I'm Fine

Chapter 5

My head spun and my eyes flashed. Mum thanked me and whispered incoherently to herself before ending the call. I didn't know how to take this all in. I haven't seen Shay in three years. She hates me...but we used to be best friends. Well, that was until...

"Lee!" I called out, walking into the living room. She was napping on the sprawled sofa cushions, snoring softly. "LEE!" I yelled, suddenly feeling anxious. Lee jolted awake and stared distantly at me.

"What?" she asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"People are coming over, we need to tidy this place up," I replied. She stared at me blankly, then with pure frustration.

"Now? NOW?" she cried, throwing her arms up in the air.

"Yeah, in about two hours, Mum and Dad will be home soon though."

"I don't wanna!" she complained, pouting and crossing her arms to prove a point.

"Neither do I," I whispered under my breath. "C'mon Lee, this is for Mum and Dad," I said. She looked at me again. Her eyes were wavering and her face looked worn down and broken. A flash of emotion shot through her eyes for a second and I was taken aback. Lee's only ten years old. She was only six when Cole...when Cole died. And, she doesn't even know how...

"Fine. But seriously, they tell us now?"

"Yeah, it's a bit of a pain," I replied, walking closer to her. "Well, go clean up your room and change into something else," I told her. At that moment, Annette came downstairs, looking refreshed and calm. I didn't want to tell her. Lee looked up at me again. Neither did she.

"What's going on?" Annette asked.

"Well, you see..." I started.

"Mum and Dad invited some people over," blurted Lee. She looked scared as the last words left her mouth and watched for Annette's reaction. Her gaze didn't falter, she didn't frown or sag or complain. She just nodded and went striaght to the kitchen. My mind spun. Again.

"Annette?" I asked, following her. Lee tagged behind me.

"Yes?" Annette replied absentmindedly, as she searched through the cupboards.

"Are you...okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Well, would you like some help?" Lee asked.

Annette glanced out into the living room. "No, you girls better clean up. I can handle this."

"Okay..." Lee and I replied in unison. We walked out of the kitchen and worked together quickly to put the living room back together. I got changed into a knee-length blue and white dress and I met Lee in the hallway wearing jeans and a yellow top. I cleaned up my room and Lee cleaned up hers and then Annette accepted some help from us.

Mum and Dad arrived shortly after, helping Annette, Lee and I to make a simple pasta. All the while I was thinking about what was going to happen when Shay and Damian and Mr and Mrs Hamilton arrived. My mind felt too distant to focus on cutting vegetables, so I took a little break and sat down on the couch. I closed my eyes and pushed my forehead onto my knees and curled up into a ball.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" asked Mum, coming to sit beside me.

"Yeah, I'll be okay."

"Is this about Portia? I'm so sorry, I shouldn't of_"

"_No, it's fine..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"I know this seems a little stressful. I can assure you, hun, Portia and Leon don't hold grudges," Mum said, doing her best to cheer me up. If Mr and Mrs Hamilton were to hold resentment for me, it wouldn't just be a grudge, they'd probably be plotting to kill me...

"Thanks Mum," I said. She automatically went back to helping in the kitchen, while Annette took a little break. She came and sat down next to me.

"You gonna be okay?" Annette asked.

"No."

"Figured as much." Annette leaned back into the couch cushions and pulled her legs up to her chest. "I guess this is fun," she said as she put her head on her knees. I smiled.

"Annette?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to see her."

"Me neither...but."

"But what?"

"But we're doing this for them."

"Right. For them."

"For them. Cool?"

"Cool."

I breathed out heavily. Time to see Shaylene Hamilton, my ex-best friend.