The Pretend Girlfriend

CHAPTER 25

LAURA POV

I arrive home at sunset with a dreamy smile on my face. My dad opens the door as soon as I knock.

"Hey dad," I say cheerfully as I hug him.

"You're in a good mood," he observes.

"Shouldn't I be?" I retort smiling as I enter the house with my father in tow. My mother stands nervously in the hallway.

"Laura you're back," she says.

"Yeah," I say uncertainly looking from her to my dad.

"What's going on?" I ask

"We need to talk... as a family," my mom replies.

"Where is your brother?" she asks.

"I don't know, he was here when I left," I shrug.

"He wasn't here when we got back," my mom says.

"Enough about Jason. What were you guys going to tell us?"

"Sit down," my mom says graciously.

I glance between the both of them again, curious. We all make our way to the living room. I sit on a sofa and they sit on a two seater opposite me.

"Your dad and I have been thinking," my mom starts. I tense up. This is it! they've finally decided on a divorce.

"We've been married for over twenty years. As you know, we had some issues, but we decided to sit down like adults and talk it through,"

"What did you decide?" I ask with resignation.

My mom smiles at me as she and my dad hold hands.

"Wait," I say with tears in my eyes.

"You're getting back together?" I ask.

My parents nod with glassy eyes and I kneel and hug them both.

"Thank you," I say over and over.

"But," I continue breaking the hug and looking at them both.

"Are you guys doing this for yourselves or because of Jason and I? because if you are, you must not do it," I add.

"We're doing this for us, as well as you kids," my dad says.

"Okay," I say relieved as I sit down happily.

My phone beeps. I look at the caller ID. it's Nate.

"Nate. What's up?"

"Have you seen Ally?" he asks without preamble.

"I did see her today, as a matter of fact," I reply.

"When?"

"Some hours ago. Why?"

"Because she texted that she was going to pick you up and I haven't heard from her since," he says slightly panicked.

"Just... call me if you find her," he finishes.

"Okay... I will," I say as he hangs up.

I look up at my parents.

"Um, you said Jason wasn't here when you came back?" I ask curiously.

"No, he wasn't," they reply.

It takes me exactly two seconds to figure it out.

"Oh my God!" I gasp.

FOUR HOURS AGO

ALLY POV

"Why would Laura want to come to a place like this?" I ask in awe, marvelling at her stupidity. It turns out '53 Lajewood drive' is actually a haunted house, figuratively speaking of course. It's a combination of overgrown grass, peeling paint and dinginess all in a remote location to give the ultimate effect of creepiness.