Triangles.

Tick, tick, tick, tick…

The second hand moved slowly and noisily against the silent kitchen, counting each second as it passed. Water droplets dripped from the end of the tap, landing in a bowl placed in the sink.

Drip, drip, drip, drip…

Harley ate the warm food in front of her hungrily, practically inhaling the seasoned chicken and homemade chips. She was famished, and eternally grateful towards Anna for everything she’d done.

“Are you sure you can’t go anywhere else? Positive?”

Harley shoved another forkful of freshly cooked oven chips into her mouth as Anna chatted away on the house phone in the next room. Thankfully, Anna hadn’t called anyone as of yet, but who she was speaking to at the moment was anyone’s guess.

On the sofa in the living room, Anna massaged her temple wearily and sighed down the receiver. “Alright. Fine. But, cause trouble and I will not cease to kill you.” She hung up and put her head back on the pillows, breathing deeply. It wasn’t long after that she heard a consistent banging at the front door.

“Open up, cous! I’m here!”

Her eyes flickered open and she looked to the ceiling.

He was here already… that bastard. He knew I’d let him stay.

With a scowl frozen on her flawless face, she angrily pushed herself off the sofa and stormed to the front door.

“Leon, you’re a dickhead, you know that?”

“Thanks for the welcome, cous.” Leon grinned back, his copper coloured hair ruffling slightly in the wind. He pushed past her and walked straight into the kitchen, dropping his bags on the tiled floor.

Harley glanced up as the new figure entered the room, quickly adverting her gaze back to the remaining chicken as his eyes looked her over.

“And who might this little cutie be?” He asked with a hint of vanity to his husky voice, and winked flirtily at her.

“Oh, get over yourself, you conceited freak,” Anna spat malevolently, her azure eyes flaring precariously.

Harley just continued to stare down at the plate, pushing around the pieces of meat awkwardly as her cheeks turned crimson.

“Piss off, pompous bitch,” he retorted with a grin, sitting down on the chair opposite Harley.

Anna rolled her eyes as Harley finished her meal, taking it over to the sink before sitting back down. She pulled her thin legs up to her chest, hugging them tightly as her eyes traced imaginary patterns on the tabletop.

“So, what’s your name, sweetie?”

Anna bit back a growl, leaning against the kitchen counter with her cup of now lukewarm coffee. She looked it over once, before shuddering and pouring it down the plughole.

“Harley.”

“Harley, huh? Well, that’s a cute name, Harley.” Leon grinned as he noticed the blush creeping steadily across her face. “I’m Leon; Miss Bitchy’s wonderful and much better looking cousin.”

Harley giggled slightly and looked over to where ‘Miss Bitchy’ was standing – rigid, with a deadly scowl on her face. She gave one last glare at Leon before walking into the living room and turning on the TV.

Why did he annoy her so much? Most of the things he did were to purposely piss her off, but the rest… the rest were jokes, and they annoyed her just as much as the rest. Anna didn’t know why, or who, or what even compelled her to let him stay in the house. All he did was make incessant jabs at her sexuality, her looks, and her cooking.

Oh, and make kitchen jokes.

Leon grinned as he watched Harley squirm under his holier-than-thou gaze. He enjoyed making her uncomfortable, mostly because it made him feel as though he had control over some part of his life. The rest of it was tattered, torn to pieces. Anna was his last hope at good living, since his parents had disowned him. Thank God she was a softie at heart, otherwise he’d be screwed.

“You really are cute, you know,” he mused mostly to himself, as he switched his gaze to the garden outside the window. The sun was beginning to peep out from behind the clouds, irregular rays of amber light finding their way into the kitchen.

“Th-Thanks,” Harley mumbled quietly, chewing on her bottom lip. She looked up, however, as something occurred to her.

My parents…

“Excuse me,” she said politely, standing up from her chair and wandering into the living room where Anna was sat, all the while having Leon’s eyes attached to her back.

Anna looked up when Harley entered, smiling softly. “Is he annoying you?”

“U-Um… not really… I was just wondering… could I maybe borrow the house phone? You know, to ring my… my, er…”

“Of course. Here,” she replied, handing her the small wireless phone. As Harley left the room, Anna sighed. She knew what it was like. But ever since she’d left home, she hadn’t once called her parents. They didn’t care anyway. No search parties, no police notices, no TV appeals – nothing. They didn’t really show any sign of distress that their little girl had disappeared.

“Hi, Mum…”

Anna closed her eyes and breathed out as she heard Harley in the hallway. She pulled out her mobile phone and scrolled down the contact list, eventually stopping on ‘Parents House’.

Should I…?

Her thumb hovered over the little green phone button, shaking slightly in anticipation. And the next thing she knew, it was dialling.