--Promise Me You'll Never Feel Afraid--(Synyster Gates)

Chapter 8- La-la? What does 'Do it' mean?

**Pic of Ryleigh on the side**

Chapter 8- La-la? What does ‘Do it’ mean?

I couldn’t really sleep last night. I guess I was still on a high from that amazing date. Just thinking about how sweet he was makes me happy.

I finally decided to get up at around 8. I needed to move, just lying in that bed made me stiff, so I decided to go for a run. It’s a great way to see Huntington, and I wanted to go down to the beach again.

I threw on a sports bra, tank top, and jogging shorts with my tennis shoes. I just put my hair up in a messy pony tail, It’s not like I’m trying to impress anyone. I headed downstairs, and just as I thought, no one was awake yet. Layken sleeps like the dead when she’s pregnant. She needs to wake up soon and go get my Ryleigh. They’re planning on telling her she’s gonna be a big sister tonight over dinner.

I don’t know how she’ll take it. She’s been the only kid for 3 years. She’s used to getting everyone’s undivided attention.

Shaking that thought off, I stepped outside. As soon as I shut the door, I was overwhelmed with how hot it was outside. Oh hot damn it’s hot. I pretty much just said ‘fuck it’ to the tank I was wearing. It was just going the get all sweaty anyway.

I threw my shirt back into the house, not caring where it landed. I plugged my iPod in my ears, and took off. I didn’t know how long I had been running for, before I made it to the beach. I kept running for a little bit until I saw a bench facing the water.

I sat down and just watched everything around me. There was this mother and daughter sitting on the sand making sand castles, and families playing together in the water. I felt a slight pang of jealousy rush through me. Growing up, my family was never like that.

People used to think that because my father was so protective, that we were a close family. But that wasn’t the case. He was always working to keep food on the table for Teagan, Layken, Me and Mom. And the only time that mom spent any time with us was when she wasn’t sleeping with the neighbor.

I’ve always secretly hated her for doing that to my daddy. He worked so hard to keep us alive, and she had to go off being a whore.

If it wasn’t for Teagan and Layken, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Teagan would always make sure I had a ride to gymnastics and school, and that I ate, and bathed. He was my step-in-daddy, and Layken was my confidant. She was like my mother. She’s my best friend.

When they left me for Huntington, I started spending more time with Lucy. Her family took me in at the drop of a hat. This is the longest we’ve been away from each other. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize that someone had sat down next to me.

“Umm, Chyanne? Why are you sitting on a bench at the beach, in only a sports bra and shorts, pouting?” I looked up and saw Alexa staring back at me with an amused grin on her face. “Hey. Well, I went for a run and stopped here. I saw these families here looking all perfect, and it made me think about how discombobulated my family is.” I sighed.

“Oh Chy, it’s ok sweetheart! You have us. You always have. And now you have the guys, we’re like one big happy family!” She exclaimed while wrapping me in a tight hug. We sat there like that for a few minutes, and then something occurred to me.

“Wait, What are you doing here?” I asked her. She let go of me and laughed. “Oh goodness, hahaha! Jimmy and I went over to the house this morning because we were bored. I think everyone planned on meeting there anyway, because about 10 minutes after Jim and I got there,  Johnny and Zack showed up. Well, Layken went upstairs to see if you were awake, because she wanted details from your date last night. But when she came back down, she said you weren’t in the room.” She stopped the breath for a second.