July 1st 2015, Friday

"We're finally going to graduate! Thank God!" Grace shouts as we emerge from the stuffy English classroom and made our way out to the hot, humid air.

"Yes, I can finally kick back and relax. No more worries on maintaining my perfect grade streak, at least until we get to Uni." I sigh, letting my hair down from the ponytail as Grace nudged me.

"Do you know how many parties are going to be happening Elaine? And thanks to you being the head cheerleader we'll be invited to them all." Grace said, linking arms with me as we walked towards the parking lot.

"Oh please Grace, we're no longer part of this school. I'm no longer head cheerleader. Today was our last day remember?" I replied and she rolled her eyes.

"Until our graduation ceremony, that doesn't apply." She argued.

"Elaine, El! Wait up!" A voice said from behind and me and Grace stopped, me turning around to meet whoever was calling my name.

"Hey Brad!" I said as Grace started to not so slyly nudge me.

"So there's this party that's happening tonight, down by Solstice Lake? Wanna come? You too Grace, of course." He said.

"No."

"Yes." Me and Grace both looked at each other and she groaned, turning to Brad.

"One quick second Brad." She said and proceeded to drag me away.

"What do you mean no!" She demanded and I smiled.

"I mean, me and mum have a tradition of spending every single start of my summer holidays together. I'm not blowing her off for a party." I answered and she sighed. She knew when it came to my mum, she could never change my mind about anything.

"Okay, but we have a whole two months to ourselves, we have to spend time together. This isn't going to be like last December right?" Grace said, finally getting me to think about the Home.

After I had finished work there, I never went back, opting to spend my time focusing on school work. I knew how relieved Grace was too, she often complained about how much she missed me during the time I "basically blew her off."

I tried not to think of Annie, Suzie, Ellie, the children and more importantly Devon. I smiled, linking arms with her and dragging her back to Brad.

"Don't worry, you'll be seeing a lot of me this summer." I said as we reached Brad.

"I'm coming but this killjoy isn't." Grace informed him, glaring at me and I laughed. After saying bye to Brad, we made our way over to my car.

"Want a ride home?" I asked Grace and she shook her head as she climbed into my car.

"No, but I want a ride to the mall. I need to look hot for tonight, Trent is going to be there I'm sure." I laughed, getting in and speeding away from the school I wouldn't be seeing for three months.

After dropping Grace off at the mall with the promise to call her during the party, I made my way home. During the period of February, my mum had become widely known for her passion in keeping children safe and she was often pestered about authorities who wanted her to practice the law firm.

I had focused and dedicated my time to making sure I remained on top of my work and I had started to take art class as a hobby.

I wasn't good enough to put Devon to shame, not even Da Vinci could do that. But I could now draw a face, rather than my pathetic stickmen.

I pulled into my driveway and quickly ran into the house, wanting to get out of my stuffy clothes and freshen up.

"Honey I'm home!" I called to my mum, who was usually home nowadays, opting to do some work at the house rather than at her office.

"Living room!" She called back and I went in, to say hello to her before freshening up.

"Elaine!" I stopped when Annie got up from the couch. I knew my mum and Annie had become fast friends after I stopped visiting the Home, they both shared the same passions and both wanted to make children's lives better.

They had been working on a project to turn the Home into a foster one so that the children could be with families who otherwise couldn't have children of their own.

The project all being inspired by me.

But not once had I seen Annie at our house. I knew she came sometimes, but I was either at cheerleading or at basketball. She had cut her long hair into a short bob though her face still looked the same. I saw her look over at me and I smiled, knowing she was probably thinking about how much I've changed.

She was right too, I had changed, both physically and mentally. I had dyed my hair ombre. I now wore makeup after I finally felt comfortable in it and I had completely changed my wardrobe around. I rarely wore jeans and hoddies like I used to.

Mentally, I had learned to realise that not everyone could be saved in the world, though that still didn't stop me from trying. In doing so, I had broken out of MY shell and became more outgoing and I felt freer than I had in ages.

"Annie!" I cried, hugging her as my mum looked on.

"Now I know today is the first day of your summer holiday. So you go freshen up and we'll go to the movies after dropping Annie off." My mum explained to me and I nodded, leaving the room and rushing to take a shower.

After I finished, I checked the weather before changing into a white sundress. I grabbed my most comfortable pair of white wedge heels and my sunglasses. I hunted around for my bag and grabbed a light cardigan just in case.

By the time I got downstairs, Annie and my mum had finished their discussion on their project and we made our way out of the house. I folded my cardigan into my bag before getting in the back seat.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to think about anything. After 7 months, I was finally going to see the Home again and I didn't know how to feel about it.

As we got nearer, I busied myself with texting Grace before we finally stopped and I had to look up.

The first thing I noticed was the exterior of the Home was different.

"Devon did great on that paint job." I said prompting both Annie and my mum to look at me.

"How did you know?" Annie asked and I smiled.

"Only Devon can make ordinary painting of a house look like art." I answered. They both looked at each other, before my mum turned to me.

"El, honey, me and Annie have some things to discuss. We'll head to the garden, you can wait in the Home for thirty minutes. We won't be long, I promise." My mum said and I knew she was telling me it was time I stopped running from the Home and went back.

I knew she was right and I climbed out of the car, holding on to my bag firmly. I knocked, something I didn't know I missed doing and waited to be let in.

"Annie are you-" Suzie stopped when she took me in and lunched forward, hugging me. I laughed, hugging her back as she ushered me inside the Home. Suzie too, hadn't changed from the last time I saw her, though I saw a bright diamond ring on her left ring finger.

"He finally proposed?!" I exclaimed, hugging her again. When I was working at the Home, she'd told me about her boyfriend whom she had been with for eight years. She'd tried all sorts of methods to hint at him proposing to her and he finally took it.

"He did! We're getting married this month and you have to come!" She said and I smiled.

"I'll be the first one there." It was great to talk to Suzie like old times and be inside the Home which hasn't changed either.

"The children are in the playroom. I was just getting them snacks." She informed me.

"Need help?" I asked and she shook her head.

"No, it's alright. You go on in." She answered, leaving me at the hall and walking towards the kitchen. I sighed and nodded to myself, preparing myself to finally see Devon again before walking into the playroom.

The first thing that I noticed was how different the inside of the playroom was. It was now painted a bright yellow. The TV was placed by the window with the Wii I had gifted them by it.

The chairs were now scattered around the playroom and the activities table bang in the middle. Fairy lights were strung around the room and I noticed the only thing that was the same was Devon's art corner.

Devon was sitting there, absorbed by whatever he was painting to notice anything. He had earphones in and was moving his head to the music. His hair was swept back into a quiff. He was wearing skinny jeans and a loose, baggy top.

"Elaine!" Andre was the first one to spot me as usual causing the rest to look up, Devon included.

"Elaine!" Ellie cried, rushing towards me. She too had grown, her hair longer. I knew she had turned 7 during June and I smiled as she hugged me and the rest crowded around me.

"I told you she wouldn't break her promise!"

"You're blond!"

"She's not blond dummy, she has blond tips!"

I laughed, reveling in their happiness already missing them and knowing leaving would be unbearable again.

"Devy, look it's Elaine!" Ellie shouted and I smiled.

"One second guys." I said, going over to Devon who had taken his earphones out. I pulled a chair beside him inhaling the paint scent he always had on him which I had grown to love.

" Hey." I whisper, watching him look me over. He had turned 17 too and up close, I could see he had developed more freckles and had a tiny amount of stubble lining his chin.

"You came." He replied and I nodded. I had plenty of chances to visit the Home in the seven months but I knew if I had then I would remember my attachment to the children and Devon and leaving would be hard.

I also knew it would be hard on the children too. Seven months seemed like a long time to give them the space I knew they needed to not need me like they felt they did.

"I did." I answer as my phone started beeping which I knew was Grace.

"You didn't take your time." I laughed, remembering that Devon wasn't the same shy boy who I had first encountered when I first arrived at the Home.

Now that some time had passed, he seem more at ease, even the way he was sitting seemed relaxed. I looked down at his wrist, noticing he was wearing the bracelet I had gifted to him.

Instinctively, I reached out to touch the dove, like I always did.

"You can have it back, if you miss it."

"I don't need it." I answered and he looked me over again.

"No, you don't."

"How's life been?" I asked, looking over what he was currently painting which was the high street during winter. From what I could see, he was about to draw in people which I knew would be me and him. He saw me looking and smiled.

"I have an apprentice kind of thing at this art studio at the high street. I go there every Sunday. They said when I finish with it, they'll write me a reference letter for an art Uni, I'm just hoping I get into a good one this year." He informed me and I grinned, feeling a sense of happiness I haven't felt for the seven months I hadn't talked to him.

"Oh my God I can't wait until you're a rich artist hosting some latest piece in a gallery and I'm like the first person there." I answered and he laughed, the kind where his dimple came out and his eyes shone.

"You're still a straight A student in English aren't you?"

"Straight A-star you mean." I answer and he smiled, picking up his paintbrush.

"You've changed." He said suddenly as he started painting again.

"Yeah I know. I dyed my hair." I answered, shifting closer to him.

"Not that, I mean your outlook on life. You're less reserved." He replied, looking at me. Even in the seven months I hadn't seen him, I felt like Devon still knew me better than anyone else, my mum excluded.

"Please, Picasso don't talk to me about being reserved." I answered as my phone started to ring. I sighed, bringing it out.

"Do you mind if I-"

"No go right ahead, I'll be here." He said and I smiled before picking up my phone.

"Grace, what do you want?" I ask her, as the music from the party started blasting and almost deafening me.

"Trent is here and he is hot!" She shouted, desperately trying to overpower the music.

"Careful Grace, don't blame me if the music cuts and he hears you, are you drunk?"

"Oh and Brad is asking about you!" She shouts.

"Brad? Couldn't he call me himself?"

"He just wanted to express how sorry he is that you couldn't make it! Get in!" She shouts and I laugh.

"I am not getting in to anything. I do not like Brad. Brad does not like me, we're like best friends. Stop it." I say for the umpteenth time and I hear some shouting from behind her.

"Sorry El! Fight is happening. Have to watch!" She shouts.

"Don't drink too much!" I manage to get in before she hangs up. I shake my head, putting my phone in my bag as Devon gives me an amused look.

"Brad?" He questions and my heart starts beating faster. I knew if I ever saw Devon again, my crush on him would be regenerated. I just didn't know it would take one word from him for that to happen.

"Just a guy from school." I answer as my mum emerges with Annie.

"Just a guy?" He questions again and I nod.

"Just a guy." I answer and he shrugged, seemingly content with my answer.

"El, you ready?" My mum asks, coming up to me.

"Hey Annabelle." Devon greets her. I knew that my mum had finally met him when their project started, but to hear him actually greet her made me feel weirdly giddy. I really have missed a lot in the seven months I distanced myself.

My mum waves as I stand up, bringing out my sunglasses.

"Ready mum. I call dibs on the movie." I answer, getting ready to leave.

"You coming back?" Devon asks, forcing me to turn around and look at him. I look at him, the children and my mum before nodding.

"Erm, yeah, I'll try." I answered, before leaving his corner. After saying bye to everyone, we made our way to the car.

"You're welcome." My mum said and I smile, putting on my sunglasses.

"Thank you."

I did plan on coming back to the Home, I had distanced myself from Devon and the children for seven months, but I had a whole summer to spend with them again and I wasn't going to lose it.

*

A/N: I couldn't resist posting this! I just felt like I needed to give more than just excerpts. But to clarify, this is just a teaser kind of thing. I won't officially start updating/posting until the 15th of June, which is apparently when I officially leave school. But I hope you enjoyed this little teaser, this isn't the final draft though. I may change things, add more things, remove things; I'll let you know. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter, what are you excited for in this sequel? Any questions you want answered. And don't forget to vote, even if this isn't technically official yet.

Um..happy reading!!