Falling For Your Antics (Editing)

Chapter 39- Three Months Later

It was now in the month of June, and everyone had broken up from school for the summer. Personally, I was super excited to spend all my time with Carter and his family, but also my friends, too. Rowan and Jack were still going strong, and I didn't hold one single doubt in my mind that it wouldn't last forever. They were perfect for each other, and I was beginning to see that although my life wasn't perfect, it had the potential to be with Carter. Perfect for me, anyway.

The court hearing had sloughed through all of May and June. It was a long and tiring process, but finally the judge ruled that Mason's punishment was to be treated in a mental health hospital whilst also serving one hundred hours of community service and being imprisoned for the next ten years. He would first be treated in the hospital for as long as it took, then serve his punishment in jail with weekly visits to mental health appointments. I didn't argue against this, because at the end of the day, I didn't want him punished, I wanted him to be treated for whatever conditions he had.

On the other hand, my mum didn't receive any punishment for lying about what landed me in hospital, but she was given a lecture about the importance of honesty, and to not be afraid that me and my siblings would be taken off her. She wasn't the instigator of this whole mess, after all, she had done nothing wrong. Despite this, building bridges with her still took me some time. I found it hard to forgive her because she wasted so much time not believing how severely wrong Mason had treated me, when she could have spent that time divorcing him and supporting me. Eventually, though, we found our rhythm back, but sometimes I found myself staring into space thinking how everything could have been different if she had never brought him into my life.

But me? I started some therapy with the support of my mum, Carter, and Rowan. At first I was reluctant and stubborn, but eventually I caved in and turned up to therapy in a complete emotional mess. I now attended weekly sessions that were building me to become my old self, but sometimes I still had nightmares in the night and freak out episodes during the day whenever I saw someone who looked like Mason or someone with a similar looking knife. I was afraid of myself, yet at the same time I had to conquer that fear.

"Are you ready?" Carter whispered in my ear from behind, enveloping his arms around my waist from behind me.

I smiled, leaning into his touch. "Sure I am. Is the car ready?"

"From all that time I spent sorting it out whilst you were finishing packing? Yes, it is."

I laughed, turning around in his arms and planting a kiss on his lips. "You go on in then, I've got to go and say bye to my family."

He nodded and reluctantly let me go out of his arms. That's another thing, Carter was clingier than ever since the whole ordeal, insisting on being by my side whenever he could to make sure I was safe. It was cute and reassuring, and sometimes I didn't give him enough credit for it.

"Mum! Bran flakes is leaving!" Angus called, then came running outside into my arms. "I'm gonna miss you, sissy."

"I'm gonna miss you too. But I won't be gone for long! The time will fly by."

"It better...will you buy me some sweeties?"

I laughed and pushed him away. "Will you buy me some sweeties?" I mimicked. "Of course! I'm not a monster."

"Well..." he started, then ran away into the house giggling.

"Goodbye sis, have fun with hotness over there." August winked at me, then gave me a hug and went back upstairs to her music. Typical her.

Then there was my mum. She looked like she was about to cry as she came outside and hugged me tightly. "My baby, you've grown up so much. Have fun on the trip, you deserve to be happy."

"You deserve to be happy, too." I smiled at her, making her cry.

"I'm happy with how life is now, with you three."

We all finished saying goodbye, and I got into the car with Carter.

"So, rich boy, where are we off to?"

Carter smirked at me, his beautiful and bright sea green eyes staring back at me against his tanned skin.

"First stop, Westfield Mall then Heathrow Airport. Second stop, Thailand, baby! We'll choose where to go from there."

"You're amazing!" I began to laugh, then started to cry.

"I know, but so are you." Carter kissed my head, then started the car. "Let's go!"