Stay

Chapter: Eighteen

Scarlett

"Hey Scar." Chloe says as she waits in the doorway of her home for me and Ash to come inside. Her eyes hold a sympathetic quality and I tilt my head down to avoid her gaze. After everything I found out two nights ago, I asked Laura if Ash and I could move into the Fox household earlier than we would've. I just couldn't bear to be in the same house of the guy who killed my father. She agreed even though I didn't exactly tell her why I wanted to move sooner, but here we are moving what little possessions we have into our new home.

Chloe's family lives on a horse ranch and Noah's family lives across the road from them. When she had told me they were next door neighbours, I had thought she meant in a suburban neighbourhood, not this. Don't get me wrong, I was in love with the thought of living on a horse ranch but it surprised me that Noah lived out here. He didn't seem like a country kid to me, Chloe on the other hand seemed to fit in perfectly with the scenery. Her constant jeans and plaid shirts should have been warning enough but I guess I just didn't pick up on it.

Chloe wraps her arms around me in a hug and I gingerly wrap both of my arms around her. My left arm was out of its sling although it was still in constant pain. My right hand is still in a cast and will be for the next three weeks. The stitches are still in the cuts over my eye but they should fall out sometime in the next week. My head was a different story, it ached almost every single time I looked into the light or at every loud noise that reached my ears.

"Come on in. Let's get you settled in okay?" She says as she unwraps herself from me and I nod silently before glancing at Ashley to follow us inside. Laura is standing behind Ashley with a box in her hands and Mark, Alex and Noah's father, is standing beside her with two boxes in his arms. I finally met him last night when I went to talk to Laura about moving in with Chloe and he came home just at the same time. He had heard about everything that had happened and had immediately pulled me into a hug. Suffice to say, he was just as warm and welcoming of me and Ash as the rest of his family.

"So, this is the living room and through there is the kitchen and dining room." Chloe says gesturing around. Her house was big but it felt so homey because of the overstuffed couches and the soft rugs that were littered around the room. Her home had a rustic theme to it which made it feel even more welcoming. I guess that's what came with living on a ranch, the outside came inside. She walks into the kitchen with the rest of us following her. Sitting on a stool eating cereal is a boy who looks about my age, who I assume is Chase and standing in front of the stove is a woman who looks to be in her late thirties. A man is standing beside her with his arms wrapped around her waist and his chin is resting on her shoulder.

Chloe clears her throat and the three of them glance over at her, their eyes widening when they see us behind her. "This is Scarlett and Ashley." She says and three pairs of eyes turn my way causing me to squirm uncomfortably. The man and woman turn fully to me and the guy smiles brightly at us.

"Oh girls, I'm so glad you got here okay. I'm Lynn and that's Chase." She says gesturing to Chase. Chase smiles brightly at me his eyes twinkling before he glances at Ashley and offers her a wave and a kind smile. I glance at Ashley and see her blush before smiling back. I'm surprised because no one has been able to make her smile for days. I guess this place will be better for us than I thought. "And this is my husband, John." She says pointing to the man standing behind her.

John looks at us smiling. "I hope you know we're glad to help and are so happy to have you two. Just know that if you ever need anything you can come to us. I hope you girls feel at home here." He says with a warm smile and I smile timidly back at him.

"Thank you, sir." I say and he shakes his head.

"Sir is not necessary. Please, you can call me John." He says and I nod.