BACK TO YOU

twenty-three. sunflowers

▬▬ IT WAS NEARLY 3:30 IN THE morning when Conrad watched that familiar orange beetle pull into the driveway, his phone still pressed to his ear. A smile tugged at his lips when the door was pushed open, her converse hitting the pavement. Only when she was fully out of the car did he end the call and stuff his phone into his pocket. He pushed himself up from the steps and started towards her.

"You waited?" She asked, pushing the door closed. He met her at her car, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his chest. A breath left his lips as his hands fisted around the material of her dress and she rubbed his back, turning her head a little to kiss his cheek, relief flooding through her. "Hey, what's going on?" She asked, her voice soft, but she didn't pull back.

"So much." He mumbled, tucking his face into her hair. "I'm so glad that you're here."

"Connie, please, I-I'm seconds away from freaking out."

His arms tightened around her, like he was trying to steady himself. Like he needed her to keep him standing, to keep him grounded. "She's selling the house."

"What? Who?"

He took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of her peach shampoo – he loved that she smelt like peaches. "Aunt Julia."

"Susannah's sister?" She questioned, shifting on her feet because the stretch in her legs was getting slightly uncomfortable. But she didn't pull back, she knew he needed this just as much as, if not more than, she did.

"Half sister," he nodded against her, but didn't say anything else and she didn't push.

"It's late, we should head inside." Still he didn't pull away. She chuckled lightly, kissing his shoulder. "Connie, I just drove six and half hours."

"Right, sorry." He stepped back and she let out a small sigh as she fell back to her heels.

"Hey," she placed her hand on his cheek. "We'll figure this out." He nodded, turning his head a little to brush his lips against the palm of her hand.

It didn't take long for them to make their way into the house, and even less time to cuddle up in the boy's bed – only after changing into more comfortable clothes.

"Thank you," he mumbled, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

She smiled, tilting her head back before pecking his lips lightly. "Always." He tucked her hair behind her head, his hand lingering on her cheek. "Hey, tell me what happened. How did all this start?"

"I got a call, um, the other day. From Liam." He started, his eyes focused on his hand as he ran his finger through her hair. "He was asking me about a for sale sign in our yard. I thought it was a misunderstanding, so I drove straight here. I pulled the stupid sign out of the ground, and I threw it in the garbage. Seeing that sign was like losing her all over again, and I didn't want that for Jere... or you. That's why I lied, I'm so-"

She leaned up, cutting him off with the soft peck of her lips, "It's okay, baby. I understand. But I'm here now."

He nodded his head, holding back his tears as he watched a few escape her eyes. He quickly wiped them away before kissing her forehead again. "I'll explain more tomorrow. Get some sleep, okay?" She nodded as she curled into his chest and he tightened his arms around her, hating the way her shoulders shook with her silent sobs.

And while the girl dozed off pretty quickly, the boy couldn't find sleep as his mind raced. Even having Lennox in his arm didn't calm the storm brewing inside of him. Which was odd, he usually spelt his best when she was in his bed.

>>>>> • <<<<<

▬▬LENNOX GROANED, sitting up in bed. She blinked a few times as she looked around, pushing her hair from out of her face. A small smile played on her lips when she saw the blue jean cutoffs and t-shirt that were laid out on the foot of bed. She pushed herself up, tugging the shirt she wore over her head before grabbing her bra off the dresser. She quickly changed then pulled her hair up into a messy bun, she grabbed her shoes, smiling at the socks that were tucked into them.

She drug her hand down her face and left the room in search of her boyfriend, and as she reached the stairs she heard voices. Her brows pinched slightly, but she continued down the stairs, making her way into the living room, seemingly going unnoticed.

"You think I haven't done that?" Canrad argued and Lennox moved closer to him, which drew Belly's attention to her. "He says legally the house is hers."

"Okay, then he'll buy it." Jeremiah stated, his arms crossed over his chest.

"He doesn't have the money to buy it. Between Brown and the medical bills and-"

"Yeah, I know how much the medical bills cost because I was there."

"Jere," Lennox scolded and his eyes moved to her, but his glare didn't soften.

"Thanks for getting back to me."

"I got in late, I was tired," she defended herself. "I didn't even know what was happening until I got here at three-something this morning."

"A text would've sufficed," he snapped before zeroing in on his brother again. "And how long did you know about this and not tell me?"

"Jere, this was all happening so fast, I was gonna tell you after I'd taken care of it."

The younger boy let out a humorless chuckle, shifting on his feet, "And this is you taking care of it? Going AWOL, ditching school, not-"

"Fuck school! I don't care!"

"Connie, you have to go back or you'll fail your class."

"How are you gonna become a doctor if you fail out of college, Conrad?" Belly asked, gaining his attention.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." He told her, his tone harsh and Lennox slid her hand into his.

"Hey, Con, ease up a little." She mumbled, looking up at him. "But she's right."

"Not now, please." He squeezed her hand and she simply nodded, she knew he was going through a lot and she wanted to help, not make it worse.

"Seriously?" Jeremiah asked, clearly upset that he snapped at Belly. "We went to Brown to check on your ass. You know what? I didn't think you'd pull this shit again. But you don't give a shit about anyone but yourself," he eyes flickered to Lennox. "And maybe Lenny." And with that he stormed out of the room.

"Jeremiah Fisher!" Lennox shouted as she followed after him, but he didn't stop so she followed him out into the driveway. "Jere!"

"Go back to your boyfriend."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay." She grabbed his arm and tugged until he stopped. "When I found out where he was, I should've called, I know that. But you didn't hear how he sounded on the phone. A-and he didn't actually tell me anything until I got here."

"You still could've called me!"

"I had just driven six hours with maybe two stops! It was late, I was tired." Tears filled her eyes, a few escaping down her cheeks. "And I was so relieved that he wasn't..." the word wouldn't come out, like her body wouldn't let it.

His features softened, his eyebrows creasing just the slightest bit, "Lennox? Are you okay?" She shook her head, her hands shaking at her sides as she took controlled breaths. "Lenny, hey, what's going on?" He quickly pulled her into his chest and her hands fisted around his shirt.

"I got a call," her voice came out thick with an emotion he knew so well. "That was how I found out when she... A fucking phone call. Just like Owen. And when you said he wasn't answering, I-I panicked."

"Fuck, Len, I'm sorry." He rubbed her back, squeezing her a little tighter.

"And it wasn't enough, just hearing him on the phone. I-I needed to see him, to make sure that he was okay because if I lost... if I lost him I don't think I would survive it. Not after... everything."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, his voice soft.

"You had just lost your mom. How was I supposed to tell you that, for weeks, every time my phone rang I had a panic attack? That even being on the phone was... it was unbearable. Because everytime I put my phone to my ear, all I can hear is Laurel telling me that she's gone." She sniffled, "I'm sorry, I know you were worried but I could barely get past my own anxiety long enough to-"

"It's okay."

"It's not. I'm supposed to be here for you guys but I-"

"You lost her, too. You have just as much right to feel whatever it is that you feel, okay?" He told her, his voice stern. "And I'm here, always. Please tell me you understand that."

She nodded against his chest, "And I'm here for you, always." She added before she pulled back, whipping her nose with her wrist, but she stopped and her eyebrows pinched when she saw the dirt on his chest. "And I felt bad for getting snot on your shirt."

He chuckled as the girl reached up, trying to brush the dirt away but it was futile. "Yeah, I changed a tire."

Her brows pinched, the divot between her brows deepening, "I'm sorry, I think I'm hearing things. You what?"

"Yeah. Well, Belly did most of it... but I-I helped."

She laughed, the sound soft but still heavy with emotion, "Um, when you change, bring me the shirt. I think I can get the stain out."

"Yes, please," he nodded and she laughed as she wrapped her arms around him again. "Sorry I yelled at you."

"Forgiven." she mumbled. "I'm sorry, too."

"Forgiven. And, Len, where are your shoes?" He asked and she chuckled as she looked down at her bare feet, but something else caught his attention. "Is that a tattoo?"

"Uh, yeah." She stepped back and lifted her foot, twisting it so she could see the ink on the inside of her left ankle. There was a vase with a white ribbon tied around the neck of the glass and sticking out the top were five sunflowers in a very vibrant yellow. "I got it a month after..." it was still too hard to say. "Did you know that people say when sunflowers can't find the sun, they face each other?"

"No, I didn't."

"I've always loved sunflowers, even more after Suze told me that." She smiled a little at the flowers that decorated her skin. "It's been disproven, but I like the sentimentality."

"There's five."

"One for each of us." She nodded as she put her foot back on the ground. "And when we can't find the sun, we turn to each other – at least we should. We still need to work on that."

"Yeah."

"And right now, there is no sun."

He nodded his head, catching her drift, "I'm staying, don't worry."

"Good." She smiled up at him.

"So which flower is me?" He asked, looking down at her tattoo again and she laughed as she leaned against his car and pointed at the one in the far left.

"This one." And one by one she pointed out which flower represents who.

⚘‎ nova speaks┆this is book is still very much on hold, but i absolutely hate not updating anything and i had this chapter ready so i thought why not.

updates are just gonna resume, this is just a little gift, let's call it a late christmas gift or a new years gift