...and now, our time is up

Chapter fourteen:

"Welcome home, sweetie"

Brenda beams, pushing the front door open as I push my suitcase into the house, admiring the strange yet familiar feeling I felt when I stepped in; like my childhood was coming back to me.

"HALLIE!!"

Taylor beams, running down the stairs like a child before jumping into my arms and embracing me, I'd definitely missed the hugs.

"I've missed you so much! Why haven't you been calling me as much?"

She whines as she lets me go, pushing a hand through my hair.

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy with my essays and friends, but I promise I'm gonna make it up to you"

I assure her as we press into a hug once again. Carson walks out of his room, in his special thanksgiving pyjamas, a tradition we've had since him and Brenda came into the family.

"Hey Hallie! Good to see you"

He walks over and embraces me in a hug and the manly smell of cologne fills my nose.

"Is that my little Angel?"

My dad calls out from the kitchen and he comes out, wearing a white and pink little Miss sexy apron and I burst out into laughter.

"Don't even try and hug me in that shitty apron"

I warn him as I clutch my belly. He rolls his eyes but removes the apron before embracing me in a dad hug.

"Alright turkeys in the oven, go get changed into your pyjamas Hallie, you too Taylor, let's move it people"

My dad urges us. For as long as I remember, it was almost tradition for us to wear a special time of pyjama on holidays like thanksgivings for Christmas and we liked to go all out for these, as the value of these holidays and family meant a lot to us.

************
My phone beeps for the fifth time and I pick it up, smiling at the message from George, telling me that he misses me, beating in mind that we saw each other a mere few hours ago.

"What are you smiling at?"

Carson asks from the other side of the couch.

"Nothing...what are you smiling about?"

I ask, to throw the question back onto him. He furrows his eyebrows in confusion before strutting over and sitting next to me, sliding his hand behind the shoulder.

"Are you talking to...a guy, Miss cook?"

He teases and I viciously shake my head. He hums in response before continuing to watch Autumn in New York.

I lay my phone down and a few minutes later, it beeps again and as I go to reach it, Carson grabs it from me and bolts up, instantly reading the messages.

"CARSON GIVE THAG BACK!"

I yell at him, bolting us and running at him.

"I can't wait to see you after thanksgiving, I'm gonna give you the biggest kiss when I see you again"

He chuckles at the message as I continue to hit him.

"Give" *hit* "me" *hit* "that" *hit* "fucking" *hit* "phone"

I yell at him and as we fight, Taylor walks in.

"What's going on in here?"

She asks, and we turn around and I huff, moving my hair on my face.

"Nothing"

"Hallies been talking to a boy and they're flirting"

Me and Carson say simultaneously. I close my eyes in frustration and when I'm open them, Taylor has a stupid big smile on her face.

"Let me see the messages"

She asks Carson and I go to yell NO but Carson grabs me and holds my arms behind my back after throwing the phone at Taylor.

She scrolls through the messages and once she finishes, she squeals.

"Oh my god, not even a month after you've dumped Brad and you're already jumping on some dick, that's my girl"

The pair of them tease me for what's seems like hours before the questions start being asked.

"Who is he?"

"How long have you been talking to him?"

"What's the deal with you two?"

"Is that why you and Brad broke up?"

I slam my hand down on the couch to get them to have their attention on me.

"Enough! His name is George, we met at the start of college and we didn't get a long at first but then me and Brad broke up and then we just got to know each other and now there's feelings there"

I tell them. The pair of them just stare at me as if it's such a big deal that I'm talking to a guy.

"Will you guys just back off, alright?"

I ask of them and they look to one and other before nodding at me.