Falling For The Opposite [PUBLISHED]

Chapter Nineteen: I Don't Know

“Calm down, dad,” Drew encouraged, placing a hand on his father’s shoulder, “Mom is inside waiting for you.”

James nodded and finally pushed the door open. He stepped in and we followed the suit. Drew closed the door behind us and called for his mother.

“Mom, we home!” he called out.

“Coming!” we all heard Ariel call back. We could hear her feet approaching and when she stepped into view, James took in a sharp breath.

Ariel paused in her steps and stared at James with disbelief, the same look Drew sported when we were in jail.

“James,” she breathed out, walking slowly to her husband.

“Ariel,” James let out with the same tone used by Ariel.

In a flash, Ariel was in James’ arms and they hugged furiously, “I missed you,” she sobbed to his chest.

I watched the couple with nothing but awe. Nothing was better than seeing two people who love each other so much being reunited.

“I missed you too,” he cooed, kissing the top of Ariel’s head.

“What’s going on?” Savannah asked, appearing from where Ariel came from.

“Is that my princess?” James asked and a huge grin spread to Savannah’s lips.

“Daddy!” she squealed, running up to him. James let go of his wife and caught Ariel who leapt into his arms.

“How did this happen?” Ariel asked as she wiped away some stray tears.

“Celeste happened,” Drew chuckled and Ariel finally noticed that I was there.

She pulled me into her arms, crushing the life out of me, “Thank you,” she sobbed out, rocking us back and forth.

I so desperately want to tell her to let me go but I think she wouldn’t hear me anyways. She had a death grip on me and I sent a pleading look to Drew who had the nerve to shoot me an amused smirk.

“Help me,” I mouthed, sending him a glare.

He chuckled at my expense before finally prying his mother off of me. I relished the sweet oxygen that entered my system once again. Ariel surely knows how to hug and that was not a compliment in any way.

“Well then,” I smiled, looking at the Everett Family, “Looks like I’m no longer needed here.”

“Nonsense,” Ariel waved off, “Stay with us.”

“Nah,” I refused, “I’ll just come back later to pick up James.”

“Let me walk you to your car,” Drew insisted, leaving me no place to refuse. I nodded, saying my goodbyes to Ariel, James and Savannah and walking outside, Drew right behind me.

“You have plans for today?” Drew asked when we finally reached my car.

“Not really,” I replied, opening the driver’s door.

He frowned at this, “Then stay.”

I shook my head and looked inside the house from the opened front door, “It’s a rare time for your family to be together, I don’t want to be a bother.”

“A bother?” he repeated in disbelief, “You’re the reason why we’re together in the first place.”

“That’s true,” I agreed, “But my parents are the reason why you can’t be like this every day.”

He stopped and stared at me for a good minute. He was processing what I have said, it was two contradicting statements and as much as I hate mentioning the little fact that my parents placed him in jail, I know he was a persistent guy.