Bad Habits | Herophine #1

VI

-Voids-

It was now Saturday, I had one class I really didn't want to go to but had to regardless of how I was feeling, I stared at the ceiling my phone once again on the floor, I didn't even bother checking under my pillow, I heard the far off vibration between my cellphone and the floor and kicked myself in the ass mentally. Faith, you need to change this bed, enough is enough, the angel over my shoulder spoke.

I don't know what my seventeen year old self was thinking when I decided to get a loft bed, I don't live in a loft. I thrashed my body in bed making it shake slightly and reluctantly climbed down, getting my phone off the floor, my screen cracked, great. I huffed a breath, I was immediately annoyed and I didn't even start the day properly.

I stomped my way over to my sister who was casually watching I Love Lucy reruns in her pajamas. I felt annoyed at River who was in her zone again, playing Guns and Roses, yet again, which was unfair from me since it wasn't a rare occurrence in our home. "Lo, I need a new phone." She stopped the spoon from going into her mouth. "Faith, you got that phone two months ago, what'd you do? Incinerate it?" She asked, searching for a valid reason as to why I needed a new phone.

I rolled my eyes and began to walk away. "Whoa, hey..." She pulled me to her, kissing my cheek lovingly, it made me smile internally, it was the way dad got me to drop the attitude when I was being a brat, it was a clear case of spoiled brat-ism on my part. "What's wrong Faith? I'm sorry, let me take a look, let's see how bad it is." She took the phone from me. "Fae we can fix it at the cellphone shop, it's just a cracked screen, which I think..." She paused taking a closer look at my phone and peeling the thin almost invisible cracked screen protector off my phone, leaving me with an intact screen.

I sighed and grabbed the phone from her. "Excuse me, turn..." She said as I stood there with my back towards her. "Turn..." She repeated making me face her. "Explain..." She coaxed me into telling her what was really wrong. "I miss dad..." My eyes brimmed with tears. "I miss my normal stupid bed, I miss going for waffles at Chart House, I miss coming home and having him burn the pot roast leading us to call for pizza Lo! We have a great life here, but sometimes I miss the leaky roof, the snow covered driveways and taking the bus."

It was true, I liked LA but sometimes it felt unreal, like a piece of my life was stripped from me and placed into an ongoing shredder, those were just the main underlying reasons for my attitude, I was annoyed that Jax hadn't texted after a week of continuous communication, I hated being the double texter. Logan stood up and came over to me, her hugs always made things better, Logan was like cough drops for a sore throat, I hugged her back as she rubbed my back. "Dad's never left Fae, He's been guiding us through this journey and his soul won't rest until we're on the right path, and even if we're on the right path he's going to live on, right here..."

She placed her hand on my chest. "So let's cut the water works, eh wet head?" She teased making me laugh despite the tears. We walked over to River who was standing admiring her work her head cocked to the side. "That's beautiful Riv." I complimented.

Logan walked in, kissing her on the cheek. "Thanks Fae, but there's something missing." She held my sister making my heart turn to mush, none of my sister's former boyfriends fit with her the way River fit with Logan, seeing her so happy made me happy. "Hey babe, do we have anymore of those fiberglass screen protectors?"

Logan asked, making River's loose top bun shake as she nodded, walking over to a cabinet, she produced a screen protector. "Thanks gorgeous, I'll leave you to it." Logan kissed her and left the room, taking me back to the kitchen and placing the spanking new film on my screen. "There we go, all better." I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes.

"Now go get pretty and go to class, don't think I don't know you're stalling, besides I have a surprise if you get ready on time." She nudged me as I walked back to my room, I looked at the time, if I didn't hurry I was for sure going to be late, I checked my phone, not even Elijah had texted me. I sighed and showered, washing my hair and leaving it to air dry, I slid into a black shirt with rainbow sleeves, light wash ripped jeans and black converse sneakers, I pumped some perfume on and let my hair finish drying in waves, I packed my bag with what I'd be needing for class, then I texted Elijah.

I haven't heard from you today, everything good?

I sent the message and forgot about it as my sister came to get me, "Come on, you need to see this." She dragged me to our driveway where my red Kia Soul sat, no sunken in front fender, new wheels, and pristine paint job. "Logan..." I turned around. "Now you don't have to borrow River's car, or mine for that matter."

She smiled, man did she love to pick on me, but those were sisters for you. I hugged her as she handed me the keys. "Pleaseee drive safely Fae..." She called after me as I climbed inside my car, "I will I promise!" I drove to campus and parked in a student designated spot. I checked my texts.

I've been climbing Mt. Hailey, everything good on this end of the spectrum, meet later?

He responded making me shake my head, I replied that he was a dog, but my favorite dog nevertheless, I agreed to meet him at his house after class.

"Well, look who's driving again." Elijah stood at his doorstep with a neat scruff on his face, I smiled big. "Yeah, Lo got it out of the garage this morning, I'm gonna miss Eleanor..." I said commenting on his vintage Impala, I got out of my car and hugged a shirtless Elijah. "This looks good, I like it." I said referring to his growing beard, he ruffled the curls atop his head and walked me inside. "Thanks." He beamed. "Trying something a little different." He stated rubbing on the stubble on his face, it actually made him look older, more mature.

"Or  maybe you want to look manly enough for Hailey..." I teased. "Sure, manly enough for Hailey." He echoed walking further into his house. Elijah lived in Downtown LA —a huge contrast from my home in Pasadena— an only son of prominent real estate agents, you were ten times more likely to bump into a famous person than to bump into Elijah's parents, not that he complained. "So Ms. Ambrosio, what did you want to do today?" He asked snapping me out of my thoughts on how lonely he must be without his parents around.

"I was thinking a trip to the beach was in order." I wagged my eyebrows at him and smiled. "We'd have to go back to my place though, I didn't plan this with anticipation, since I didn't have a clue I was getting my car back." He shrugged. "I've got nothing better to do. Let's raid the beach." He said giving me a big smile.