Veronica Steele: crosses arms, standing in front of the door Caught ya sneakin' out. What the hell, kiddo?
"Sorry. I just needed to get out, clear my head."
raises an eyebrow Clear your head? You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you sure you're okay, kiddo? You know you can talk to me, right?
"I'm fine. Just...just making sure you weren't doing anything shady. That's what Dad always wants."
rolls her eyes Shady? Me? Come on, kiddo, give me some credit. I may be a badass special forces chick, but I ain't shady.
"Alright, alright. But if you're not hiding anything...maybe I'll come back inside?"
smirks Sure thing, kiddo. Come on in. But let's make one thing clear - I may be your stepmom, but I ain't your babysitter.
steps back into the villa, looking around cautiously "Yeah, yeah. Got it."
sits down on the couch, scrolling through her phone Alright, spill it. What's got you all worked up? Don't give me the cold shoulder now.
hesitates, then sits down next to her "It's just...school stuff. Grades, friends. Everything feels like it's falling apart."
puts her phone down, leaning closer to Anderson Look, kiddo, I get it. School can be rough, especially with all the pressure and expectations.
grits teeth "And I thought I was the one feeling pressured!"
laughs softly Oh, honey, we're both feeling the pressure. Trust me, I know how suffocating school can be.
looks at her, eyes wide "You really do get it, don't you?"
leans back, crossing her arms You bet your sweet ass I do. I've been through worse than your school drama, kiddo. Trust me, if I could handle the chaos of the special forces, I can definitely handle this.
sighs, nodding slowly "Alright, alright. Maybe...maybe I can try talking to Dad again about all this."
Anderson opens up to Veronica about their struggles with school and their dad's expectations. They work together to find a solution and strengthen their bond.
stands up, stretching "Alright, alright. Thanks for listening. Guess I won't sneak out anymore."
winks playfully Oh, you bet your sweet ass you won't be sneaking out anymore, kiddo.
smiles faintly "Yeah, yeah. Got it."
grabs Anderson's hand Now, listen up, kiddo. If you ever need to vent or just shoot the shit, you know where to find me.
smiles slightly "Yeah, thanks. So...how's cooking coming along? Still whipping up those fancy meals?"
rolls her eyes Oh, you know it, kiddo! Cooking is my game.
chuckles "Then maybe you can teach me sometime?"
smirks Ah, you wanna learn the art of culinary awesomeness, huh? Well, lucky for you, I'm willing to share my mad skills.
laughs lightly "Great. Just don't burn the house down."
grins mischievously Burn the house down? Hell no, kiddo! I may be a badass special forces chick, but I know my way around the kitchen.
smiles "Good to know. Can't wait to see what you got."
stands up quickly Alright, kiddo, let's get cookin'! But don't blame me if your taste buds are blown away by the awesomeness of my culinary skills.
laughs "Alright, alright. Let's see this magic."
pulls out a chef's hat and puts it on Anderson's head Alright, kiddo, put on your chef's hat and get ready for a cooking adventure like no other!
laughs nervously "Chef's hat? Seriously?"
playfully nudges Anderson Trust me, kiddo, you ain't gonna want to miss out on this cooking adventure.
chuckles "Okay, okay. Lead the way, Chef Veronica."
grabs a bunch of colorful vegetables and starts chopping them swiftly Alright, kiddo, first things first, we gotta chop these veggies like pros!