I'm Here. (Pentatonix Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

I heard pounding footfalls as Scott and Mitch bursted into the house after me, searching for the source of the scream. My cheeks were wet with tears as I kneeled in front of my mother's dead body. No. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be happening. My own mother, who had loved me and cared for me since birth. Even after my dad died, she never left me. I loved her more than I could ever love anyone else. Now... She was just gone. How had this happened? Why had this happened? Why did it have to happen to me? Why couldn't it be some random stranger I didn't even know? All I could do was crumble into a heap onto the ground and cry. Cry until I physically couldn't anymore.
"Val...Val...Valerie." I heard a faint voice, almost as if it was in my head. I wanted to push it away, to just focus on the sadness, but I couldn't. I looked up at my mom one last time. Her fingers twitched slightly. I sprang up from the ground and rushed over to her, trying to shake her awake. Maybe she was alive, maybe all of this would be okay. I grabbed her hand and stroked it gently.
"Mom? A...are you okay?" I asked quietly. She groaned slightly, and looked up at me, then at Scott and Mitch, who were standing behind me. Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Take care of her." She then turned to me.
"I love you baby." She uttered, a small smile escaping her lips. Her breathing became shallower and shallower, until it stopped altogether.
"No!" I screamed, trying to shake her awake.
"You can't be dead! You just can't be!" I tried, my voice getting hoarse. I just wanted to wake up out of this horrible nightmare. Why couldn't I? Mitch, almost crying himself, rushed over to me and hugged me tightly, lifting me into his arms and carrying me into the car. He laid me down in the backseat and closed the door. Scott got into the car as well, and handed me a small box. I took it from him and put it in my lap, taking off the lid slowly.
"I found this under the table." He said quietly. I gasped, new tears forming in my eyes as I took out my baby blanket. I cuddled it tightly.
"Thank you." I whispered. I fell asleep, and Mitch gently woke me up after they parked at their apartment. He took my hand and lead me over to a large building. Before we walked in though, he stopped me.
"Are you okay with cats?" He asked.
"Yes... I-I love cats." I said, sniffling slightly.
We walked into a grand lobby and up a fancy elevator, and finally into an apartment. I immediately recognized the living room from countless Superfruit videos. I felt small taps on the bottom of my legs and looked down to see the cat that I knew so well.
"Wyatt!" I whispered to myself. Scott picked the hairless cat up and kissed his nose.
"Do you want to hold him?" He asked, offering me the cat.
"Um.. Sure." I said, putting my arms around Wyatt and cuddling him into my chest.
"Anyone hungry?" Mitch asked, walking into a kitchen and opening the refrigerator. Scott raised his hand in the air and jumped up and down.
"Me! Me! Me!"
Mitch just laughed and threw a banana at him.
"Oh you're hungry are you now?" He said, giggling as Scott caught the banana and playfully opened it.
"Me too Mitchie!" I nearly jumped into Scott's arms as I heard another voice from down the hall.
"Who's that?" I asked timidly.
"That's my boyfriend, Alex." He said, chuckling a little. A tall man with dirty blonde hair came running down the hallway, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me.
"W-Who's this?" He asked awkwardly.
"This is Valerie. She's... Uh... Living with us now." Mitch said, walking over to me with an apple in his hands.
"Hey Alex, think fast!" He yelled, suddenly throwing the apple at Alex's face. He caught it swiftly with one hand.
"Nice try Mitchie. You're never going to get me." He laughed, then turned back to me.
"So.. Why exactly is she living with us?" He asked.
"Come with me, I'll tell you in our room." Scott laughed nervously, pulling Alex into a bedroom I assumed they shared and shutting the door, leaving me alone with Mitch. He turned to me and bent down.
"You hungry Valerie?" He asked, putting a hand on my back.
"A little, yeah." I replied quietly, fidgeting with my hands. I felt very uncomfortable. I loved Scott and Mitch, and I was so grateful they were taking care of me, but it just felt so weird. Just a few hours ago, I had been fangirling over the chance to even meet Pentatonix, and now two of the members were technically my parents? I just wished I could go home to my mom and sleep in my own bed and listen to Pentatonix... Not live with them. I didn't know what to think. Mitch handed me an orange as Scott and Alex emerged from their bedroom. Their faces were both wet with tears, and they both had somber expressions on their faces. Mitch walked over to them and hugged them both.
"Are you guys okay?" He asked, his voice filled with worry. I stood in the corner and began peeling my orange. They both shook their heads and stared at the ground.
"I know what'll make you guys feel better! Let's watch SpongeBob!" He yelled, pulling everyone over to the couch and turning on the TV. I sat in between Scott and Mitch, and Mitch put an arm around me comfortingly. On my other side, Scott was holding Alex's hand, rubbing his thumb over his fingers. We watched SpongeBob for the rest of the night, and I ended up falling asleep with my head on Scott's lap and my legs sprawled across Mitch's lap.