Joey Avery appears to have everything. Happiness. Loving parents. A life all mapped out. But it's all a lie. An entire life based on a lie. First of all, she's a her, not a him, though it gets people confused all the time, since her name is typicall...
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My eyes flutter open, the sudden brightness coming in from the opened curtains, I shut them close again. I have this uneasy feeling in my chest, but it soon vanishes away, when I realize where I am and whose arms are wrapped around my waist. I immediately feel better when I see him asleep in my bed, his hair going in every direction possible. God, he's handsome and sexy and so cute. But most of all, he's caring. He doesn't run away when another difficulty presents itself, he sticks by my side and helps get through it.
I know I can be high maintenance sometimes. With my anxiety and my constant overthinking, I demand a lot, I am aware of that, but when I'm feeling good I can be a whole lot of fun. I think.
"Stop staring at me, you weirdo," Xander mutters almost indistinctly, tightening his hold on me as he turns us around, his head now resting on my chest, almost on my right boob.
"Thank you for staying," I tell him, and he instantly opens his eyes, looking straight up at me.
"No problem, princess. How are you feeling?" he asks me, and the question doesn't trigger me like it usually do. I know he is actually interested to hear my answer, that he isn't only asking out of courtesy.
"Better," I run my hand through his fluffy hair. "I... I don't know when it's going to be happening, but... hum... Will you come to court with me? I'll probably be asked to testify and it's stressing me out. It would really help if you would come, but if you don't want to, it's fine too, I know you probably have much better things to do than come to my father's appeal trial, so really, it's f-"
"Shut up," he orders me.
Well, that isn't very polite.
"Of course, I'll be there. I'm not letting you face him alone."
I hug him tighter, grateful to have him in my life, not wanting to ever let go.
***
In the next few days, I gain my appetite back and I sleep better every night that goes by, thanks to Xander for sleeping over. I chose not to let my father have so much effect on me. He isn't even out yet and I was already fricking out. I woke up the other day, took a deep breath and decided to go on with my life. I can't mope over something that could happen and if it does happen, I know that he will have restrictions, probably a restriction order towards me, and many conditions to follow, I know that I have people who care for me that will be there for me when I need them, and I know that Xander won't let a single soul touch even just one strand of my hair. I am not alone anymore.
"We should totally go to the Fright Fest tonight, it's the opening night and I've heard it's going to be epic," Kayla announces as she sits on Kyle's bed with him and Cole.
I'm cuddling with Xander on mine, taking pretty much the entire space available and he's basically laying on top of me, between my legs, his face resting on my stomach. "I don't do scary things, Kay, you know that. Don't you remember the haunted house back when we were eleven?"
