You saved me Maddie

Jee is her daughter, I'm not.

So Maddie was back. When she left I thought she would come back in a week. That week quickly grew into a month that grew in to two months that grew into six months and so on. So yeah, if she came back within the first week I might have been more keen on her being back but the fact that she's been back for over a week infuriates me more than I thought it would.

After my breakdown, Bobby and Athena gave Howie an earful to say the least. Not that I was allowed to listen. May had brought me into our room and put on the tv to drown out the noice of them arguing. It didn't really work though, but I appreciated the effort.

After my very emotional weekend, I went to my final week at school. Oh and I graduated high school too (crazy right??). That's another thing Maddie missed. Basically, the whole 118 attended my graduation (not including Howie though, thank god). Then I went back to Mila's for a graduation party, kind of. We just sat and ate a fancy dinner with her family but honestly, that's way nicer than anything I would've done with Maddie. I met Mila's cousins that are 8 and 10 and her aunts and uncles. After that I stayed over and we watched a movie before going to bed.

The morning after, Mila decided for whatever reason, that we should go for a walk. It was like just after eight but I agreed weirdly enough. I swear, this girl is the only one who can make me go for a walk before 10 o'clock. So we dragged on our sneakers and set out on our adventure to take a walk around the nearby park before buying some breakfast.

Her hand was holding mine as we mindlessly strolled down the street towards our favorite breakfast place. It smelled of coffee and freshly baked pastries. After Mila went to order our regular coffees, we stood against a wall while we waited. She had her arm hung over my shoulders and we were talking about the week we had planned. She and I would go to the beach every day, do some shopping and just relax. Just as Mila leaned my head against her shoulder and placed a kiss on it, the front door to the cafe opened. And low and behold, through it stepped none other than Maddie. Her hair was shorter since the last time I saw her, maybe a bit darker too. She was dressed in a leather jacket, a pair of blue jeans and a white shirt. Not the look she would've gone for before she left. On her hip she had Jee-Yun propped up, one hand going under her bum to keep her in place. Mila noticed where I was looking at and I felt her tense up.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me?" She muttered through gritted teeth.

Her arm that went on my shoulders hugged me closer and she placed another kiss on my head.

"It's okay, don't mind her." She reassured me.

Maddie hadn't seen us, but she was moving closer to the counter.

The barista placed our coffee cups and our pastries in a to go bag and called out "coffee for Mila and Ellie!"

Great timing universe, thanks.

Mila gave me an encouraging smile before taking my hand in hers and walking over to the counter, straight into Maddie's view. She flashed the barista one of her perfect smiles before turning to walk out. Her hand was still holding mine but she handed me the paper bag containing our pastries so that she had one hand free. When we turned to walk out, Maddie stopped dead in her tracks. Her face lost all its color and her eyes misted over.

"Ellie?" She asked, voice wavering.

I pursed my lips and kept on walking without saying anything. I could feel Mila boiling internally but I squeezed her hand to let her know I was okay. We walked passed Maddie on our way out and exited the store without a word. Mila let out a sigh before turning to me.

"You okay El?" She questioned, her brown eyes glittering in the morning sun.

I nodded. I thought I would feel something more when she came back but honestly I didn't. Maddie had only really been apart of my life about a year and a few months when she got pregnant so it didn't really feel that hard. Sure I felt betrayed by her but I can't really miss someone who hasn't been in my life for long.

I've grown up a lot since she left too. I'm no longer the dependent, traumatized girl she met in a hospital. My red hair that used to barely reach my elbows, now reach my waist. I dress more mature, I have a girlfriend, friends, an education and a life that I chose myself. The seven months she's been gone feels longer, mostly for the fact that she left me way before she left the city. And to see her with Jee, well that was not really a surprise. Jee is her daughter, I'm not.

—

When me and Mila got home a day later I heard Athena talking angrily to someone in the kitchen. I knew there was someone there because Athena wouldn't yell as loud of she was on the phone but I didn't know who it was. Our steps were barely audible compared to Athena's words. We had to walk down to the living room to get to mine and May's room so either way it was unavoidable. Mila's hand was in mine as we slowly walked down the stairs.

"You can't act like this!" Athena roared. "It's not fair to her!"

We stepped down into the living area and my face dropped. Athena was standing in the middle of the kitchen, her eyes blazing while she looked at the other person in the room. They both noticed our steps at the same time and spun around to face us. The other person was Maddie. What the fuck was the doing here? Mila's grip on my hand tightened.

"Ellie," Maddie said, eyes begging, "it's time to go home."

Mila stepped in front of me in a protective manner.

"She's not going anywhere unless she wants to." My girlfriend responded.

I've never heard her this angry before.

"I agree with Mila." Athena said from behind Maddie.

"And who are you to decide that?" Maddie asked, directing her question towards Mila.

"I'm this amazing persons girlfriend," Mila gestured to me, "and she isn't going anywhere if she's not comfortable."

I stepped up beside Mila, our hands still intertwined.

"Athena, you can't keep her here." Maddie turned to Athena. "I'm her mother."

Athena scowled at her.

"I'm not making her stay here." She hissed. "She can choose if she wants to come with you."

"You're not my mother." I spoke up, making Maddie snap back around to look at me. "You left me."

Mila squeezed my hand to let me know she was there.

"Ellie I didn't mean to." She said, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

I raised my eyebrows in a 'really?' look.

"Please just come home."

I scoffed, forcing a fake smile onto my lips.

"I am home, this is my family."

—

Ooooo dramaaaaaaaa!! I actually finished this chapter last night but I kind of proofread it today so that's why I released it now. So Maddie wants Ellie back but Ellie doesn't want that (slay Ellie). Idk how u feel abt chimney being a bad stepdad but I'm one of those ppl who thinks he's annoying so that's why lol. Also, I tried to like show how Maddie kind of chose Jee-Yun over Ellie when they saw each other in the coffee shop. Idk maybe it's weird or smth.

On another note, I lost my voice last Thursday (it's currently Monday) and now I sound like a door hinge when I speak😍

Kay bye