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26| Cove Drive

After watching the sunrise, Wes and I decided to drive back to the apartment. Even though we were both tired as hell, it was getting unbearably hot.

We woke up around one pm which was definitely a well needed rest, and Wes left about ten minutes ago for his shift. He said his Dad got his name cleared from the police's system, but we still have to avoid Brecken, don't have to tell me twice.

Living here has been so great. I get to see my boyfriend 24/7, hangout with all of my friends, and not worry about my Mom and sister.

It is weird sometimes not being at the house, but since the apartment is going to be in Wesley's name in 2 months, I decided to move in permanently.

It's a huge decision but it's either this or my toxic house on Cove Drive. Pretty easy choice if you ask me.

I grab my jeep keys and decide to head back to the house to grab a few final things to bring over. I send Wes a quick text before I leave and head out the door.

The drive on the way to the Cove house is quiet. Knowing me, usually I would have music blasting, windows down, and singing at the top of my lungs. But really, the only thing filling the silence right now, are my thoughts.

Thinking about how perfect life used to be when Dad was around. Mom always had something against me, and Riley and I drifted once Dad left, so saying Dad was the glue keeping our family together is one-hundred percent justified.

I pull into the driveway and immediately see Brecken's car. Glad to see the boy got some new tires.

Riley and Brecken are most likely in her room so as long as I'm in and out quickly, I should be fine. I live here too, so it's not like i'm intruding, but I really don't want to run into either of them.

I punch in the code to the front door and slowly open it. Mom is currently in Chicago with Dad according to her facebook, so I don't have to worry about her being here. Thank God.

I grab my spare key to my jeep out of the junk drawer and then head upstairs. My room is across the hall from Riley's so I don't have to worry about being quiet once i'm in there.

I walk by her room, looking behind me making sure nobody comes out when I run into something. A wall? No. A person.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Brecken asks strictly, coming out of the bathroom in the hallway. Fucking hell.

"Hm, If i'm not mistaken I think I live here dumbass." I reply trying to step around him to get to my room.

He mimics my steps blocking me from moving forward.

"Yo Riley! Your sisters here." Brecken yells across the hall. Riley rushes out of her room and our eyes meet. Riley immediately looks at me with sorrow. Her eyes search me and I stand there confused as to why she isn't already screaming in my face like she usually does.

"Let her by Breck. Don't be an asshole." Riley says barely bringing her voice above a whisper.

If this is some 'hey i'm sorry for being a dick, i'll back off' apology from Riley I do not accept. She has caused me so much emotional damage and it's the same process every time.

She acts like a bitch to me and then once she realizes she's actually hurt my feelings, she kisses up to me and begs me to forgive her.

Riley is only one year older than me but I've been more mature than her my whole life. And with me turning eighteen in a few days, I'll finally have complete freedom from her.

Brecken scoffs and moves out of the way- walking past me and back into Riley's room.

"I'm sorry about him, he's just mad about his car and shit." Riley whispers again. It's almost like every time she tries to be nice it hurts her ego. Like if she talks too loud and accepts she's a bitch, her reputation will be ruined. Immaturity at its finest.

"Cool." I answer dryly walking into my room. Right when I'm about to close the door, Riley steps in the walkway not letting me. Fucks sake. This again.

"I never meant for any of this to happen Kenna-"

"No Riley, you never meant for me to find out about you two, so cut the bullshit. You're almost twenty. Fucking act like it." I say cutting her off and picking clothes up around my room that I want to bring.

"Come on, don't be like this. I'm trying to apologize." Riley says quietly again.

"Oh are you now? Because not once have I heard the word 'sorry' or 'I apologize'. Get the hell out."

"Fine. But don't come crying to me once that psycho boyfriend of yours breaks your heart." She says breaking the 'innocent' character.

I close the distance between us and now our faces are only inches apart.

"Don't come crying to you? Please-" I scoff, "Don't come crying to me, Brecken Porter is a narcissistic asshole who views girls as objects. Just because he's here right now, doesn't mean your bed is the only one he sleeps in. So by all means, call me names and take your built up anger over the years out on me. But at the end of the day, You'll always be Kennedy Calvin's older sister." I say calmly careful not to raise my voice and show weakness.

Riley's face is stale and her eyes search my face trying to think of something to say. Before she can spit anything out I step back and close my door making sure to lock it.

Only when I hear Riley walk away is when I pack up the rest of my things. I knew if I saw either of them something would go down. But I think I handled it better than last time. Careful not to lash out or lay my hands are her, simply say what I felt and move on. Improvement.

My room is messy and hasn't been lived in since May which is insane. I pack a couple of pictures of Noah, Elle, and I into my carry on suitcase along with my shoes and some extra clothes.

The amount of memories this room holds is hard to swallow but I stand there and take it all in. The sleepovers, the long nights studying, the polaroids that fill the walls. An old chapter in my life, and one i'm ready to let go.

I grab all of my things and walk out of my room, locking it from the inside so nobody can get in. I walk past Riley's room and silence fills the hallway. When I get to the driveway I see Brecken's car already gone.

I meant everything I said to Riley. She will always be family but no person, let alone a family member, deserves to be treated the way I was.

The drive back to Wesley's is calm. The air from outside circulates my car, my music fills the silence that was once in here earlier, and a smile is on my face the whole way home. Home.