CHAPTER 58: Millie.
"I'll never let go
Like a river, I flow
To the ocean, I know
You pull me close, guiding me home."
-James Arthur
Time slips away like tiny grains of sand when you try to hold onto it. I was trying to soak everything in like the soft rays of sun warming my skin. The time with my family, friends, Martha and Luke, knowing in a few months I will be miles away from them. The thought heavily weighs my heart down but a small part of it lifts itself by the thought that it's going to be another start for me. And I'm slowly learning to accept and appreciate change.
Walking out of the classroom knowing I finally finished my finals has an unstoppable grin on my face. Every face in the hallway reflects mine. Relief. Freedom. Pure joy. Kelly screams and zig zags through the parting crowd to engulf me in a bear hug.
“Yes yes yes we're finally free!” More arms wrap around us and from the perfumes and familiar touches I know its all my friends. We stay like that for a minute until I sigh and groan loudly.
“I can't breathe!”
A firm grip on my arm pulls me out into his arms. He looks down at me with a look that I've recognized as pure unadulterated love. His grin is broad, eyes crinkling in the corners, a deep dimple on his right cheek that I can't help but poke fondly. He hugs me to his chest tightly and sways us side to side playfully.
“We did it!”
We really did. We usually stayed at each other's place to study, it was distracting at times but he corrected me when needed, made things easier and I helped him back the same way. We were each other's cheerleaders at nights when we just wanted to give up and sleep.
“Time to partyyy!” Charlie lets out war cry and scoops Morgan in his arms.
Luke shakes his head and keeps me in a gentle grip next to him. I snuggle in his chest and ignore the grin I know he's giving me. He lightly tickles my side until I look up at him with a toothy smile. He kisses it.
“Let's get out of here.”
I get home a little later than usual, having gone to treat on some ice creams with Luke. I'm still grinning ear to ear when I enter the kitchen. My smile falters, my steps slowing when I see Mum sitting on one of the chairs of the dinner table with her head in her hands, shoulders shaking silently.
“Mum?”
She jolts a little and quickly wipes her cheeks, gathering the papers scattered on the table neatly in a small pile. When she doesn't say anything for a minute, I frown and repeat my question a little more clearly.
“Your Dad he..” she trails away, her voice cracking. “William come down stairs!” she yells and there are prompt footsteps as he barges in.
“What? What's wrong!?”
My back tenses immediately, frown turning into a hard glare bracing myself against what he's done again to us. She shakes her head at me and takes a deep breath, a beautiful smile blooming on her tear stained face.
“He withdrew the petition for Emma's custody.”
Time stops for me.
YOU ARE READING
The Wrong Best Friend
Teen FictionWhen Eleanor Emmerson moves to San Francisco she doesn't expect to run into her childhood crush and she definitely doesn't expect him to ask her out. But what she isn't most ready for is his best friend who turns out to be her cute hot neighbour. La...
