Bad: Girls Do It Well (First Edition)

Chapter Twenty Three

|| Chapter Twenty Three ||

The Dream.

An excited squeal travelled through the air, flowing in the wind and tangling in her black hair as she ran, her short legs pumping away as she chased me through the trees "Where are you going?" A giggle passed through her lips as the breeze sliced past her cheeks due to our speed.

My excitement matched hers as my speed increased "Come on!" I squeal and keep running, faster and faster I went as the burning in my lungs hadn't quite reached concerning levels – so I pushed and kept pushing "Charlotte! Catch up! Come on slow poke!"

"My legs are shorter than yours!" Char laughed as we ran through the trees at the back of our property, tearing through the foliage at high speed rates we dodged branches and fell over fallen logs. "Tavey! Slow down! I'm older than you! Respect your elders!"

A deep chuckle echoed off to the side followed by the thumping of footfalls before Chris' figure appeared alongside Charlotte "You're only older than her by two years." He laughed while pushing her to try race faster to follow me as I was getting too far ahead, almost out of their line of vision.

I slowed down and waited for them with a slow paced jog through the meadow before tripping over what I presumed to be a log, carefree I rolled onto my back in the long grass in a fit of giggles.

"Geez! Ouch, Tave you suck!" Dylan groaned out in pain, looking down towards my feet I noticed my adopted 'father' lying clutching his side in his twenty-two-year-old glory. Brushing the dirt and leaves I had kicked up into his dark hair and face, Dylan's voice came out in a thunderous whisper "You're going to ruin the surprise! Shush!"

Using the popular technique of an army crawl I made my way over to him, effectively getting grass and dirt stains on my white t-shirt and knees; the black denim shorts doing nothing for me as they rested mid-thigh.

Letting out a quick giggle at my 'stealth song' I was humming I turned to face where the giggle came from, confused as I thought it was just Dylan and I, but regardless, laying in the grass not far off was the twenty-one-year-old Amelia, out adopted 'mother'. Her long purple hair covering her face slightly as her pale skin rose and fell over, and over, in heavy breathing from running.

"Tave!" Charlotte called out, partly in confusion and partly in annoyance as she lost me, yet I'd lead her out here. Chris wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they caught their breath at the edge of the forest "You suck!"

Chris and Char where lucky to have their one-year anniversary fall on a Sunday, as rather than going to church, we all dressed in the same outfit of white shirt and black bottoms, and spend the day as a family.

The Pharos... They're my family... A family who are currently all hiding in long grass waiting for the signal to jump out and surprise the two love birds at the forest clearing, seventeen-year-old Chris and sixteen-year-old Charlotte.

I hadn't realised many of the Pharo family members had all followed my lead of army crawling towards our designated parental figures of the group until Danny, Chris' brother and a member of my Pharo-family, whispered "On three".

"One." Dylan smiled as we all prepped ourselves to jump up.

"Tave, where are you?" Char called out once more trying to locate me as she squinted in the sunlight.

"Two" Quinton, my designated older-brother and protector since Dion left, chuckled.

We all reached into our pockets for the small bags of confetti we had hidden away as Chris groaned "Maybe she's still in the forest... We should probably head back..."

"Three" I breathed out.

At that moment our bodies clicked into action, eight members lying in the grassy Meadow once hidden from sight, jumped up and released our confetti bags in the wind making them rain down on the young couple. "Surprise!"

Chris' body, from instinct, pushed Charlotte behind him and began to size up his attackers while Charlotte squealed out a high pitched shriek in the exact reaction we were hoping for, surprise.

Once realising that we were no threat you could see Chris' body relax, poking her head out from behind her boyfriend Char just laughed "Oh my gods' guys, what is this?" She beamed with her hands flying to her mouth.

"Happy Anniversary!" We all shouted from the grass, these two words made Chris smile widely and wrap a teary Char into his arms. I hadn't been away from the Devils for long, in fact, I was still in the midst of recovery.

But today as a series of 'I love you's and 'I love you all so much' along with the 'I frigging love you guys' was shouted out to one another, and everyone was soon wrapped in a large group hug with ten warm bodies, I knew that this is where I belonged and where I wanted to be...

I was home.

"We have the best family ever" Dylan beamed looking around at all of his 'kids' before placing a kiss on Amelia's lips. "So proud to call you my family, and my kids." Amelia squealed in excitement and agreeance making us all laugh "I frigging love you guys."

"Te amo, a mi familia." Amelia grinned adding extra oomph to her hug, "I love you, my family."

I had felt so happy being with them, the people who; despite what wrongs you have committed in the past, did not judge you for it, despite what harm you cause during your recovery, still try to help, and if you choose to be a part of the Pharo family, you're loved for the rest of your life...

Dear Diary.

I wish I could have stayed in that hug forever.

Back when everything was good in the world.

Back when everyone was alive...

- Tave.