The Halfway Group (book 1)

Chapter 22: Mom

Haley's POV:

Jimmy is starting to scare me a little, I love him but he needs to talk a bit more.

He's outside pumping the gas as Rachel is fast asleep in the back seat, he placed a blanket on her and gave her his pillow, which is hard to believe because he doesn't give anyone his pillow. He stops pimping and climbs back in. "Haley, you want anything to eat?"

"No thank you, you need to eat though, you haven't eaten in a couple days." He looks at me with a worried look,

"Rachel, babe, wake up." He nudges Rachel awake and asks if she wants food, she wants a bag of chips so he runs inside and gets her one, and me a drink. "Thank you, I'll pay you back."

"Hale, you are my sister. You don't have to pay me back." He smiles as he looks at me. I appreciate him so much. After everything he's been through, he's still such a sweet guy.

"Thank you babe, I love you." Rachel eats her chips and Jimmy smiles more. He really needs to eat something. "Jimmy, you really need to eat. Especially if we still have a couple hours." He pops in a dip and spits in his bottle, that's so gross but it helps him cope. So I won't say anything.

"Rachel, how does it feel being so far from home?" I ask as I look back at her.

"It honestly feels a little weird, I haven't been this far from home since my parents and I moved from Cali." Jimmy is so focused on driving this is so weird him being so focused.

"Jimmy, are you okay?" Rachel leans up and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah babe, fine." He puts his hand on hers, "I promise." Jimmy keeps his eyes forward as we come up close to mom's town.

"We're almost there guys, another 30 minutes tops." Jimmy says as he sighs of relief, he's been driving for 16 hours straight pretty much. "Finally almost there, Hale call mom and tell her we are close."

I pull out my phone and see a missed text from mom from an hour ago, she was going to bed but left the door unlocked for us. "Jimmy, mom's already in bed. She said she left the door unlocked for us. You and Rachel take the your old bedroom, I'll take my old room." Jimmy nods as Rachel is excited to see mom's house. "Rachel you'll love it, there's plenty of food. And a huge ass bathtub for baths and showers. "Mom's gonna be so excited to see you."

"We are almost there guys," jimmy pulls onto mom's street, I missed it so much. Mom's house. Jimmy pulls up to a 2 story house and it's gorgeous. Light blue siding, white trim around it. Grass clipped just right. Mom's old car is still in the driveway. "We're home." Rachel yawns as she gets out and stretches. She grabs her bag and leans on Jimmy while trying hard to stay awake. She slept halfway through the trip but it's taken a slight toll on her. Jimmy on the other hand is a fucking wreck. He's barely standing right now. "Jimmy let's go in, you can get your bag in the afternoon it's already 1 am."

"Nah Hale, I got this." He opens the trunk and grabs his bag and mine as he literally looks on the verge of death. "Jimmy, seriously. Let me get my bag." He hands it to me and he almost falls.

"Oh no you dont big guy." Rachel comes forward and gets under one arm and helps walk him to the door. "Okay, Rachel get ready for lots of hippie stuff. Basically stuff you'd think Max would like." I open the door and the living room is totally different than it used to be. Now there's carpet where the wood floor used to be. I take my shoes off and let Rachel come in and Jimmy, she does the same and Jimmy just all but stumbles in. I whisper "Rachel his room is right down that hall first door on the left."

"Okay Haley, thanks see you in the morning." Rachel smiles and heads down the hall leading to his room.

"Holy shit!! It's huge!" I forgot Rachel hasn't been here before. Jimmys room is carpeted and his movie posters and music posters are still up. His queen bed is still in the back corner with his computer desk right next to it. His entertainment system still has his old baseball trophies and stuff as well as his old battle of the bands trophies. "Haley I didn't know he played baseball, he's got a lot of explaining to do." She smiles as she lays him on his bed and takes her shirt off. "Whoa, sorry" I turn around as I blush, seeing Rachel in her bra was.... not awkward at all... which is bad.

"I'm just gonna go to my room... night." I quickly shut Jimmys door, and walk to my room.

Haley, you can't do that. You had a shot at Rachel before but didn't go for it. Now you are with chloe, and happy. You can't date your brothers girlfriend.

My head is spinning as I get to my room, my beds still the same, my power puff girl posters are still up and my My little pony sheets are still on my bed. I'm gonna crash so hard. As I lay down, I drift off into a deep sleep. Only to wake up to mom hovering over my bed.

"Good morning hon, Jimmy and Rachel made breakfast, it's almost 2."

"2?!?! I slept all night and most of the day? By the way hi mom!" I kiss her cheek and hug her.