Preacher Man // ross lynch + driver era

101

Long chapter xxx

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Hayley: Hii, I'm headed home from work now. Call me when you're free xx

I send a quick text to Ross and begin my drive home, blasting music and looking forward to the end of the week. My days consist of thinking about Ross and the next time I can see him. Some may see it as a bit pathetic, but anything that gives me hope and happiness for the future is all I need to keep me going sometimes.

I walk upstairs, constantly aware of my surroundings because creeps live here. Without being bothered, I make it into the apartment. I decide to make some tea as I think of what I want for dinner.

I begin playing my music because the apartment is painfully quiet. Another reason why I'm excited to go see Ross because his house is loud at essentially all hours of the day. I miss the company.

I want a big family.

As I'm thinking about my plans for my future with Ross, I hear someone knock on the door. I furrow my eyebrows and turn off my music, grab my mug and head over to see who it is. People make me nervous especially because I think I'm the only one home.

I lean up on my toes and glance through the tiny hole.

Two police officers.

Now my stomach is really on the floor. Are my roommates okay?

I don't hesitate another second before quickly unlocking the door. "Hi, is Hayley Atkins home?" The police officer says.

I nod. "Yeah, hi, I'm Hayley."

"May we come in?" He asks, glancing around the apartment. I nod again, taking a step back while holding open the door. "Come take a seat."

I feel like I'm going to be sick. My fingers are gripping the handle of this mug so hard I think I'm close to snapping it off.

I hear a bedroom door open and I'm quick to glance back at who is home. "Is everything okay?" Liv asks.

"I, unfortunately, have some very bad news," the female officer begins.

I immediately sit down as I'm looking between both officers. "What happened?"

"Hayley... are your parents Thomas and Melissa Atkins?"

Oh fuck.

I know they know the answer. They have to ask. It's protocol. I nod slowly.

"Um, yes." My heart is on the floor.

I know what their next words will be, but there's no preparing for this.

"I'm sorry, but both of your parents were found unresponsive today at the local homeless shelter," she says, plain as day.

Both.

Both of them.

I begin hyperventilating almost instantly. Liv rushes over to me, her arms flinging around me seconds after the woman finished her sentence. "When?"

I don't know what else to ask.

She told me it was today so that was a stupid fucking question, but my brain seemed to turn off the lights and check out for the night.

I know we grew apart, but... they're my parents.

"This morning," she replies as she kneels in front of me. "Beside them were a few envelopes, all with your information and mailed to a PO Box in their name. There was $20 in one of them. There were also some syringes near them, unfortunately. Were you aware they were using?" she says.