Jupiter Falls ✓

o7| ignored phone calls

Chapter 7 
Dedicated to -hurts because she's amazing and Vile (that I recently read is just—too good).

The road ahead was daring, well to me at least. It was like the road was giving me a wicked, sinister Joker style smile, which further made my body temperature rise as only I was feeling like a burning inferno, not Hays or the people I was about to see. The car had stopped moving because Hays had stopped driving—it made sense but I couldn't, couldn't, couldn't process where we were. It's been years. I feel like I'm about to stop breathing any minute from now.

"It'll be fine," Hays, my fiancé whispered, placed her hand over mine and my nerves seemed to have subsided just barely.

"I can do this," I said—like I was trying to persuade a kamikaze to abandon their mission.

"We can do this, we're in this together." I took a deep breath in at her words and opened the door. Hays got out too and met me at the pavement. As we walked hand in hand together down the grey paved slabs of concrete I felt my myself getting stronger and being lifted with her at my side. I can do this. I can face my mother—my family.

We stood at the door and waited, Hays looked for the nod of my head, but I didn't give it so we stood in silence. Hays was looking at me with worry in her eyes and I was looking back at our laughing parked car as I thought about how long it would take to run away from this scene about to unfold.

I started moving my feet, wanting to escape but Hays only squeezed her hand calming me (slightly). The sounds came from the other side of the door, my breath hitched and it was swung open.

There she stood. Her face unchanged and emotive. All I could do was stare like a mindless idiot and all she did was stare back. The silence was unbecoming for that of family, but what can you do huh?

"I saw you two outside the door, waited for a knock but it never came so I just—"

"It's okay, can we come in?" Hays asked.

"Yes, of course," my mother said opening the door wider. My mouth was still pressed closed, only those who knew me would know I was uncomfortable.

Hays walked in first passed my mother, the door and the welcoming mat. I followed her and didn't once look up to see that face of the woman that birthed me.

I walked into the pale yellow living room, looked around and not much had changed. There were some pictures littered here and there of (little) me, dad and mum and dad's son—my half older brother, Alexander. I wasn't surprised I saw more pictures of Alexander which seemed to be more recent. My eyes nearly pushed out a tear in anguish thinking about why there weren't any recent pictures of me.

The worst part is, the reason there weren't was standing right next to me (well partly). I stole a glance at her, my fiancé and I don't regret it. I'd rather her than them.

Hays was looking at the pictures of my family, currently the ones on the fireplace, I think I was 15 in that picture, Alexander must have been about 18. Hays must be smiling at the braces on my teeth in that family portrait.

I felt the vibration first, then heard the opening ringtone of my phone. I took the loud phone from my front jean pocket and froze.

Harry.