It's Complicated (A Ross Lynch Story)

Mia

I couldn't imagine the questions running through his head. Not about Hazel, but me.

"Foster sister...so you..." he started.

I nodded,"I went into the system when I was 9."

He didn't look at me directly. I knew actually what he wanted to ask, the same thing everyone wanted to know. It's a natural and obvious curiousity for my situation, but not everyone had the courage to ask it. And others just assumed I didn't want to talk about it. I've past that phase though.

I answered his question for him,"My mom died in childbirth, my dad ran off when it got too much to take care of me. With no other family to take me in I went straight into the foster sytem."

He took in my words and sighed,"...Mia I...I had no idea."

I smiled a little,"How could you? I never told you, I never told anyone. But I sometimes acted as though I did and that wasn't fair of me." I added the last part a little softer.

A brisk breeze blew past us and I shivered slightly. I tightened my coat around me and moved away the hair that blew into my face.

I held my hand out to him. He looked at it for a few quick second before taking it. I led him in the direction we started.

His grip on my hand was firm and secure. He would occasionally pull me closer, and I'd follow. I wasn't looking for Ross to pity me, in fact that's the last thing I wanted. I just wanted the truth to be out.

I stopped us in front of what was now that perfect home, occupied by a loving and growing family.

"This is where I lived when Hazel's parents took me in." I explained.

"It's nice." He said.

I shook my head,"It wasn't always."

I felt him turn and look at me. I met his eyes and nodded at the family that could be seen through the big bay window in front.

"That family, that's what I always wanted. I thought I found that when I lived here..." I shrugged,"hell I did for a while. But it ended too quickly."

"What happen?" He asked.

"Hazel died." I said simply,"Everything changed."

Flashback

I could hear the sirens coming, and I prayed for them to get louder. But in the back of my head I knew it would be too late.

I sat on the ground, my hand covered in her blood, I tried to stop the bleeding but it somehow only made it worse. My vision was blurred with tears as I held her to me and tried to hold her as tightly as possible, hoping her life would be longer if I did.

"Come on Hazel stay with me," I pleaded through my tears. But she was completely still,"Open your eyes you have to open your eyes!" I yelled.

Still nothing. I felt her breathing stop completely. My heart stopped just as hers did, my eyes burned with tears and my soul crushed. I was in complete denial that it was so simple. One second she was breathing, the next she wasn't. All my mind kept saying was,"This isn't happening...this isn't happening."

"Please..." I pled quietly.

I heard my foster mom yelling for help, she was on her knees in a puddle of rain.

My world was turned upside that day. I watched the life leave my best friend's body...and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

End of flashback.

We had ended up sitting on the curb, Ross stared quietly at me as I spoke.

"After that day things just kept getting worse. Hazel's dad blamed her mom and started hitting her, her mom started drinking as a way to deal with the abuse. When that stopped working she started saying it was my fault so that he would go after me instead...so he did." I looked at him, completely solemn.

"How long did this go on?" He asked.

I sighed,"Ross..."

"How long?" He asked again.

"...3 years." I answered.

He just looked at me. That old voice in the back of my head was telling me he was disappointed in me. That he thought I was weak. 

I looked away and tried to push the voice away. That voice was the reason I lied to Ross in the first place.

I heard him move and I felt his body come next to mine,"Mia..." his finger came to my chin gently and he turned my head. He cupped my face with the same hand and stroked my cheek gently with his thumb. I could see him contemplating what to say.

"You could've told me." He said softly.

I was slightly surprised by his words. I expected something a little different. Like,"You should've told me."

I nodded,"I didn't want to bring you into my mess. I couldn't wait till I was 18 and out of the system, that's why I left."

His hand moved from my face and to my back where it rested over my hair,"I thought I could find family somewhere else...I didn't see I had one right in front of me."

A small smile formed on his face and he leaned forward, placing a light kiss on my temple.

He nodded back in the direction of his house,"It's getting dark, let's head home."

I smiled. Home.