Falling Backwards (Sequel to Moments)

Chapter 26: Feel

CHAPTER 26

"Janelle?" I turn around and see my mom standing at the front door. "What are you doing here, honey?"

"S-Sorry," I say wiping my tear-stained cheeks, "I just needed somewhere to go. I'll just be leaving now."

"No, come in please," she says holding the door open, "Is everything alright? It looks like that you've been crying. Did something happen?" I step inside the house and I instantly hear laughing coming from the living room. I look over and I see Bobby and Maura with my dad?

"Bobby? Maura?" I croak out. They turn around and their faces are of pure shock. Their eyes quickly turn wide and they slowly get up from the couch.

"J-Janelle?" Maura says before rushing over to me and wrapping her arms around my body. It was like she was actually checking if I was really there.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask once she lets me go.

"Well we heard your dad had gotten released and we wanted to come visit," Bobby says before giving me a shorter hug.

"W-When did you get here?" Maura asks.

"A few days ago."

"We haven't seen you since... since that Christmas party a few years ago." And that's when the pity reached their eyes.

"How have you been?" Bobby asks.

"Good. Went back to Hawaii."

"So that's where you went," Maura says smiling. "When the boys found out that you had ran away, they were absolutely heartbroken."

"Are you staying with them?" Bobby asks, and I slowly nod my head.

"I'm assuming that you made up with them?" Maura asks.

"Um I guess so," I sheepishly say, and that's when the room turned quiet. "So what were you guys doing?" I ask, trying to break the silence. I look behind them and I see some video playing on the TV.

"Oh! Well your mother and I found some old videos of when we first moved here," my dad says happily. Everyone takes a seat on the couch.

"This is right before you and CeCe went out to your first day of school," my mom says rubbing my back. I turn my attention to the TV as my dad starts up the video.

"Dad, why are you recording?" my 12-year old self asks. "Isn't recording stuff usually for babies when they take their first steps or something?"

"No one is ever too old for home movies!" my dad says in the background, as he's the one holding the camera.

"Alright! Here are your backpacks," my mom says coming into view as she helps both CeCe and I put our backpacks on.

"Mom, this is not preschool," CeCe says, and I have the same annoyed look on my face as her.

"But this is a new school in a new country! Can't parents just love their children?" my mom says as she happily smiles down at us. "Let me just grab my keys and we'll be on our way." She runs off and quickly comes back with her things. The camera follows us out the door and my dad zooms in on us as CeCe, my mom, and myself reach the car.

"Hope you girls have fun at school! Don't forget to make friends!" my dad shouts.

"Yeah, yeah," I say waving bye to him.

"Dad, you were so embarrassing," I say as the video ends. All of us are chuckling and I think my mom may have shed a tear.

"We were just excited that's all," he says turning back to the TV. I follow his gaze and that's when I see the next video starting up. The first thing I notice is that this video starred 12-year old Niall and 12-year old me.