The Way You Feel Like Home

3. A Partially Knit Sweater

Addison's POV

"There you guys are!" A familiar voice loudly whispered from inside the living room, "I was wondering when you two would come home!" Dixie and I had just returned home from our extremely long walk, when we were greeted by a sleep deprived Chase waiting for us.

"Yeah, thanks for waiting up on us. You didn't need to do that." Dixie said, and laughed.

"No worries, I just wanted to make sure you two we're okay. You both are okay though, right?"

"Yes." We both said.

"Hey Dixie, I wanna talk with you, is that okay?" Chase asked.

"Yeah sure, what's up?"

"Addison, um, why don't you go on upstairs?" He said to me.

"Oh, sure..." I awkwardly turned towards the stairs.

"Hey Addi," Dixie caught my arm, "I'll meet you up there." She smiled at me, and I relaxed a bit.

    I headed up the stairs, ever so quietly. I could vaguely hear Chase tell Dixie to sit down and then say something else but I couldn't make it out. I was so tired and my legs were so sore, which I was just now feeling. I just wanted to go to bed. As I turned the corner, however, I saw my door half open. I crept inside to find Bryce sitting on the edge of my bed. "Hey." He said and looked up at me. His eye was already turning purple and I watched as he set the ice pack down on the bed side table.

"I thought you would've left." I huffed.

"I was waiting for you." He smiled and acted like that made him a good boyfriend.

"You attacked my best friend."

"No." He stood up, "she attacked me."

He was starting to get angry, but I really didn't care.

"Because you kissed another girl."

"OH SO THAT GIVES HER THE RIGHT-"

I put my hand over his mouth and shoved him on the bed. "Your gonna wake everyone up."

"God damn it Addi. Why can't you love me."

I laid down on the bed, and he came and laid beside me.
"I..." I thought for a moment. I was too tired to say anything. It was so late. I was too tired to argue. "I do love you Bryce." I shivered at the words. He put his hand on my waist and held me.

"Good. I knew you did. I just needed to make sure you were mine." And he put his head in the crook of my neck. He smelled like beer and weed. But I let him lay there. I pretended it was Dixie holding me close like that. And not him. Because I hated him.

Dixie's POV

     I quietly walked up the stairs after my talk with Chase. I was mostly too tired to process what he said so I figured I'd probably think about it in the morning. But for now, I made my way up to Addison's room. All I needed right now was to sleep. I was tired and full and angry. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Bryce spooning Addi. I felt a hot anger rise from deep inside of me. How was he still here? Why was Addi still sleeping with him? But instead I just took a blanket off the chair in her room and a pillow from the bed and went to sleep on the floor in Charli's room.

     I woke up to someone shaking me awake. "Dix, hey, you can come get in the bed now." It was Avani, to my surprise. "Huh?" I rubbed my eyes and looked up at her.

"Charli just got up and left a little bit ago. I was just letting you know you can sleep on the bed now." She grabbed my hand and pulled me up, leading me over to the bed. I plopped down, and Avani tucked me in. "Night." She smiled, "well actually, afternoon.. but.." Shrugging, with a smile still on her face, she left the room and turned the lights off before finishing her sentence.