You saved me Maddie

She's gone.

About a year later.

"Ellie, can you come in here for a second?" Moms voice called through our apartment.

I stood up from my bed with a groan and made my way towards my door. I had been on facetime for the last hour with Mila debating which eurovision song was better.

When I opened my door, I saw Howie sitting next to Maddie at the dining table. They both had a smile on their faces and Mom was reaching for something that I couldn't see.

"What's up?" I sat down across from them and crossed my legs.

Mom looked up and beamed at me. Her brown eyes glittering.

"We have something to tell you." She started, glancing over at Howie for reassurance.

"You're finally getting married?" I leaned back and smirked. "Because it's about time."

Weirdly, mom blushed, her eyes wandering between the man sitting across from me and myself.

"Well, no," mom smiled, "something better."

I raised my eyebrows in question.

"I'm," Mom started but changed her mind, "we are pregnant."

My mouth fell open.

"What?"

Mom smiled, and pulled up two black and white photos. Ultrasound photos.

"You're going to have a little sister!"

I looked between the two people with a smile. I squealed and jumped up from my chair to go and hug mom. She laughed and placed a kiss on my hair and chuckled lightly.

Then I jolted awake. The happy buzz from the dream slowly faded away when I realized where I was. I rolled over to my side and saw May sleeping soundly in her bed.

So basically Maddie left 5 months ago. Yeah, the one person I thought would never leave me left. She just left one day. Packed a bag and never came back. So since I've been staying with May and her family. Mila and I see each other in school and sometimes I stay with her. Honestly, I have no idea what I would do without her.

Also I've gone back to calling Maddie by her name rather than mom for obvious reasons.

Initially I was supposed to sleep in the guest room but since my nightmares started acting up again, May offered to let me sleep in her room.

You might be wondering where Jee-Yun and Howie is? Well, a month after Maddie left, he decided that it would be better for me to stay here whilst he took my sister and ran. Yup, such a great family.

I've had a lot of contact with my birth mom too. I've even stayed at her house a few times.

So basically life has continued without her. But it's okay. Athena and Bobby are really nice and Buck is a great uncle. I've gone back to school again and it's been going great. Honestly, I don't need her anymore. I mean, she wasn't here when I turned 17 last month so why would I want her here at all?

Athena came and woke me and May up an hour later. We ate breakfast before Athena took us to school. When me and May were walking through the main corridor someone creeped up behind me and pinched my sides. I squealed and spun around to see Mila grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh my god, I swear one of these days I'm gonna get you back." I breathed, earning a laugh from her.

"Yeah yeah whatever." She smiled and joined us as we resumed our walk.

The three of us conversed for a while before May left for her class while me and Mila continued to ours. We sat down at our assigned seats and waited for the teacher to arrive.

"So," Mila started, sounding rather nervous, "any word from Chimney?"

I sighed and lowered my head.

"No." I answered and looked up at her again.

In response, Mila's hand found mine under the desk. Her fingers intertwined with mine and she gave my hand a squeeze.

"I'm here for you. Whatever you need." She whispered, scooting over and leaning her head on my shoulder.

"I love you." I responded, leaning my head against hers.

"Love you more." She mumbled, fiddling with the rings on my fingers.

"Love you most."

When school finished, Mila followed me home and we spent the afternoon playing video games with May and Harry. Bobby came home a few hours later and me Mila and May helped him make dinner. By helping him I meant chopping vegetables and throwing flour at each other. I loved how well May and Mila worked together. With May almost feeling like a sister, it warmed my heart to see her work so well with my girlfriend.

My amazing girlfriend with her infectious laugh and big brown almond eyes. The one person who stood behind me at all times. My safe space, my rock. I could watch her laugh and joke around with May for hours. The way her smile was slightly lopsided when she smiled for real, revealing a dimple in her left chin. Somehow I knew that this was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I know I'm only seventeen but I've never met another person like her. She loves books and music like no one else. Like, she could read for hours and then proceed to call me to tell me all about it. She's so compassionate, always sneaking small notes in my books or sending cute texts. I'm still in my honeymoon phase and it's been almost two years now.

One of the upsides to living with Bobby and Athena is definitely the food because good lord it's amazing. They are amazing too of course. I see them as kind of an aunt and uncle situation which is nice because I've never had that before. I love eating dinner with them, even though tonight Athena and Harry were absent. She was working a night shift whilst Harry stayed at his dad's, so it was just me, Mila, May and Bobby. We spend our dinner talking about school and the fire house. Apparently, Buck jumped off a roof today (with a rope of some kind) and Bobby was not that happy about it.

After Mila went home, me and May retraced to her room to talk for a while before going to sleep.

—

(A/N)
Hiii guys, missed me? Felt like this might be a good storyline bcs I love writing angst (sorry lol). Anyways, so basically now Ellie is 17 and a bit more independent. I felt like she needed to grow up a bit for Maddie's disappearance when she got depressed and stuff but maybe some avoiding behavior towards Jee-Yun and Chimney? I'm not really sure but if I feel like it I might do a few chapters! 🙈

Also, how are you?
Remember to eat and drink something today, you deserve it!