Then There Was You

1.

Blakely

Packing the last of my boxes and sitting them in the corner of my now bare room, i plopped onto the unmade bed.

"Why can't you go to a local university like all of us" my best friend, Kayla whines plopping down beside me

"Kay you know this has been my dream plus it's only 5 hours away" I give her a small smile shaking my head sadly.

Tomorrow I'll be heading out to start a chapter. I'll be able to make my own decisions and do what I want to do. I'll be able to distance myself from my increasingly strained relationship with my father.

I'll also be able to pick up my relationship with Jackson, my older brother, as we will both be attending Florida State.

"The University or finally being close to him again?" She raised an eyebrow at me as she sat up on the bed

"You know my choice had nothing to do with him" My cheeks reddened giving my lie away instantly.

Of course I wanted to go to Florida University for the education and the gorgeous city scenery but I would be in denial if I were to say that was the only reason why I worked so hard to get in.

My mind drifts off to the moppy brown headed boy with dazzling brown eyes.

Matteo.

The boy I've had a crush on since I was seven years old.

My brothers best friend.

The boy who does not see me as anything other than being Jackson's baby sister.

"Mmmhm" Kayla shook her head in disapproval "sure"

I groan covering my face with the one pillow I left unpacked to sleep on tonight.

"Fine maybe it slightly has something to do with him"

"Told you" I didn't have to look at her to tell she was grinning like an idiot at the small victory of getting me to confess the obvious.

"Yeah yeah. Now miss know it all help me get these downstairs please" I smiled at her gesturing to the boxes filled to the brim with my belongings.

*************************************

The day passed by before we knew it, it was 9pm. Jackson has probably started on his way here to pick me up and help me move in on campus.

Kayla and I at some point moved our way back downstairs into the living room and we started binge watching all of our favorite Horror movies only pausing it to pee or get more snacks from the kitchen.

Right as the scariest scene of Insidious, where the red face demon was behind Josh as his mother talks about his astral projection, the front door to my house flies open making both of us scream at the top of our lungs grasping into one another for dear life

"Why the hell are you screamin." My father's gravely voice slurred as he continued farther into the house passing the two now traumatized girls on his couch sitting at the dining room table

"Sorry dad" I sighed pausing the movie

"Go to bed you got school in the morning" he rubbed his temples in annoyance with my presence.

Every night it's the same thing, dad comes home late super drunk and irritated at my existence in the world and in his life. He would never be abusive when he drank he just pushes himself away and occasionally say something hurtful only to not remember what was said the next day.

It wasn't always this way though before mom's death he was a good dad. Maybe even the best dad, a dad who loved and cared for his children. I can't blame him though I miss mom too. We all do. Everybody just has a different way to cope with it.

Jackson distanced himself from the house after awhile not wanting to speak of her, he was away when she passed and I think he feels guilty not being around during her last days. I on the other hand wrote letters to her and continued on her love of photography. Which is what I'll be majoring in college.

She passed away alittle over a year ago from a rare bone cancer we knew it was coming. Not long after she was diagnosed she began showing signs of illness and it just got worse and worse as the days went on. When she left, a piece of my dad left with her. They were high school sweethearts, had the picture perfect family, and a cute white picket fence suburban house with a gorgeous Mountain View. What more could they ask for?

He started drinking to help him sleep at night but quickly it turned into a dependency on it. Everyday he would drink more and eventually not a hour went by he didn't have some form of alcohol in his hand.

"I better get going I'll see you before you leave tomorrow!" Kayla smiled sadly at me hugging me as she made her way to the front door

"Bye Mr Addams it was nice seeing you" she shut the creaky door behind her leaving the two of us alone.

"Dad.." I sighed " did you forget I'm heading to college tomorrow" I ushered my arms in the direction of all my boxes stacked by the front door

"Do you think I'm stupid Blakely?" He grits out running his hands through his shaggy unkept blonde hair

"N-no sir. Not at all" I whispered looking down at the floor

"Good. Now I'm heading out for a while" he stumbles back into the living room, after rummaging through the fridge grabbing a case of glass bottles, pulling me into a hug the scent of alcohol singeing my nose hairs making me want to gag.

"Be careful. I love you" I said as he pulled away leaving immediately after slamming the door shut behind him.

I sigh feeling bad for the man who was stuck raising me alone for a year all while going through the worst heartbreak anyone could ever imagine.

Jackson tried his best to be there for both of us right after mom's death but he just couldn't take more time off of school or so he said, I believe it was just too hard for him to stick around. He was there for her funeral and burial service but left right afterwards.

I snuggled farther into the couch thinking about what's to come in the next few weeks. New classes, new friends, more time with Jackson and most of all seeing Matteo.

My plan is to finally catch his attention and show him I am more than just his best friends little sister.
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A/N

Hi! Thank you for choosing my book and giving it a chance!

I hope you like it.

I have big plans for this story and I am happy you will join me on this journey!

Forgive me for my grammar and punctuation errors I will try to go back and fix it later on!

Thank you, S x
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Start date: 10.20.24