Invisible String

Chapter 2

"April!" Ray squealed as she hugged her again.

Suddenly all the anxiety she felt disappeared after seeing the girls in person.

Autumn was the second one to approach April and hugged her, tears were already pouring out of the bride-to-be's eyes. "I thought you didn't receive my email," the blonde said after she recovered from the crying.

April chuckled, "It wouldn't be a surprise if I replied to your email."

Mari, CJ, and Penny hugged her and asked her questions which she gladly answered. After they shared laughs, April tilted her head and looked at the brunette that was still standing in the doorway of the penthouse.

Novah just looked and nodded at her and followed Bleach to the small kitchen. Her heart felt like they were ripped into pieces when she saw her reaction; it was as if the youngest CG babe didn't like her return.

Ray smiled at her and slowly patted her back to comfort her. "Give her time, she was hurt when you left. She told us that you promised you wouldn't leave the family."

April had known Novah to be very protective over her family. She was everybody's baby sister, but she always made sure to protect everyone. They didn't start on good terms. April can clearly remember how Novah tried to hurt her when she hurt Randy during one of those SBS moments they had.

When she left for a two-week vacation outside the city, just a month after she received her chain, Novah confronted her when she came back. It was one of those memories that stuck in April's mind.

"Why did you come back? Aren't you enjoying not being here?" Novah uttered when she was left alone with April in the cubby.

The redhead looked at her confused. They were never close and April couldn't even remember if they had interacted before other than the first time they met.

"I will always come back here, this is my home," April responded, then asked, "Why are you so angry at me all the time, Novah? What did I do to you?"

"Other than hurting my family... nothing," the brunette answered.

"Hurting your family? They are my family too, and I won't do anything to hurt them."

Novah scoffed and looked at her, "Why did you leave then? Taco and Curtis were going crazy finding you. Randy and Ray almost fought because of the stress of finding you. Then all of a sudden you sent us text messages that you were enjoying your fucking vacation, after a week! And who told you that you could come back like nothing happened?"

April was shocked to hear what the youngest CG member said. She couldn't fathom what she just said.

When she didn't respond, Novah continued, adding something that April didn't expect to hear.

"Ramee was so distracted all the time because he couldn't contact you. I had never seen Ramee so..." she paused and sighed, "...broken. He was broken when you left, April."

"I didn't mean to hurt him, I didn't know he would feel that way, Novah," she paused and bit her lip, didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry if I hurt him, and if I hurt you because of that. I'm sorry if I came back like nothing happened. Do you want me to just leave, for good?"

The stubborn young woman was quick to answer, "No. You would hurt them more if you leave again."

April smiled, "What about you? Do you like me here?"

Novah looked away and uttered, "Yeah, I guess," in the smallest voice, trying her best for April not to hear it. "If you leave again, I will not accept you in this family."