Next week, my Cuties, I will return to my adventure that is advance education. Wish me luck. Just a reminder I will put a pause on this story, but I will be posting short stories related to my babies in this book. 

I will be back 9/4 with the next chapter revved up and ready to go!

Playlist:

One Thing by Finger Eleven

Collide by Howie Day

Hold My Hand by Jess Glynne

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The car ride itself is annoyingly long, although it's nice to have my friends with me. Charlie, who periodically will check her phone, and Harper sit in the two middle seats, and me and Abe opt for the back seats. We watch a movie from the little DVD player in the car but talk over the entire length of it. We sing some old songs, but by 9:30, Charlie is asleep. Harper's mom tells us about when she is our age, she had moved out to New York to be discovered, only to be dirt poor until she landed a recurring role on a semisuccessful sitcom when she was in her early 20s. After just 2 years, when her role vanished, she chose to return and complete her education. Harper's dad, and attorney, says he had lived a very boring life until he met his wife, and now every day was an adventure.

"We had Arlo when I was 28, and Alan was 31. Then when I was 36, we had a big surprise with Harper." She laughs wholeheartedly. "Best surprise ever."

"Oh, come on, mom." Harper shakes her head, but I can see her smiling.

"My mom met the man she thought she would marry when she was a child, he lived a few blocks away, and it took her a long time, but she realized she loved him when they were teenagers. She said it wasn't very traditional, that he always viewed every day as if it was his last." I lean back, recalling the story my mom only told me once.

"Your dad?" Abe looks shocked.

"No," I laugh. "Apparently, my dad has been a nerd his whole life. No, this one was a friend of my dad's, though, that's how they met. He died when they were in their early twenties. She said it was like he knew he wouldn't live a long life. I think my mom doesn't tell the whole truth, but she and my dad became close over the shared experience.

"Well, my mom wanted to focus on her career after she lost her boyfriend, but when my dad was working on his doctorate, they found out they were about to have a little surprise with me." I smile at Harper. "So, she had me and then said no more kids until she was in a comfortable position, and when she was ready for the next kid when I was 5, she had her next surprise."

"Two for the price of one?" Harper looks back at her mom. "Imagine if I was a twin."

Her mom laughs. "I have enough love for all my children."

We get to the house a little past 11. I'm extremly fatigue from the ride and am eagerly anticipating resting in a bed. Despite being smaller, Harper's dad's side vacation home is still larger than the neighboring houses. Two of us planned to share a room, but us girls opted for a slumber party beforehand. Since we didn't want to wake up Charlie, we decided she would have her own room. Tonight, Harper and I will share.

We manage to bring Charlie inside and into bed before we go to our room. "Come on Abe, come gossip with us," Harper jokes as he stands in the doorway.

"Nah, I'm tired. I'll see you in the morning. Night."

"Night." I call after him, but he shuts his door. I feel like my dad's words were weighing heavily on him, and a ping of guilt twist in the pit of my stomach.

We go into our shared room. "We can stay up and talk about whatever we want." She is asleep within a half hour.

Lying on my back, I struggle to sleep in an unfamiliar bed. After multiple attempts, I give up and opt for food to see if it helps.

The kitchen light is on. I consider going to bed but decide to go in for water instead. Instantly, I relax as I spot Abe, who looks up from the counter he sat on, with a bowl of cereal in his hand. "Hi." He says with his mouth full.

I relax. "Hi."

"Where do you think they got that statue, and where can I get one?" I glance back to the stairs' bottom. It's very obviously a deer, its antlers sharpened into daggers at the tips, but that wasn't the worse part, no, it's the face. They had a sense of the shape, but not the specifics. The face resembled a man's, stretched and contorted over a deer's skull.

"That's creepy."

"I named him Herbert. Wait, what's that Herb?" He pauses as if it's talking to him. "Herbert says you're cute."

"No, thank you Herbert. I already like someone else." I walk up to him, picking up the box next to him.

"They only have bran cereal, but I'm too hungry."

"Where's the bowls?" He points to a cupboard. Slowly, I make my way over to it, reaching up to get the bowl, the hem of my shirt rising up with my reach exposing a little skin. I turn, his eyes meet mine, then he looks down at his cereal, realizing he's been caught. No cunning comment, no half grin, not even a word. I go back over to him, taking up the box, pouring myself a bowl, and filling it up with milk. "Oh god this is so bland." I say through my first bite.

I show a pleasant expression towards him and help myself. Getting more comfortable, I lean against the counter, taking a few bites out of my sweetly bland cereal. "You know," He swallows hard. "This is my first time out of the state."

"What?" I say with my mouth full.

"Yeah," He stirs his with his spoon. "I've never been out of New Hampshire before tonight. It's weird."

"Why?"

"My mom, I guess, she was rooted there. I think she thought that there was nowhere better than home. My dad leaves a lot, I'm not sure where, but if I had to guess, I would say he's been across state lines."

"Wouldn't be surprising." I mumble, thinking of his dad and longing to hold him returns to me. "I drove across the country with my brothers and would not recommend."

He smiles. "I'll remember that if they ask me to go on a road trip."

"They might, they seemed to like you."

"At least they did, not your parents, though."

"They'll come around."

"I'm sorry for tonight." He puts his bowl down. "I messed up, I promised I would be good, and I wasn't. I don't know what's wrong with me. I saw it hurt you, and shit, I'm sorry."

"My dad was going to be that way, no matter what. Sorry he jumped on you like that, and I'm really sorry he called you worthless."

"I'm used to that now."

"I don't think you're worthless."

"I am, it's okay." He waves that off. "I'm sorry that I was a shit."

"That's how you are." I laugh, but he slips off the counter and stands in front of me.

"I should have tried to make a better impression," He stood just inches away from me. The air between us seemed to crackle with a subtle warmth, as if his body emitted a comforting heat. Though not as intense as what I had felt with Milo, I can almost feel his thoughts. His hesitation is palpable, almost tangible. I could sense his fears and worries, as if they were delicate whispers in the air. It's evident that he is terrified to be standing there, right in front of me. Yet, amidst his apprehension, there is an underlying strength emanating from within him. There is a certain aura about him, a quiet power that he may not even realize he possesses. And it's through this inner fortitude that I could sense his emotions for me. It is as if his feelings were woven into the very fabric of his being, painting a vivid picture of his affection and desire.

I look up into his dull, gray eyes, and I can tell he is waiting for me, I set my bowl down. "You are not worthless."

"Why did your dad keep saying you want to date me?" His fingers find my cheek. "I'm getting a lot of mixed signals from you, and I-"

He can't finish his thought. I slide my arms around his neck and pull his lips down to mine. The kiss is deep, his lips move with mine without a second hesitation, holding onto this moment as if we both would disappear. The hand that wasn't on my cheek takes a hold of my hip, pulling me into him, leaning into me. We remain in embrace, even after the kiss ends. He leans his forehead against mine, and I slid mine up, so the tip of my nose rested against the bridge, then I lightly kiss the tip of his nose. He emitted a slight chuckle, eyes wide, catching me gazing at him.

"You taste like bran." He jokes softly.

"And you think you taste better?" I lean back into his lips, but he moves so I don't catch.

"I've wanted to do that since the first day I saw you on the bus." He pulls back to see me. "You're so beautiful."

This time I do touch my lips to his. "I'm sorry for the mixed signals."

He shakes his head, lifting me up by my waist, sliding me down on the counter. "This makes up for it." His lips find mine this time, we cling together as our kisses go from sweet to passionate quickly. His hands on my hips begin their climb up my waist, bring the hem of my shirt with. I perceived the strength present in his arms, and moved along his chest, down his abdomen, and towards his hips. I'm curious what is underneath, but as soon as I grip the bottom of his shirt, he pulled back, that cunning half smirk on his face.

"If someone wakes up and finds us here, your parents will kill me." He pants softly, his face is flush, but happy.

"We could go to the room you're sleeping in."

He leans in and pecks my cheek. "Sorry, I'm going to be the gentleman tonight. I'll see you in the morning. Herbert is still watching us anyway." As he pulls his arms away from me, he slides his hands down my thighs, his eyes never leaving mine. I want absolutely nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms, but he takes a step back, never breaking eye contact. "I want this to be real, I know it is, but I feel if I turn around, I'll only find you asleep in that bed with no knowledge of this."

"Woods." I approach him after sliding off the counter. I kiss him once more on the lips. "Good night." I leave the kitchen, moving my hips a little more than normal, and with one glance back at him, I catch his eyes following. While looking back up the stairs, my eyes notice something silver through the window.