Desperate to salvage all that's left in his and his brothers' careers, Daxton enlists the help of the innocent and blind Mikayla Hudson. However, Mikayla soon realizes that lying to the professionals proves more challenging than she firsts anticipat...
Though she'd dreamed of the day, now that it had arrived, nothing about it felt monumental and exciting. She'd always envisioned it- cardboard boxes packed and filled with nostalgia and a chest filled with excitement for the new journey ahead. Instead, as Nick and Daxton piled her bags into the car and her parents grouched from the living room, Mikayla only felt apprehension.
"Annie, do you think I'm making a mistake?" She asked Annabelle quietly. They sat in her - now old- bedroom. Annabelle sat alongside her on the bed, and she could hear little Sophia gurgle from in front of her.
"Yes," Annabelle answered quickly, and Mikayla's gasp followed just as suddenly.
"What?" She screeched.
Annabelle sighed and Mikayla felt her hand on her shoulder a moment later. "Hear me out?" She pleaded. "I do think you're making a mistake. I think it's reckless to be in this situation- in Cameron's lifestyle- but I understand your reasons. I don't agree with them but, I understand them."
"You don't think I should be doing this?"
"I don't but, I'm not going to stop you either."
Mikayla turned her head in her friends' direction. "Why? You just said I'm making a mistake, isn't this the part where we go fetch my things?"
Annabelle giggled. "You may have forgotten but, a little over a year ago, I did something just as reckless as what you're doing now. You didn't stop me then and I won't stop you now."
"Your situation was different," Mikayla argued.
"No, it wasn't, actually my situation was worse. I legally married a man I'd only just met. Sure things turned out great for us but, they could have been so much worse. You and Jim had every reason to be scared for me but, instead of cursing me till the sun came up, you supported me. That's what friends do. You understood my choice and you trusted my judgement. You kept your eye on Nick and kept close to us to be sure I was in no danger. I'm going to do the same."
Mikayla grinned and leaned forwards to hug Annabelle. She misjudged the distance between them and instead fell clumsily into Annabelle's chest with her head hitting Annabelle's legs. The girls simply just laughed as Mikayla readjusted her position. "You're the best Annie B," she whispered into her shoulder. "Thank you for not fighting me on this."
When they pulled away, Annabelle reached for her hand. "I'll always have your back. You now know I don't agree with this plan you all created but, I'm going to trust your judgement and just be here to support you any way I can."
"Thank you." They heard footsteps clunking up the stairs and then suddenly Nick's strong voice was heard as he quickly announced his entrance for Mikayla's sake.
"We're all packed downstairs, just waiting on you lovely ladies." Mikayla blushed but Annabelle simply scoffed.
"Always the charmer," she teased before climbing off the bed. Mikayla heard their shuffling around the room along with their soft whispers towards their daughter. She was happy for her friend, but envy still weighed heavily in her heart. She wished to have even a small bit of the happiness Annabelle had with Nick.
"What do you mean you're going?" Mikayla was startled by Nick's loud voice and so was Sofia. Her wails filled the room.
"Now look what you've done," Annabelle chastised as she tried to soothe her daughter.
Nick growled. "Please tell me I heard wrong Belle." Mikayla wasn't sure what they were arguing about, but she was glad Nick's volume had lowered.
"You heard right. I'm staying with Mickey." Mikayla's eyes enlarged and hope suddenly shot through her.
"You can't," Nick sneered.
"And why not?" Annabelle answered, her own anger now being evident in her voice.
"What about Sofia? What about me? You have a home. You cannot abandon it for your friend."
"I can't believe you'd be so insensitive. This move is scary for Mikayla and it'll help having someone familiar around her. It won't be forever, just until Mikayla is comfortable in the new house. I need to be there for her."
Silence filled the room again and Mikayla shuffled with nervousness. She never did enjoy tension. It made her worry about the unseen around her and the trouble it could lead to. "Annabelle, I'll be fine." She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. Truth was, she was relieved Annabelle had thought about staying with her. The idea had been on her mind, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up. Annabelle understood what this move meant for her and she really did need her friend for this. What Annabelle failed to consider was her family and Mikayla would never selfishly take Annabelle away from that.
"What about Sofia? What about me?" He asked again.
So, it seemed they were ignoring her. Story of her life really.
"Come with us." Annabelle answered.
It was quiet, far too quiet. Mikayla ran her hands up and down her thighs. "Okay," Nick eventually answered. "I'm only agreeing to this because I know I can't change your mind and because I'm generally scared of either you girls being alone with Cameron."
Mikayla smiled and Annabelle giggled. "You scared he'll sweep me off my feet?" Annabelle teased with suggestion.
Nick scoffed. "Trust me, I'm not worried about that. You girls really don't know what you've got yourself into with Cameron."
"It can't be that bad," Mikayla argued from the bed. "Can it?"
The silence worried her.
~~***~~
It had taken the men half the time to unpack Mikayla's things as it had to pack them. She knew Nick was grateful for Daxton's staff. The room they'd prepared for her was upstairs, between Daxton and Cameron's rooms. The room Annabelle would share with Nick was across the hallway from Mikayla's. That arrangement comforted her. She still hadn't had a chance to walk around the house, but Annabelle had made sure to guide her around her new room. Or home depending on who you asked.
Mikayla just knew the room was twice as large as her old one and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. In her old room, everything felt close and warm and comfortable. Now, everything felt far, cold and empty. At least the bathroom was an en suite.
"It'll take some getting used to Mickey," Annabelle reassured. They'd been hiding in her new room for an hour already. Daxton had come passed already, excited that the move was captured and by tomorrow, clear pictures of her will be on every magazine along with the articles detailing her supposed relationship with the celebrity.
If only they knew the truth. If only they knew that she'd never been in a relationship before.
"Still think I'm making a mistake?" Mikayla asked Annabelle.
"Yes," she answered simply. "But things could change. Stranger things have happened."
Mikayla grinned at the thought. "I'm not sure what's stranger than this?"
"Cameron could fall for you and make this relationship real," Annabelle suggested through her giggles and Mikayla snorted at the thought.
"I'd have my full vision back before that ever happened."
She felt Annabelle nod against her. "Who knows, maybe it'd be Daxton you end up with instead." Mikayla stilled. "Stranger things have happened."
Mikayla chuckled nervously. "Yeah, who knows."
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