Back Again

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I drug all of our suitcases up the stairs and into my own room. All of the kids had their own suitcases, they were all very small kid sized and the cutest things ever. All little kid size things are cute. You should see their tiny little Converse shoes.

My room hadn't changed much at all. My mother is much like me, a clean freak, and you could tell she went through here regularly to clean. Everything was in its same place.

I walked over to my dresser and picked up a picture sitting on it. It was of me and Zoey. I smiled remembering all the fun times we would have together.

I stood in the doorway of Zoey's room, rolling my eyes as she tried to drag me into one of her obscure dances. We had our own little dance together and anytime she caught me in a bad mood she would blare the song and insist that dancing out our bad vibes would help make us happy again.

I finally caved in and started laughing as I danced with her until the end of the song. We jumped onto the bed laughing our asses off.

"I hope we go to the same college, Hads. I know we will be best friends forever." Zoey said with certainty. My decision had already been made, so I plastered on a fake smile in agreement. She didn't need to know I would be leaving her in just a short months time.

"I know we will be, Zo. As long as you can get into NYU." I teased her. I knew she would get in. She's beyond smart.

I had lied to her. I let my dark secret affect me so much that I hurt everyone that I left behind. I was hurting so badly and couldn't bare be in the same town where it all happened. Caden shook me out of my thoughts, tugging on my leg.

"Mommy, can we play in there?" He pointed to a room across the hall. I walked over to it curiosity. It was previously my older sister Wendy's room. She got married when I was in eleventh grade and moved out. I was surprised to now see it was a play room. Stocked to the brim with toys. I knew Wendy had a child since I'd seen her last. I had been keeping tabs on her thanks to Walker's men and their investigating abilities. My older brother Peter also had kids.

"Yeah, baby. You can go ahead and play in there." I said finally. As soon as the words left my mouth, Finley, Wesley, and Caden stormed in the room. Olive was still downstairs with Kylie. She was just beginning to walk and I didn't trust her alone in fear she'd hurt herself trying to walk too far.

I trotted down the stairs and into the living room where Kylie was happily playing with Olive. Kylie was really good with kids thanks to her babysitting experience in high school. She looked good with Olive and I knew one day she'd make a great mom. She lifted Olive up and did the airplane, causing a squeal to come out of Olive. "More!" She said happily in her cute little baby voice.

"So Kylie, hows the college life treating you?" I asked as I plopped down on the couch. She attended the local technical college. She stopped twirling Olive and sat beside me. Sitting Olive in her lap.

"It's going good. I've actually been meaning to tell you about my boyfriend." She said slowly. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Kylie had never shown interest in boys ever. She always had her priorities set straight on going to college to become a pediatrics nurse. "His name is Gavin. He's really great. He's actually coming to dinner next week. Mom and dad always have family dinner. Even Wendy comes from the cities with her husband and Ellie."

"Does he treat you well? I am definitely going to be meeting this Gavin." I said protectively. Kylie tells me everything and her not telling me about this until now raised some red flags. We were so close. Why wouldn't she have told me?

"Well actually, I have to tell you something about him before you meet him. I don't want you to freak out." She chuckled nervously before continuing. "He's my human biology instructor at school."