The Badass Saved Everyone's Ass

Chapter 14: I remember everything. Holy shit.

The sun is shining softly through the curtains. Axel's arm is thrown across my waist as his grip is comfortable. The clock on my side table says 7:28AM. We're naked and he looks so peaceful.

I sit up and lightly kiss his forehead, lifting his arm off of me and setting it on his stomach. I go and shower and then dress in a blue dress. I make tea, and then I go and sit on the steps.

Daniel and David are outside. I wave at them and Daniel starts laughing.

"Did you enjoy yourself Zoey?"

"Yup." I smile. They leave me alone and I sip at my coffee.

It's a beautiful day out. Frogs are jumps around and people are on their little rowboats and they're fishing and kids are playing tag and it's so perfect. Birds are chirping and the whole place is just filled with happiness. An elderly woman passes and waves. I know her name to be Merida.

"Good morning, Merida."

She walks up the path to my house. "May I ask you something, Zoey?"

"Sure." I smile.

"You grew up in Tampa Florida, yes?" I nod. "Then why do you sound so thickly like an Australian?"

I smile. "My mother and father grew up in Adelaide, Australia. I guess living with them made my accent so thick." She nods and goes about her business.

Yes, I have an accent. It's a very thick Australian accent, although I've never been to Australia. Mom and Dad both grew up there and they have a really think one and I have it too, only mine is much thicker than someone that grew up in Florida. None of my words sound American and it's been more than once that people have asked me to repeat words and then get confused because they won't understand me.

For instance, the way I say "hello" sounds like "ello" and the way I say "aluminum" sounds like "ah-uh-min-e-um" and "oregano" sounds like "are-uh-gone-oh." And, while American's say "buttercup" I say "butt-a-cup." When I say "am" it almost sounds like "um." When I say "don't" is almost sounds like "dun't." When I say "my it sounds like "muh"

I like having an accent. I never mentioned it before because I never really notice it. Axel is pure American and he's never asked me why I have my accent. He never mentioned it either. Scout doesn't care because she known me since we were little.

The front door opens.

"Oh, there you are." Axel says. "I was worried."

"Sorry, I can come inside." I start to get up, but he sits next to me. When I said sorry it sounded like "sar-ee." When I say come it sounds like cum. When I say inside is kind of sounds like "in-sihde"

Also, "so" sounds like "sohhh"

"I have a question." I say.

"Okay." He says. "What is it?"

"Why have you never asked about my accent?"

He shrugs. "I know your from Florida. Your mother is clearly Australian. You get it from her."

"Oh. Okay."

"I think it's adorable. I love the way you pronounce things."

I smile. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Mom shocks me and Axel by coming rushing down the path with a huge grin on her face, a giant suitcase in two, and my sister and cousin trailing behind her with a giant suitcase.

"What?" I ask.

"We're not the only ones left." She grins.

"What?" I ask, confused.