The Second Worst Love Story Ever (+18)

32. This Isn't Healthy

I patiently sat through the quick flight back to my hometown, with Noah by my side. I stole a glance behind me and saw Ada asleep on Val's shoulder.

I will never forget her reaction when I stepped outside of my room and told her that our father had passed. My friends had immediately ended the party and kicked everyone out of my apartment. I had held Ada close to my body, hugging her tightly like she was a lifesaver. I just wanted her to stop crying, to stop hurting, but there was nothing I could do to make her feel better when all I wanted to do was crawl up my bed and weep until there were no tears left. But I couldn't; I had to be strong for my sister, so I just let the weight of loss quietly sink in and drag me to numbness.

The guys were around me, their faces twisted with worry, biting their nails. The only one who didn't seem clueless was Lena. After all, she had lost both parents at a young age. When the last person closed the door behind them, Val got up from the couch and went for it. Ada shrugged me off and ran to her.

"What are you doing?" she asked in clear disbelief.

Valentina stole a quick glance at me. I heard her whisper, "I don't think he wants me here, cara".

Ada looked betrayed as if Val had chosen me over her. She had broken in tears and begged her to stay, her voice cracking at the end of every sentence. And that's how I got stuck with my ex through the mourning of my father.

Getting home didn't make it any easier. If anything, it made it all worse. As soon as I laid eyes on my mother's face, swollen from crying, I thought I'd break right there. The three of us hugged, but no tears came out. I just held their heads against my chest and tried to be there for them. My mom pulled away after a while and went to hug Noah and Val, thanking them for "taking care of her babies".

We all went inside, and I went straight to my old bedroom. Mom had asked us to stay with her in the house, at least while we waited for the funeral services. I locked myself in until evening, only going out to check if my mom needed help in the kitchen. She looked a little better, but she smelled like cigarettes. I don't think I had ever seen her smoke before, aside from pictures from before Ada and I were born. That could only be a bad sign of how hard it was for her to cope.

"I didn't think I'd see Val here," she said as we washed and chopped some vegetables.

"Ada's attached to her like she's the cure for all her problems."

"And where do you stand on that?"

"I'm okay..." I shrugged. "She's my friend, you know."

I wasn't about to tell her I didn't want Valentina there because I would have to give her a reason. My mom just looked at me that way she did whenever I lied to her like she knew I was full of shit. And, as always, I just blatantly looked back at her like I didn't know she was onto me.

"If you say so..." she said slowly. "I have to talk to you about something. Pastor Søren wants us to give eulogies at the church. He thinks--"

"Hell no!"

"Ashley!" She hit my arm, and it hurt more than it should. My skin had been really thin those days.

"I really don't see the point, mom."

"Don't you think your father would have wanted to hear some nice words about him?"

"Well, he won't be hearing a damn thing now!" I stormed out of the kitchen, bumping into Val and Noah.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"What? You gonna meddle in that too? Stay out of this. You're not even supposed to be here..."