I was supposed to be packing for my trip to Dad's house. Instead I was too focused on these incoming texts and my three visitors.

My gaze shifted between my phone and Faye who sat cross legged on my by, along with Jasmine and Ellen. The three of them were huddled around my laptop watching fashion vloggers on YouTube, looking for homecoming dress inspiration.

My phone dinged again and I internally groaned. Derek had given up on calling, instead he texted. Constantly. He wanted Faye back and he wanted me to set it up. It was like he didn't understand the sensitive nature of this situation.

In the few days I've been hanging out with Faye she hasn't mentioned Derek once. None of the girls have. He didn't exist. I couldn't have stressed this point enough to Derek the first time he texted me, but nothing was getting through to him.

"Who's been texting you all day?" Jasmine asked. The three of them eyed me, waited for answer.

"My dad," I lied, turning my phone off to put an end to the texts. "He's just wondering how I'm getting there."

"How are you getting there Ms. Failed-My-Drivers-Test-Four-Times," Faye teased.

"Alyssa is taking me."

Ellen perked up, her brown eyes narrowing on me. "Your friends with that freak?"

Jasmine chuckled, "She looks like the type of person to collect people's toenails."

"Ew," Faye grimaced. "Stop!"

"What? It's true, " Jasmine defended.

"She's Mia's friend," Faye said.

"No really" The words fell from my mouth before I could stop them. Why did I feel the urge to even say it?

"Either way," Jasmine shrugged. "Just keep her away from your feet."

I laughed with them. Not because I wanted to, but because I felt like they expected me to.

There was a knock at the door, followed by Mom poking her head in. She's been home a lot more since her new rule system. She's even made it a point to make dinner these last few nights. We still didn't talk much, but it was a start.

"Alyssa is downstairs," she announced before leaving.

"Guess that's our cue to leave," Faye said as the three of them got up from the bed.

I followed them down the stairs, half listening to Jasmine as she talked about her Homecoming campaign. It wasn't as big of a deal as prom queen, but she treated it as such.

Alyssa stood in the foyer waiting as we descended the stairs. Her cheery smile faltered when she saw that I wasn't alone.

"Wow," Alyssa drawled. "Anyone else's getting major deja vu? All I'm missing is my sleeping bag and a pack of Oreos for you to steal before kicking me out."

Jasmine stifled a laugh and Faye elbowed her in the ribs. The memory of my last sleepover with Alyssa plagued my memories. She laughed at it now, but that night she was in tears. All these years later and I still felt guilty about it.

"I'm so sorry about our behavior back then," Faye surprised me, along with Jasmine and Ellen, with an out of the blue apology. "No one should be treated that way. You still like Oreo's? I'll get you a pack."

Alyssa snorted a laugh and realized Faye was being sincere. "Ok, just make sure their double stuffed."

The three of them then said goodbye to me before they filed out of the door.

"Faye Mitchell is going to buy me Oreo's," she laughed. "Can you believe that?"

"That girl is full of surprises."

+++

The soulful sounds of Alyssa's music filled the otherwise noiseless car. Alyssa was normally a chatterbox, but she was so quiet now. An intense look on her face as she drove. We might not have talked in years, but I still felt that something was bothering her.

Turning down the radio I grabbed her attention. "What's up?" She asked casually, glancing over at me.

"You tell me," I countered. "You haven't said anything since we got on the freeway."

"It's nothing," she shrugged.

"Lyssa, what's going on?" I probed.

Her shoulders slumped as she sighed. Her mouth opens and closes a few times before she finally speaks. "I can't tell you," she muttered. "I promised I wouldn't tell anyone."

I nodded, understanding her situation. "Ok, but if you -"

"Ellen and I hooked up this summer."

I stared blankly at her trying to process what she just blurted out. My ears must have been playing tricks on me. Alyssa looked over at me sheepishly, assuring me that I had, in fact, heard her correctly.

"Ellen?" I uttered, letting the news sink in.

"You cannot repeat that to anyone," she warned. "Now even Ellen."

Picturing Alyssa and Ellen together, romantically, was difficult. Aside from the fact that, up until this moment, I thought they hated each other, they were complete opposites. Ellen was a perfectionist in every sense of the word and Alyssa lived outside the lines.

"How?" I questioned.

She shrugged her shoulders in reply.

"Wait, so that means you're Ellen's secret boyfriend."

"Her what?"

"Faye and Jasmine have been drilling Ellen for information about her summer fling," I explained. "Now I know why she's so secretive about it."

"Trust me, I'm not eager to shout it from the rooftops either," she laughs. "I mean it's Ellen. Sneaky, mean girl Ellen who used to throw tiny pieces of paper into my afro puffs."

Wow. Even she couldn't wrap her mind around the pairing.

"How did this whole thing even begin?"

"I don't even know," she shook her head. "I was helping my dad photograph a wedding and Ellen was there and we started talking. Then there was wine and kissing." Her lips quirked up into a small smile as she remembered her summer fling.

"You really like her, don't you?"

She chewed at her bottom lip as her cheeks filled with color. The answer to my question was obvious.

"She's so different outside of the Faye Bubble," she swooned and I shot her a look.

"Have you been talking to Derek?"

"He has a point," she pointed out and I rolled my eyes. "Faye is working some freaky voodoo magic."

"Well, did Derek mention that he wants back into the 'Faye Bubble'?"

"See," she exclaimed. "That's just more proof that she has you all under a spell. You can't even survive outside of the bubble. It's an addiction."

There was no bubble or voodoo magic. People loved Faye because she was genuine and always knew just what to say to lift someone's mood and make them feel special. I didn't tell Alyssa that because she wouldn't understand. Outsiders never did.

+++

"This is your dad's place?" Alyssa asked, craning her neck to get a better look at the luxurious home.

The two story house stood tall, blending in along with the others on the street. It reminded me of our old house. The house that the three of us lived in before things changed.

"Yeah, this is it," I replied as I hopped out of the car, grabbing my suitcase from the backseat. "Thanks for dropping me off."

"It's nothing," she waved me off. "Just keep your phone close in case I need an emergency escape from my sisters bridal shower tomorrow."

A laugh escaped my lips as I shook my head at her, "I'm sure it won't be that bad."

"I heard there's going to a penis shaped cake."

I snorted, "Try not to choke."

"You're a pervert," she stated as she started up the car. "I'm leaving. Have fun with your step mom."

After waving her goodbye I turned to face the house. It was bittersweet walking up those steps. On one hand I was happy to see Dad for the first time in weeks, but on the other hand seeing him meant seeing Keisha. Fishing my keys from my purse I let myself in.

"Dad," I called out as I stepped into the foyer and closed the door behind me. "I'm here."

"Kitchen," the shrill voice resounded from the kitchen. I tried not to roll my eyes.

I navigated my way through the house to the kitchen where I had hoped to see my father, instead all I got was Keisha.

Her back was turned to me as she stirred something in a pot on the stove. It smelled like spaghetti, my favorite, but only when Dad made it. I couldn't help but wonder if Dad put her up to this in order to win me over.

"Where's my dad?" I questioned.

She turned the burner off, removing her apron before turning to me. "He's running a little late."

She looked a lot different than when I last saw her. Her medium length, black, tightly coiled hair was in its natural state rather than being hidden under a wig or weave. She didn't have a drop of make up on which made her look even younger and this is the first time I'm seeing her in sweatpants.

The thing that stuck out the most was what appeared to be a newly formed baby bump. Everything in me hoped it was just bloating.

"Guess the cats out of the bag," she chuckled, caressing her bump. "I wanted to tell you sooner, in person, but you and I had some scheduling conflicts."

It was amusing how she called me hanging up in her face 'scheduling conflicts', but I wasn't laughing. She was pregnant. Earning a permanent spot in my dad's life. In my life. Blurring the previously clear line between her and I.

I've always wanted a sibling, but not this way. My emotions towards Keisha and the news pulled me into two different directions. How can I possibly keep hating the one carrying my brother or sister?

"I'll be in my room," I muttered, forcing my eyes away from her protruding belly.

The initial shock of Keisha's pregnancy had worn off by the time I made it up the stairs to my room. Dropping down onto the bed I pulled my phone from my purse and sent Dad a text. I was too angry with him to wait until he got home. How could he not tell me about this?

A few moments after I sent the text my phone rang. Of course he'd call, phone calls were his favorite form of communication.

"Why didn't you tell me she was pregnant?" I barked when I answered the phone. "We talk every day and you kept this from me!"

"Who exactly did I get pregnant?"

The unexpected voice that came from the other end caused me to loss grip on my phone. I caught it before it crashed to the ground, taking a look at the caller i.d. before pressing it back to my ear.

"Calvin?"

"Yeah," he laughed. "What's got you so pissed off?"

"Nothing," I sighed, falling back on the bed. "My dad just neglected to tell me that I'm getting a new sibling."

"Isn't a new sibling supposed to be a good thing?"

"No," I groaned.

"Aren't you too old to be jealous of a new sibling?"

"I'm not jealous," I retorted. "This just isn't how I pictured things happening. He's supposed to have another kid with my mom."

"They're divorced," my eyes rolled at the reminder. "They're seeing other people. It's time you let that go."

"Wow," I scoffed. "Why are you always belittling my feelings?"

"I'm not, I just -"

"Look, I'm tired so, bye."

In one swift move I ended the call before he had the chance to say anything else. This was going to be a very long weekend.

+ + +

Hey all! Sorry it took me so long to update (i feel like i say that a lot lol).

Thanks for reading & don't forget to vote and comment!! <3