One day

Chapter 20

Haydens POV:

Okay so I was surprised to find out that he lives a normal life. In his normal home, with his normal family. But, where is his dad? It's way past working hours and he's a no show. I don't want to bring him up in case it's a sore subject for these pretty cool people. Today just hasn't been my usual day, I mean I've told him all my deepest, darkest secrets, so now two people know and I don't seem to mind. Stupid Fox, he's just broken down my walls and wormed his way in, in such a short period of time. Damn him. His mom and little sister are great, Neve just cracks me up! She is the spitting image of her mom and just as funny. The first thing his mom does after meeting me is offer to look at Fox's baby photos. One word for that experience. Hilarious. He was a funny looking baby let me tell you.

After sitting down for dinner, which was amazing btw, we all moved into the living room and just sat around watching TV, talking and laughing, and joking around. Me and Neve were sat on the floor playing with her ponies and dolls. She would throw me this dirty look if I didn't do the voices of each of my dolls. And every time Fox and his mom would laugh. I was reaching over to place my pony back in a stable when I hear a little voice.

"What's that on your side?"

I look down at what she's looking at and it's part of my tattoo. I consider telling her it's nothing but I hate to lie so I tell her to truth.  "It's a tattoo kid."

"What's a tattoo?" She innocently asks.

"It's' like a picture coloured in on my skin forever." I try to explain the best I can for someone so young.

"Can I see them?!" She asks excitedly.

I look to her mom to see what her reaction is. She just nods, almost as excited as her daughter. I huff a laugh and pull off my shirt and jumper leaving me in nothing but my sports bra. Neve looks at my tattoos with wide eyes and Fox's mom mirrors her daughter, Neve gingerly reaches her hand out to touch them.

"It's ok, you can touch them if you want." I say.

Fox is looking at me funny but I can't put my finger on it. Neve is giggling as she's tracing over my tattoos and surprises me as she starts to tickle me. I gasp as I try to get away from her tiny wiggling fingers.

"W-w-what is that!" Fox's mom stutters out whilst pointing at the scar on my side by my ribs. Me, realising what she's looking at , I jump up as if she's burnt me with a cigarette and throw my tops o in record time. Looking at the floor and the front door I thank her for having me and make a run for my bag and shoes by the front door. But somehow I'm not fast enough, she beats me to it and blocks my path to the front door with her arms crossed. She has what I think is a motherly look on her face but I'm not sure as I've never seen one before, especially a look of concern for me anyway. The looks itself almost makes me want to come clean but I don't. How can I? How can I let an adult know what I've done. I'll for sure end up in a police station in cuffs going to prison for murder.  So I do what I do best, throw on my jacket, put on a blank face and resume my indifferent façade.

Looking her dead in the eye I say, "I don't know what you're talking about." I can't let her see how scared I am of this confrontation.

"Honey I'm an ER nurse, so I know what a gun shot scar looks like but what I don't know is how someone like you got one." She frowns as if she's trying to fugure my story out. But she won't, how can she, it's hard to even imagine the hell I went through.

"Someone like me?" I huff out a fake laugh. "Right like you know me after an hour, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but you have not got any idea about someone like me. I've experienced things you couldn't even dream of. I've had responsibilities no one my age should ever have to go through but me, I pull through because I'm not just thinking about myself. So I'm sorry if I don't fit your image of 'someone like me'. Now if you'll excuse me I have a bed time I have to be on time for." With that I shoulder past her and out the door and start for the nearest bus stop, not wanting to be in that house anymore than I have to.  

So I make my way home and blare my music through my headphones on the bus while I wait for my stop. I can't stop thinking about what I said to Fox's mom, was I out of line? Did I take it too far? Who knows? But what I do know is that I will do whatever it takes to look after my baby brother and keep him out of harms way. He deserves a better life than what I had. He deserves more and I will do everything I can to give him that, I will happily sacrifice my happiness to do so. Finally the bus pulls up to my stop, I jump off and make the short walk back home. Creeping through the front door in case everyone's asleep. in the front room I see my uncle fast asleep and snoring loudly, so I creep down the corridor to my room but just before I reach my door I'm pounced on by my baby brother.

"How was school Hay-day? You were out late today, did you make friends yet?" Seeing him so concerned with whether I've made friends yet  or not melts me a little.

"Yeah kiddo, I've made friends, in fact that's where I was today after school. I was with a friend named Fox. I had dinner with his family. They're nice people."

"Is he your BOYYYYYYYYFRIEND?!" He squeals like a little girl and I bust up laughing at him and he soon joins in my laughter. We sit there for a little while just together not saying a thing until I hoist him and tell him it's time for bed.

"Come on you, lets get you to bed you scoundrel." I murmur as I tickle his belly when I lift him up. I can tell he's tired. He's yawning and rubbing his eyes with his fists. Picking him up I carry him into his room. Walking over to his bed I pull back the quilt and gently lay him down and cover him up. I watch him sleep for a bit and I realise that he is the best and most innocent thing in my life. The most valuable. Walking out quietly, turning off the light I close the door gently and head for my room. But on my way I decide to head to the living room and wake up the snoring giant on the sofa.

"Hey!" I whisper shout to try and wake him but it's no use. So I start to nudge and shove him to get him to wake up. Giving up with being nice I get mad and kick him in the shin to wake him up. It works because all of a sudden he snorts himself awake and grabs his shin. "Huh? W-what?!" He looks around all confused and it's kind of funny I can't help but laugh.

"Get to bed, you were asleep on the sofa, unless you want a back ache and terrible neck cramp I suggest you get to bed."

"Thanks kid, when did you get in?" He yawns.

"Just now, was at a friends house for dinner, I'm sorry I didn't call I will next time. Well I'm heading off to bed now so I'll see you in the morning." I kiss his cheek as I walk down to my room. And I'm sure I've left him stunned, both with the apology and the kiss.

HIYA GUYS! SORRY I'VE BEEN ABSENT FOR SO LONG BUT I'M BACK WITH A LONG NEW CHAPTER AND A BRAND NEW STORY COVER!

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