Coming Home

Chapter 21, The Return

So. There's a lot of things that happened recently, too much to even process. I haven't even had much time to myself if I am being honest. I've gone through so much recently I am not even sure how much. Let's start from the beginning.

•10 months ago•
"I don't know what I should do, I mean Pete is really cool. But dad gave me really good advice, and Pete wasn't who I was thinking about." Peyton said, clearly in deep thought.
"Sis, just go see them. I know that you miss Jake and Jenny."
"You're right Kiers.. I'm so glad you finally came into my life. Brooke has always been there, but sometimes she's the root of what's wrong. It's just nice to have somebody I don't have to worry about doing wrong constantly. Sometimes it just seems like good isn't enough for her."
"I think you should go see them as soon as you can. You have everything you need.. what are you waiting for?"
"It's not going to be that easy."
"Peyton. C'mon. I'll help you pack a suitcase. Spring break is starts in three days. I'll tell your teachers you have pneumonia or something and get your work to you. You'll be able to get it done before you get back."
"Oh my god, you're the best. I love you Kiers."
"I love you too."
We hugged and I got off of her bed where we had been laying for awhile. I grabbed a large suitcase from the closet and began putting clothes in it. She looked at me, laughed, and joined in as well. Not only did we get her packed and ready to go, we booked her a plane ticket that left in the morning to Jake and Jenny.

After two months of her being down there, her and jake became engaged. Since Jenny has a mother figure, Jake won the custody battle. They moved back up here and their wedding is in about 6 weeks from today. I'm so excited for them, Peyton asked me to be her maid of honor! Luc has been really excited since Jake came back, they're even closer now than they were when Jake had to leave. Little Jenny is getting so big, it's unbelievable. Seeing my sister with her makes me so happy, but also sad because it's what I could've had with Paisley. However, I know that my sister will be a fantastic mother figure to Jenny.

•7 months ago•
"You leave and it's over Haley. We are done," I hear Nathan yell. He storms away as she sits on the park bench and begins to cry. I walk over to her. "Haley?"
"Oh. Hi Kierston," she says wiping her tears.
"You don't have to do that. I heard you guys fighting."
"Oh great," she sniffles.
"What happened?" I asked as I sit next to her.
"I don't know. I want to go on tour but you heard what he said."
"Oh hals. You can't let that get to you. He seemed mad, he didn't mean it. You leaving for awhile is really really going to suck for him, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to be with you. He loves you and wants what's best for you. You have to go, you guys will make it through this. Your love is too strong to not." I say as I hold her, running my fingers through her hair.
"But what if we don't? I love him so much that it hurts."
"Shh, I know Hals. I know. He's really upset because you are what's best for him. He wants to be the greatest version of himself for you, so you can be proud but it's time that you make him proud. Basketball is what Nathan was born to do but Hals, you were born to sing and perform. You have such a great gift. Your voice is beautiful and your stage presence is enchanting. You know you have to go. I will try to talk to him."
"Okay.. thank you. Thank you so much." She cries harder for a few seconds as she hugs me.
"When do you have to leave for the tour?"
"Tonight."
"Oh man... I'm really going to miss you Haley." I begin to cry myself.
"I'll miss you too Kierston. Take care of the Scott boys for me. And my favorite cheerleaders."
We hug one last time and she runs off to get her things, her bus would be leaving soon.
That night I frantically began to look for Nathan. Hoping I'd be able to get him to her before she left, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I sprinted to his apartment. As I was running up the stairs I saw him in the window. Just staring down at the ground, looks like he had been and maybe still was crying. I knocked on the door slowly. "Nathan.." I say as he opened it.
"She's gone Kiers.." he begins to choke up, "she left."
I close the door behind me and then hug him.
"I didn't mean it. I didnt mean what I said. But I told her if she left we were over, and she didn't care."
"Nathan you know that's not true. She loves you just as much as you love her. You are the one who got her to show off her talent. You should be proud of her."
"I just, I don't know how to feel about all of this.. I am proud of her. She is extremely talented. I'm just not sure her leaving was the best idea." He sits down and runs his hand through his hair.
"You guys will work it out. It's not going to be easy, but whatever is meant to be will happen. Look at me."
He looks right into my eyes, I can see how broken and shook up he is about this.
"Do you see the wet marks down the front of my shirt. I held Haley as she cried too. You both love each other. A lot. That won't die because she goes away for a little while. Distance won't matter, especially if it's a love like your guys'."
"Thank you. If you don't mind Kierston I think I'm just going to try to get some sleep."
"Okay Nat, thats fine. Do you want to be alone or should I stay here?"
"What?" He looks at me, very puzzled.
"I'd sleep on the couch of course. Just so you don't feel like everybody is leaving you. So you have company if you need it."
"Yeah.. I think that would be a good idea."
"Shoot. I need some shorts to sleep in, I'll come back."
"I've got an extra pair. Please stay."
"Alright."
As Nathan goes into his room, I notice that he completely wrecked the apartment. This would take some work to clean up. He gets a pair of his shorts & a T-shirt of his then hands it to me, "night Kiers."
"Goodnight Nat."
I look around me and begin to clean up. After cleaning for an hour I look at my phone. Lucas tried to call a few times. I call back but it goes to voicemail. "Hi handsome, it's me. I'm sorry I've been dealing with Haley and Nathan. I'm sure she told you, she was leaving? I'm currently cleaning their apartment, I finally got Nathan to calm down and get some sleep. I love you, I'll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams babe."
In the morning Nathan thanked me for staying and cleaning up and then I went home.

Haley hasn't answered one of Nathan's phone calls since. She's talked to every one of us her increasingly less, I went from getting calls every week to once every three months. She hasn't called by now and I'm not sure that she will. Lucas & Nathan are both pretty upset by it. I've done my best to be there for the both of them, but it breaks my heart just as much as theirs.

•4 months ago•
My mother died. We were not close and I hadn't talked to her since I left. I felt a burden had been lifted off of my chest. The other part of me felt empty, knowing that she was just gone. I'd never be able to have a good relationship with her, it would never change. I would never get an apology from her. I've had to grieve over the loss of what could've been with my mother.

•1 months ago•
Lucas and I are walking down the street holding hands.
"You look beautiful Kiers," Lucas says as he kisses my hand.
"Well you don't look too bad yourself handsome."
We are then stopped by a tall man with emerald green eyes. As soon as I see those, I know I am screwed. That's not just any older man, that's my father. Whose calls I've been avoiding for months. Part of me wanted to meet him, the other didn't. I was most certainly feeling the other more at this moment.
"Kiersten."
"David."
Lucas steps in front of me a little bit, so that he is between David and I.
"Sir, I'm Lucas. Kierston's boyfriend." He says offering his hand, they shake hands as my father says "it's nice to meet you."
"I don't know if I'm comfortable with this.. i don't know wha.." I feel the street start to spin and I start to hyperventilate. David kinda freaks out which makes me that much more nervous.
"Beautiful, look at me. Stay with me. I'm right here. Breathe."
"David, I know you're my dad and all. But you cant just show up." I saw after calming down a bit.
"I know. I know but you wouldn't answer and I want to know you. I wasn't sure what else to do."
"I'll start answering. One call every two weeks, I'll give you that."
"Okay.. can I at least have one hug before I go?"
I hugged him. Kind of ironic, a fathers hug is where a daughter should feel safe, secure, loved. I felt uncomfortable and scared. I had no clue who this man was, just that he created me. That's about all I knew about him. As he walked away I began to have a panic attack and Luc helped me through it. We went to Karen's Cafe to get a bite to eat. Luc told her what happened and she hugged me tightly. That was when I felt safe, and loved. The kind you should receive from your parents.

•Today•
Brooke and I help Peyton with her wedding plans. One month and a half and she will be married and officially a mother to Jenny. She's so stressed but more excited than anything. It is going to be the most beautiful wedding ever. She can count on Brooke and I for that.