I woke up to Beck sleeping beside me. This may seem like a normal sighting but I didn't recall of him being here last night.
"Beck." I said shaking him awake.
He groaned and rolled over to his stomach.
"Beck. Get up." I repeated.
He groaned even louder, "Damn you man. Bet you don't force Hollis up like this."
I ignored his Hollis comment, "Where did you even come from?"
He pulled my old blue comforter that I have since forever over his blonde head.
"Window, last night."
I looked over to the open window on the other side of my room, wide open, curtains flying from the breeze.
"And may I ask, why you snuck into my room late at night?" I said sitting up.
He rolled over so he was directing me, "You're gonna laugh."
"No I wont." I said reassuring him.
He sighed, "I heard my mom and Nathan having sex last night. Had to get out of there."
He had a sad and grossed out expression on his face.
I immediately started laughing, "Beck, you've never heard them having sex before. Its a terrible sound but you just tune it out."
"Not with that psycho in the house. There's no tuning out anymore and I hate it."
He seemed genuinely shaken up by it. Considering how much Beck hated Nathan, I could see why this would be much worse than with a regular stepdad.
"This all just makes me wish I stayed with my dad." Beck said as he sat up.
Beck's dad. Desmond Langford. He was the high school druggie and turned his life around. He got really into baseball and football and used to couch Beck and I when we were younger. It was great until Ayla decided she wanted a divorce and somehow got all the custody of Beck. Desmond couldn't do anything so he moved an hour away. They still hung out and talked but it wasn't the same. Desmond was the dad that everyone wanted. Including me.
Meanwhile my dad was sort of the same in ways, from what I've heard at least. Even though he was only 20 when he left, me being two and Liam being a few months old. Nonetheless things were good, again from what I've heard. But one day he decided he was too young to be a married man with children and left in the night. No note or anything.
"You're eighteen in three months. You can then." I said to him.
He grinned, "Yep. April 14th, counting down the days."
"You finally wont be an infant in the eyes of the government." I added.
"Hell yeah." He said enthusiastically.
I grabbed my phone, which was now on the floor. It must've fallen when I fell asleep last night. I looked at the time, 9:56.
I had one notification from Hollis saying, "Sorry. My phone died yesterday."
"What?" Beck asked.
I put my phone down, "Nothing really. Just Hollis."
"Need to talk about anything. One of my specialties is girls." Beck said cockily
"Dude if we had a douche bag jar right now." I said shaking my head.
"No but in all seriousness, I'm here for you. Lis is my cousin but I can block that out, just what's up?" He said to me.
"She's just being distant. I'm being distant too, I guess. Like you saw that she and the girls went to Mexico, she avoided telling me. I found out through Instagram." I ranted.
"You should really just communicate O. She's always been more closed off and reserved. Just talk it out and find common grounds." He explained.
"But what if that doesn't work? I don't want to lose her but we can't stay in something where we can't talk on a deeper level." I pointed out.
I looked to the bulletin board on my wall, filled with pictures of Hollis and I. Beach pictures, dates, homecoming, holidays, anniversary's. Every moment with her documented on my wall.
"Just talk to her, okay? That's how Mona and I flourish and thrive." He said finally.
I nodded, "Yeah, I'll probably do that later today."
"Okay can we just have a little guy time now? Enough with the girls and dads and all that." He suggested.
"Sure. What do you have in mind? I can make food." I asked him.
"Enzo's? I'm pretty hungry not gonna lie. And you don't make a great breakfast." He said bluntly.
I nodded, he had a point.
"Okay, Enzo's it is."
...........
After dropping Beck off to his house, I pulled up into the Lennon-Green driveway. Both cars were in the driveway so I'm guessing everyone was home, unless any of them got a ride from someone else.
I got out of my car, shut the door and speed walked up to the front door. I knocked on the door and almost immediately Lynleigh opened the door.
"Hey you. Long time no see." She said grinning.
"Seriously, where have you been. It's like you moved away." I commented.
I peeked behind her to see if I could catch a glimpse of Hollis.
"I did. My friend, Cece and I moved in last week, right near the community college." She clarified.
She adjusted the maroon scarf she was wearing, "Hollis is upstairs. Go on up just avoid Brooke because she's moody today."
I nodded, "Thanks Lyn."
She grabbed her keys and black purse from the shelf by the door, "Yep don't worry about."
Lynleigh moved out of the doorway and started walking to her car. I stepped inside the house and shut the door.
I walked up the stairs and saw Brooklyn's door was open. She was sleeping in her bed, an empty water bottle, an empty pretzel bag and a fallen heating pad on the ground beside her.
I turned away and stepped inside Hollis' bedroom. Sunlight and the colors of white and green hitting my eyes.
She was sitting on her bed, her laptop on her lap.
"Hey." I said stepping in and shutting the door.
"Hi, what are you doing here?" She asked while shifting the laptop off her lap.
"Just came to see my beautiful girlfriend." I said walking over and kissing her cheek.
Her eyes narrowed, she could tell something was up.
She was the most vigilant yet oblivious person I had ever met in my life. Beck would get like this sometimes too.
"What the hell is happening between us?" I said breaking the awkward silence.
"Nothing, what do you mean?" She said playing dumb.
"Hollis you're making me feel like I'm crazy. What is going on?" I said again.
"Shut the fuck up!" I heard Brooklyn yell from across the hall.
"You shut the fuck up! Just because you got yourself knocked up doesn't mean you can be a shit talking bitch!" Hollis yelled back.
Silence.
I could tell Hollis was stressed, but that was harsh even for Hollis.
She sighed, "I'm just stressed about college, and the baby situation and all the other stresses that comes with being a teenager. Stress is just taking over."
"I feel like you don't trust me anymore." I said finally.
"I do trust you." She said bluntly.
She was tugging at her tank top and pulling it upward more.
"What about Mexico? You didn't tell me about that, and we talked the same fucking morning. You didn't even tell me what happened in Mexico!" I whisper yelled to her.
"I left for less than a day because I needed a break! I was drowning in everyone else's issues and needed a break from my family, Connor, Annika and you!" She yelled back.
Before I could respond she spoke again, "You know what I did in Mexico, I cliff jumped and surfed for the day! I went and got this!"
She pulled off her tank top, leaving her only in her shorts and bra. Immediately I noticed the small tattoo underneath her boob area. Small butterflies and the words "always".
Now I actually felt hurt that she hid that from me. She didn't feel comfortable to tell me that. She didn't feel comfortable telling me, her own boyfriend.
I cupped my head in my hands, "Why couldn't you just tell me? I don't care about a fucking tattoo and Mexico but I care when you hide it from me Holls. Do you not trust me."
"I do trust you O. I just don't think things through, I don't trust myself."
"What does that even mean Hollis?" I crossed my arms.
"I don't know." She said sadly.
"I miss you O." She said after a while of silence.
I looked into her deep, dark, brown eyes and found a look of sincerity.
"I miss you Holls." I responded finally.
She shifted over and leaned in, kissing me.
And then there we were kissing on her bed. It didn't feel right, the fight or whatever that was ending so abruptly and now moments later this. Part of me was saying this was wrong.
But the other half of me hadn't been this closely intimate with Hollis for a really long time. The horny teenage boy in me really missed this and didn't want to go anywhere.
And that part took over.
...............
"Okay can we be good now?" I asked after we finished.
"Yeah, forget anything ever happened. It's now simply miles behind us." She answered.
"Miles and miles away. Left in Mexico." I added.
I saw her face go emotionless the second I made that comment, as if I had just took a stab at her.
"Look Holls, I d-" I started
"Lis get down here!" I heard Esme yell.
"Coming!" Hollis yelled back.
She opened the door and walked down the stairs, me following behind.
At the bottom of the stairs, Esme was holding a big yellow envelope.
A college acceptance letter.
I'm guessing from Waylon State, a college that we had both applied for.
"Oh my God!" Hollis yelled.
She went down the stairs at an even faster pace, me still following behind.
She grabbed it out of Esme's hands.
She started to tear it open a little bit, "I can't open it. I'm too nervous."
I wrapped my arm around her in a half hug and I kissed her head.
"Want me too?" Esme asked.
"Yes please." Hollis said handing her the envelope.
She grasped my arm with her hand, squeezing me really tightly.
Esme began opening it and mentally read whatever the letter contained inside.
"You got in!" Esme said grinning.
"Oh my God I got in!" Hollis squealed.
She hugged me tightly and then moved onto hugging Esme.
"I'm so proud of you Holls." I said to her.
"Can you guys keep it down?" Brooklyn said popping her head out of the door.
Hollis shifted her attention to Brooklyn with a big grin, "I got into St. Mary's!"
St. Mary's University. I knew that she had her eye on there but she never told me she applied. And here she was getting accepted. I was incredibly proud and happy for her but it felt like a punch in the face.
Was she just not comfortable being open with me anymore?
While they were all squealing and celebrating, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
Mom: College letter came in!! Hurry home when you get this
"Mine just came in!" I said interrupting.
"Oh my God. You have to go find out O." Hollis said to me.
"Yeah, I think I'm gonna head home and find out the news." I told them.
"Can I go?" Hollis asked immediately.
I sort of felt surprised by her asking that. Yes we were good and in a relationship but I would've thought she'd want to celebrate with her family. Rather than get dragged away to find out my news.
"Yeah, of course. You don't want to with your family right now though?" I questioned.
Brooklyn walked over to the couch and plopped herself down, "Nah, we can last an hour without us."
"Yeah Lis, go on." Esme added.
"Okay awesome." She said while grabbing her phone.
And out the door we went, going to see what my future had in store for me.
..............
"This is it. My last moment before knowing if I'm in or out." I commented.
This was way more nerve wracking that people would anticipate. In the movies it was always just excitement. Don't get me wrong, I am excited but also so nervous.
"Want one us to read it?" Hollis asked, probably noticing the panic filled expression on my face.
I passed her the envelope without saying a word. She ripped it open and started reading at a very fast pace, I could tell by the way her eyes were moving.
"Oh my God Owen." She said finally.
"What? Is it bad?" I asked panicky
She looked up from the letter and had a huge grin on her face.
"You got in to Waylon!" She said with an expression filled with shock, excitement and pride.
"I got into Waylon!?" I basically yelled as I grabbed the letter from her.
I skimmed through the letter and saw you words, "We are please to inform you...."
"Oh my God, I got in!" I yelled again.
My mom came running over and pulled me into a hug.
"Owen, I'm so proud of you." She whispered in my ear.
That made me feel proud. She had a hard life and worked so hard for Liam and I. All I ever wanted was to make her proud and I did. I made my mom proud of me.
"We have to celebrate tonight! Want to go out or I can make your favorite?" My mom asked me.
"Whatever you want to do. But oh my God." I said again.
"I know the feeling." Hollis said smirking.
And then the realization hit me. We both go into colleges, different colleges. At least over an hour apart from each other.
"Have you heard back from Waylon?" I asked.
She shook her head, "No not y-"
The ringing of the doorbell interrupted her.
"I can get it." I said walking around the counter.
Hollis started moving to the door first, "No you just relax, you just got accepted to college and deserve to be pampered."
Normally I would find this weird as if she wasn't letting me get the door on purpose but I chose to ignore it. Paranoia was just eating at me.
She walked over to the door and opened it with a confused expression.
Without any words spoken she just looked over to me with worried and confused look.
She finally said, "O."
I got up and saw what she was so distraught over and I finally got it.
In front of me was a tall man with dark brown hair, deep blue eyes and olive skin, he looked so familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Okay if there is isn't anything there then shut the door, you're letting all the heat o-" My mom said walking over.
Then she saw the man standing in the doorway.
"Calvin?" She said shocked.
"Hi Bee." He said with a small smile.
And then I got it. Standing right in front of me was the man that left us so many years ago. My dad, Calvin Windess.
Owen.Windess: I should just drop out and be a model already (sorry mom)
Hey guys, hope you liked this short little update. Things are getting very dramatic as you can tell. I also want to come on here and mention my new story, "That Summer and Everything After is out!! I was going to wait until this book was finished but got too excited lol.
Anyway I hope you all are having an amazing day or night. Stay safe and dont forget to go eat and do something good for your mental health.
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ily guys