Aside from a toothbrush, I don’t have any of my own toiletries. Jada offered to take me to my house today to pick up some stuff but I refused her offer, she’s already done too much for me.
That house has been my home for my entire life, how can it so suddenly turn into somewhere I hate?
The image of Austin and Sofia’s tear-filled eyes as I said goodbye yesterday fills my mind. They didn’t want me to go, I’d expected that, but I hadn’t appreciated just how much their trembling bottom lips would rip me apart.
I know I’m doing the right thing for them though. They can have a life in Maddison with Auntie Trish and Uncle Evan, that me, our parents, never could have offered them. The best thing that can happen for them now is for both our parents to go down and they never have to worry about them.
I shower with Harley’s products, hoping that if I have the water hot enough and use enough soap that all my regrets will wash straight down the drain. It’s wishful thinking because when I step out and wrap myself in a towel, I feel as if the weight of the world that’s on my shoulders has only gotten heavier.
I just need to get through the weekend and get back to school. Get back to normal. Everything will be okay.
There’s noise coming from downstairs as I walk back to my bedroom and the scent of coffee wafts up. Needing a huge mug of whatever Jada is brewing down there, I quickly pull on some clothes and go in search of some caffeine.
“Hey, sweetie. How was the party?” Jada asks, looking up from her tablet the second I join her.
“Um… it was….” I blow out a breath.
“That good?”
“Harley and Ruby got drunk. Zayn had to bring us all back,” I say without thinking. Jada’s cool, and with my own parents, not ones to ever really give a shit about anything, I forget that Harley might not want her mother knowing some things.
“Did they?” she asks, her eyes rolling.
“They were just excited to see me. Got a little carried away.”
She nods, probably wondering why I’m so alert this morning if they were so trashed.
“You didn’t want to celebrate being home?”
“Not really. I don’t really drink.”
Jada chuckles. “I knew there was a reason I liked you. Want to try to rub off on my kids a little while you’re here?”
My cheeks burn as I think about just how closely I’ve been rubbing up against one of her kids.
“Help yourself to coffee. Anything. You know where most things are by now, don’t hesitate to take whatever you need. This is your home now.”
I make myself a coffee and join her.
“I don’t know how to thank you for all of this.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m just happy to be able to help.”
“I really appreciate it.”
“I know, sweetie.” She reaches out and squeezes my hand in support.
“Whatever you need, Poppy. Just ask. My door is always open.” She smiles at me before going to make herself another coffee. “If you need me, I’ll be in my office.”
She wanders off with her fresh mug and my eyes follow her, wondering if I can be like her when I grow up. She has everything together. A great life, job, kids, house. She makes everything look so easy, although I can’t help wondering if that’s true or if she’s just a great actress.
I only know a little about the Hunter’s previous life, but it doesn’t sound all that great. Letty, Zayn, and Harley should be really proud of her though. She took her happiness into her own hands and made herself the life she wanted.
I can only hope that I can do that one day for myself.
Feeling like I should probably start my first day here by pulling my weight, I hop down from the stool and set about finding ingredients to make pancakes. If the smell doesn’t lure the girls from bed then I’ll go up there and drag them out soon.
The need for coffee and sugar must have been enough because just as I’m flipping the first batch of pancakes onto a plate, footsteps sound out before two very sleepy, hungover heads appear in the kitchen doorway.
“It wasn’t a dream. You’re really here,” Harley says, beelining straight for me and pulling me into her arms. “I’m sorry, I got a little over-excited last night,” she whispers into my ear.
“It’s okay.”
Seconds later, another set of arms wrap around both of us and I stand for long minutes accepting their support. I don’t think I appreciated just how much I missed them in the week I was gone. They’ve both always been my main support network, and without them, I was drowning.
I know it was my own fault and I just should have picked up my cell, but it was easier said than done.
“Are you hungry?” I ask once they’ve released me.
“Starved. I’ll get the coffee. Rubes, get the plates.”
Not ten minutes later, Jada has rejoined us and we’re sitting around the table stuffing our faces and chatting about life, mostly anything that doesn’t involve my sudden arrival or my parents. I’m grateful they keep it light and keep me distracted from reality.
The second Jada has finished, she disappears to her office once more, leaving the three of us to chat about school and what I’ve missed.
Everything comes crashing down around my feet though when there’s a rumble of an engine outside seconds before the front door slams shut.
I hold my breath waiting for him to walk around the corner, but no matter how much I think I can prepare myself for seeing him, when he emerges, it knocks the wind right out of me.
He looks a mess. His eyes are dark and bloodshot, his clothes are a crumpled mess.
“What the hell happened to you?” Harley asks, voicing the question that I’m sure is on all our lips.
“Nothing,” he mutters, his angry eyes locked on mine as he makes his way to the coffee machine.
“I thought you brought us home.”
“I did. Then I went back out. Problem?” he snaps.
“Um… no.”
Ripping my eyes away from him, needing to sever the connection in the hope no one surrounding us notices, I stare down at my half-eaten plate of pancakes, my previous appetite suddenly gone.
“What are you all eating?” he asks, leaning back against the counter with his mug in hand.
“Poppy made pancakes. They were incredible.”
“Oh, did she?” His eyes turn on me but I don’t look up, instead I leave them to drill into the side of my head. “Didn’t think to make any for me?”
“I would have if you were here.”
“Well…”
Risking a glance up, I find him gesturing to himself.
“Here I am.”
“Zayn, stop being a prick. Get your own breakfast,” Harley snaps.
“It’s okay, I can make more.”
I push my chair out to do so, but Harley’s hand lands on my shoulder. “No. Don’t follow his rude demands. Enjoy your breakfast. He’s big enough and ugly enough to sort himself out.”
“But—” I look between Harley and Zayn, knowing that she is right but feeling that incredible pull toward him like always, despite what I said last night.
In the end, I side with Harley, refusing to bow down to Zayn when he’s acting like he owns the place.