Too Young (Travlyn Fic)

Katelyn

They can't be here.
I'm acting like a snob to them, I know, but they can't be here. No. Snob isn't the right word. I don't know why I'm acting this way.
Yes you do, my mind says. You know.
I don't want to face them. I want to run away from my problems. But they found me.
And this time there is no escape.
I feel nerves as I lift Abby out of her crib. We woke her up. Soon after Donna told us, no scolded us, her cries filled the air. She grabs my hair. The nerves I feel as I walk out of my bedroom are almost as bad as when I first went into labour. I walk as slow as I can. Abby's green eyes stare up at me.
I come out of the room to see Travis sitting on my couch, Aphmau beside him and Lucinda standing behind him.
Aphmau looks at me coldly. Honestly, that was the reaction I expected from Lucy. Not Aph. Aphmau was always the sweet one, the patient one.
But I guess everyone's patients run out.
Kitty runs over to me. She loves Abby so much. Donna pats the seat beside her on the couch. It's the seat farthest away from Aphmau and Travis.
Travis. His eyes lock on Abby. He whispers something to Aph.
I realize what he's saying.
"That's my daughter."
Nervously, I sit next to Donna. My heart hurts so badly right now. It's aching.
I've been dreaming of seeing my friends again ever since I left. I've been dreaming of seeing Kacey and Travis and my dad. But I didn't ever think it would happen.
I wanted it to happen, but at the same time didn't.
"Now that we are all here, let's talk. What is going on?" Donna's says. She's looking at me. Guilt builds up in my chest. Guilt. I'm the person who did the wrong here. "What is going on here, Katie?"
Aphmau has this look of shock. She use to be the only one who called me that. Her and my family. Then Travis. Then Lucinda. Then everyone else.
It must seem weird to her that this perfect stranger in her mind is calling me Katie.
"Well?"
Words dry up at my throat. I can't speak. I can't. I give Donna a look of desperation, begging her to ask someone else, or just not ask anyone all together.
She turns to Aphmau. I feel even more pressure build up in my chest.
Abby pulls my hair.
"Ow." I mumble. "No pulling hair, Abby."
Travis's eyes widen. Abby. This is one of the first times he's heard her name.
"Who are you?" Donna asks. Aphmau looks at me. She's seems almost hurt. Hurt I didn't tell Donna about her. About my best friend, my oldest friend.
About my sister.
"Who are you?" Aphmau says.
"Donna. And this is Kitty." Donna looks at Kitty who waves half heartedly. "Actually, Kits, why don't you go home, make sure you dad didn't burn the house down, trying to make breakfast for the boys."
Kitty shoots Donna a look. In a different situation I would laugh. But I can't laugh now.
"Fine," Kitty huffs. I watch as she leaves, slightly stomping. She shuts the door with a slam.
"So you were telling me who you were?" Donna says as soon as Kitty leaves.
"I'm Aphmau. Aphmau Ángel." Double A. When we did little league baseball at six's years old that was her nickname. "And this is Lucinda Crimson and Travis Valcrum. I'm surprised Katelyn hasn't mentioned us." Aphmau's voice is like ice. Cutting through the air, cold and crisp.
"Katelyn? You mean Katie? Perhaps Katie Lynne?"
Lies are crumbling. Everything is crumbling.
"No. I mean Katelyn Hestia Fury."
No one has said my whole name is so long. I mean, yeah on Abby's birth certificate it says Abigail Travis Fury, but Donna doesn't know that. Katelyn Hestia Fury. That's me. Not Katie Lynne.
Donna looks so confused.
"Do you have the wrong place?"
"No," Lucinda says. This is the first time I've heard her speak. "I can promise you that we have the right place."
I feel so panicked. I rock Abby tying to calm myself.
"Ask her," Aphmau says. "Ask Katie."
"I... I... don't know what your talking about."
Why do I keep lying? Why? I guess it's easier to keep lying. It's easier than admitting the truth.
Aphmau looks furious.
"My Irene you do! What have we not been friends since preschool? Have we not done everything together? Were we not always there for each other? First boyfriend, first heartbreak, first fail?" Aphmau looks angry. She sounds angry. I close my eyes tight, my lips drawing into a tight line.
"You were there when my daughter was born! You were the first person I told! Did I not help you after you and Jeff broke up? I was there for you, always. Forever. And now your pretending like it never existed."
Silent tears run down my cheeks, because she right. She's right in every capacity.
"I think you should go," Donna says quietly. "If Katie says she doesn't know you..." Her voice trails off.
I open my eyes. Aphmau looks so mad. And then there is Travis. He looks like he's about to faint.
"What!"
"Look, I don't want to have to call the police, but Katie wouldn't lie to me," Donna says. And hurts so badly when she says that. Because that's all I ever did. I hold Abby tight.
Aphmau's face is turning red. She's shaking slightly. She looks like she's, like she's, about to cry???
"What about Travis, Katelyn? What about him Katie Kat?" Suddenly a walk comes down and tears are flowing.
"You need to go," Donna says firmly. Lucinda grabs Aphmau's hand.
"Come on Aph, it was worth shot."
Abby turns her head and for the first time looks at Travis.
That's the last straw for Travis.
He breaks down, sobbing into Aphmau's shoulder.
Because when he looks at Abby's eyes, he sees my own staring back.
Aphmau has a look of what you did on her face.
"I'm sorry," I whisper so quietly it's barely audible. "I'm so so sorry."
"About what?" Donna says.
"About everything, about everything." Donna gives me a hug.
Abby begins to cry. I can't do this. Donna takes her, but she won't stop. Between her and Travis and me, I don't know who's crying more.
"Let me."
Aphmau is standing close to Donna.
Donna shakes her head, then looks at me.
All I can do is nod.
I watch as Aphmau takes Abby, gently rocking her quietly singing a song which I remember her singing to Alina.
Then she sits by Travis. She mutters something to Travis. Travis looks at her with wonder, even though tears are still falling from his eyes.
Lucinda comes and crouches next to me. She takes my hand.
"No more lies Katie. We're here now. No more lies."
"I'm sorry."
"I know, darling. I know."
"What on earth is going on?" Donna asks.
I take a deep breath.
"I am Katelyn Fury."
And just like that, everything I rebuilt since I left Phoniex Drop crashes back down.
***
Hello, lovely reader!
I just want to say thank you for reading this book!
Hope you have an absolutely amazing day.
- AJKBookworm