Honorary Hope

Return

I get home from school to find Marlon and Carly sitting on the sofa. Since I picked up April we're both stood holding hands in the doorway.

"What she doing here?" April asks confused as she looks up at me.

"I live here don't I?" Carly jokes but I just stare at her just as confused as April.

Why was she back? Why now? Why not before? Does she really hate us? Did she really come to see Marlon and hoped to leave before we got back?

"not for the past week or so." I say under my breath although by the look on her face Carly heard me.

"April, Ava I want to tell you about my little boy." Carly says.

"You don't have a little boy." April replies bluntly as she sits between Carly and Marlon and I perch on the coffee table.

"Do you remember when I told you that there was someone I missed and that he lived in heaven?" Carly questions. April nods her head shyly but I just stared blankly.

"Well his name was Billy and when he was a baby he got poorly and he died. So when you were chocking, I froze not because I don't love you but because I do." Carly explains.

"Because you lost Billy?" April questions sadly.

"Yeah and I couldn't face loosing you as well because I love you." Carly replies.

"I love you too." April tells her.

"So am I forgiven?" Carly asks smiling a little.

"No you have to past the inniation." April tells her.

"Do you mean an initiation?" Marlon questions and April nods.

"How do you even know what that is?" Marlon asks but Carly's staring at me as if to ask me the same question but I just can't forgive her not after everything. I get up and go through to the kitchen  grabbing a glass of water and go outside to sit on the step. It's a little while later when I hear the door behind me open and close.

"You know when I left, I thought things would be easier that you would be better off without me because at least then I couldn't hurt you. It seems like I managed to hurt you just as much by leaving though." Carly says coming and sitting by the step.

"I get why you left, I get that you couldn't face it. Not after what happened, You didn't want to loose us but you did. Maybe I could forgive you for that but you said you didn't want us that we weren't you responsibility." I say tears rolling down my cheeks.

"I didn't mean it, I promise you." She says shuffling close so we're side by side.

"I thought if I said it maybe it would make leaving easier and maybe Marlon wouldn't be willing me to comeback because he'd realise I don't deserve him but we both knew it wasn't true. I thought about you both everyday and all I wanted to do was coming back but I thought it was better for both of you if I stayed away." Carly explains

"Come on I better get inside and see what my initiation is." Carly says standing up from the step.

"Well if I had my way an embarrassing outfit which you have to wear to the pub and then a couple of shots for Marlon since there's no way he'll add to this." I laugh standing up too.

"Good job April's picking then." Carly replies and we both hug.

"Promise you'll never leave again." I say pulling away from the hug.

"Promise." She replies and we go inside so that Carly can start April's initiation challenge.