset you. In his mind he probably thinks you're cooking up a plan to get the doll back from him. This is what you and Darcy do, kid. You play off one another."

I grunted, "Not anymore, he crossed a line by coming to me house spewing lies about false relationship mending. I hate liars and he knows that."

Justin chewed on his lower lip. "I feel for you, kid, and I want to help you even the playing field out, but I can't step in on this one. Orders from the head office."

The head office?

No. Way.

I gasped. "Our mothers!"

I don't know why I was even surprised at the mention of our mothers being involved in this situation - those two knew everything. They had eyes and ears all over the bloody village.

Justin grinned at my outburst. "They never told me what was going on, but they warned me not to get involved because they don't want to encourage any drama between you both that will roll over to Sean and Jess's engagement party tomorrow night."

How did they even know what Darcy and I were up too?

Did someone in Smyths let on what happened to them?

"Those meddling cows! How come Darcy gets Sean's help and I have to go it alone?"

Justin winced and I guessed it was because of how unfair everyone was being to me.

"Maybe they know your cleverness and wit is worth ten of Sean and Darcy put together, and that you don't need the extra help to outsmart them both?"

I couldn't help but smile,

Justin was a smooth talker.

"You're such a lick arse." I chuckled.

Justin smiled. "I know what to say in certain situations, it's a nice trait to have."

I snorted. "Well, if you aren't going to help me bring down dumb and dumber then keep mum that I know Darcy has the doll, okay? I want him sweating with worry on when and how I'm going to strike back."

Justin winked. "You got it, and for whatever it's worth, kid, I'm rooting for you to come out on top on this one. Literally."

That sounded suggestively hinted at Darcy and myself, and I was about to call Justin on it just as a shout came from upstairs.

"Da, I'm starving!"

I rolled my eyes at Dustin's dramatics.

"What do you want to eat?" Justin shouted.

"Pizza!" Came Dustin’s quick response.

I snorted as Justin reached for his phone.

"Don't judge me. I don't like cooking."

I motioned with my hand over my mouth that my lips were sealed.

Justin smirked. "You staying for dinner?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure, plotting my plan of attack against your brother over pizza sounds perfect to me."

Justin shook his head as he pressed on the screen of his phone, and lifted it to his ear. "Poor little brother, he doesn't realise he opened the gates to Hell."

How do you ignore a person who bought you something nice?

Easily, you don’t look at them.

"Which one do you want to wear tonight at the party? The red one, or the blue one?" my mother questioned me as she held up two identical skin-tight dresses only in different colours. They were gifts from her since I didn't bother to go out and get anything new to wear for the party.

I already decided on wearing the blue one, but just to be a brat I yawned with boredom and looked anywhere but at her and the dresses, and it displeased my mother greatly.

"Can you at least pretend you're excited about going to Sean and Jessica's engagement party?" My mother frowned, and lowered the outfits to her side.

I raised my eyebrow. "I am excited... for Jess anyway, no comment on me feelings towards Sean right now... or you and the other meddling cow for that matter."

My mother huffed, "For goodness sakes, Neala. It's not a terrible thing we did. Marie and I just don't want you or Darcy to ruin the party with your arguing. We're your mothers, we known what you're both capable of."

Way to place the blame!

"Oh, thanks very much!" I snapped.

My mother groaned. "I don't mean it like that-"

"Then pray tell what did you mean it like?" I cut my mother off.

My mother shook her head as she gently laid both outfits over the back of my lounge chair. She folded her arms across her chest and stared me down like displeased mothers usually did when they were about to scold their children.

"Everyone knows what you and Darcy are like when you're caught up in a fight, you both don't care how it effects the people around you. Justin was told not to get involved because we didn't want the current dilemma to build up and explode tonight in front of the entire village."

I gasped. "We're two people, Ma, not bloody ticking time bombs!"

My mother rolled her eyes. "You're both the equivalent to chemical warfare during an argument, Neala."

Talk about dramatics!

"That's ridiculous."

"No," my mother calmly stated. "What's ridiculous is yours and Darcy's behaviour as of late."

I could feel my temperature rise.

"Darcy stole from me, and me so called fucking brother helped him. Why is everyone failing to see that they are in the wrong here?"

I hated that my eyes filled with water and so did my mother from the saddened look she gave me. I held up my hand and shook my head when she made a move to come over to comfort me.

"I'm fine, I just hate that everyone is siding with him."

My mother's frown deepened. "Honey, we aren't picking sides here. We just don't want what normally happens with you and Darcy to happen at the engagement party... Is that so horrible?"