Aubrey's POV
"Mai, you didn't have to buy all this shit." I told her, as I carried the last bag of groceries up the stairs.
"What kind of mother would I be if I let my son come to an empty house, eh?" She quipped, unlocking the door.
I chuckled lightheartedly, before bending to kiss her forehead. She was only 5'2".
As soon as it was pushed open, a wave of nostalgia hit me with a force. It smelled just as it did in my memories. Grandma. Dad. Mom. Even Noah(40). I missed them, and it wasn't until I came home that I realized this. Taking a deep breath, I entered the house.
"What do you think? About the new decor?" She inquired, smiling at the new couch set that she bought.
"Not bad mom." I complimented, resting the groceries on the kitchen counter.
I appreciated the change, I couldn't have dealt with the house being exactly as I left it. The memories would have been too vivid, the wound would've been reopened.
"After grandma kicked the bucket, I thought it was time for some change." My mother said, as she smiled sadly at the memory of my sweet grandmother.
I nodded, acknowledging her words, but not sure how to accept them. Looking around the room, I noticed many changes, like the arrangement of the pictures, the new furniture, the installment of the massive bookshelf, but something was missing. Then it hit me, the large gray couch was gone. Breath turning shallow and short, I looked around for a few more seconds before turning to my mother, frantic.
"It's upstairs in her room." She confirmed, as if sensing my fears. She knew that the old piece of furniture meant the world to my grandma. It was her her favorite thing in the world to sit in.
I smiled as I recalled us spending countless hours there, talking or singing, free styling with her. She was always supportive of my dreams, kissing me more than necessary and giving me words of advice in anything that I set out to do.
She was the happiest family member when I got the role in Degrassi as 'Jimmy'. She called me "Jimmy" for an entire year.
"Jimmy Brooks, put a smile on that sour face, eh? It's your birthday." She teases.
"I don't like the fact that you have to live here. You're not that old. Come back. Stay with us." I tell her, sure that she'll agree. Living in an infirmary was not what she wanted.
"Aubrey, I love you, and I'm happy that you want me to be at home, but with both you and Sandi being gone all day. Who is going to be there with me? and let's face it, I'm not as youthful as I once was." She says, breaking the remainder of my heart.
I roll my eyes, not able to contest her. She makes valid points. It is selfish of me to want her home, when I'm barely there myself.
"I understand " I say, upset. "Just know grandma, anything you want or need, I'll get it for you. I will always come through for you. Is there anything that you want?" I tell her, meaning every single word.
"How bout a hug and a kiss?" She asks, and my heart melts as she stand to hug me.
"Hey," my mother said, clearly seeing the emotion behind my eyes.
It was still the worst feeling ever, only being there a few days before she passed. Seeing the pain in her eyes when she was finally ready to accept the fact that she was leaving.
I shook myself out of my haze and turned to the short woman next to me, smiling. She rubbed circles in my back to soothe me.
"What do you want to eat?" She asked. It was my mother's belief that a good meal could cheer anyone up.
"I don't want you on your feet for so long, we could just order something today." I told her.
"I haven't cooked for my only child for 3 plus years, and you expect me to just order something?" She asked, eyebrow arched.
I knew that it would be hard to persuade her, so I simply agreed, excusing myself to go to my room.
The basement was almost unchanged. All my stuff was left untouched, except for a few items I had never seen before. I was sure that my mother just placed them there due to lack of space upstairs.
The deep royal blue color of the walls was still as vibrant as ever, drawing attention to the pieces of furniture that were very light in comparison. My white bean bag chair was covered with dust in the corner of the room, near the bookshelf. It used to be my favorite place to chill with Noah and Don, and now it only held the memories of us, laughing uncontrollably or rehearsing my lines from Degrassi. Thoughts consumed me, and I had flashbacks of a time when life was simpler. I recalled when life was only about family and friends, no trials, no complications, nothing. I'd take the Acura to go shoot Degrassi in the morning. It was so uncomplicated back then. But still, so empty. Yeah. I had a girlfriend and shit, but it wasn't real. Nothing I felt for her was authentic. I thought that I could've grown to love her, but I couldn't.
My bed looked so small. Back when I was younger, I thought it was humongous, but right now it seemed like an aunts bed.
My phone vibrated in my back pocket and I pulled it out quickly.
From: AmBer
To:Aubrey(Me)
Hope you got home safe, I'll miss you.
It was sent over three hours ago, and I was only now receiving it.
I smiled at how sweet she was and dialed her number to call her.
On the second ring, she answered.
"Hey gorgeous." I said into the phone. My grin was wide as I got comfortable to speak to her.
"Hey Aubrey." A foreign voice replied.
I jumped.
"Umm.. Hello, who's this?" I asked rather loudly.
"Chill fam, it's just me Genesis, Amber's studying right now, she left her phone here to be less distracted." She explained, and I exhaled loudly.
"Okay... Tell her that I'm home, and I'm safe. And umm... Tell her that I love her."
Genesis mimicked a disgusted sound, "eww... I'm repulsed, but I'll tell her."
I chuckled lightheartedly before my mother called me to come upstairs.
Justin's POV
"This is getting to the point of obsession bro." Freddy commented as I took a twenty dollar bill out of my wallet to pay for the weed.
"What is?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
"That girl's picture in your wallet, didn't you guys break up last year?" He asked.
"Yeah, and!?" I inquired.
"Get over her man. Was the pussy that good?" He asked.
The plug handed me the product, and I took it quickly before walking away with Freddy at my heels.
"I don't know why, but I can't really. I've never fucked her, and I feel like I'm missing out. I need to." I confessed, pushing the marijuana deep into my pocket.
"Weren't you fucking her cousin or some shit like that?" He was happy to ask.
I rolled my eyes at him for pointing it out. "Genesis was a slut, I don't know what I was thinking, smashing her." I breathed out, "Amber would've been better, I know it."
Freddy clearly was tired of me. He looked me up and down several times before exhaling.
"I'm gonna go, I gotta go see Miranda." He informed, before taking off in the opposite direction from the house.
"See you later man." I yelled before entering the house.
Upon entrance, I noticed that she wasn't the only one home anymore.
"Rebecca," I called, looking around the extensive house for the girl.
"I'm in here Tina." She called.
I hated the name "Tina", it wasn't my thing. Amber would call me "Jay," and I loved it. It wasn't all that creative but the way she said really felt like she owned the word. Like it was hers.
I followed the sound of her voice to a room down the hall.
"Up for a game?" She asked, leaning against the pool table, cigarette between her fore and middle fingers.
"Nope. And those aren't good for you." I warned, walking closer to her small frame.
"Well," she shrugged, "it does the trick."
I cringed before snagging the drug, and putting the flame out on the ash tray.
"Hey." She whined, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning.
"Sorry Beck, I'm not gonna lose you to lung cancer." I told her, absolutely serious although my tone was a little joking.
Rebecca was one of my closest friends, she lived in England to attend boarding school and I only barely got to see her. We had met when we were in kindergarten, she stole my crayon box and we'd been great friends ever since. I wanted for Amber to meet her, but unfortunately we broke up before that could've happened. I knew Rebecca would've loved Amber.
Constantly, I'd tell Amber about Beck. Coming to think of it, Amber probably still didn't know that "Beck" was a girl. Rebecca and I called each other opposite gender names, just for fun. It was part of our relationship, although neither of us knew how it came about.
She laughed it off. "Pretty sure it'll be something like over dose or something."
I glared at her, she had a nonchalant outlook on death, which I hated and I shook my head.
"Hope you really stop all this negativity." I chastised.
"Come on, lighten up I'm just kidding." She sighed, grabbing my hand in hers. "Since when did you become such a buzzkill?"
When did I become such a buzzkill? I wasn't sure when or why, but I knew it had something to do with Amber. Everything did.
I laughed nervously, not wanting to expose my revelation to her. I pulled my hand from hers.
"I don't know." I said honestly. I did know how it happened, but I wasn't exactly sure when. "I just haven't been feeling up to it these days."
"You're telling me? You totally missed my New Years Eve Party." She recalled pushing my shoulder. I stumbled back only slightly.
"I can't really do too much right now. I'm trying to stay away from potentially harmful situations." Beck only knew certain things about my condition. It wasn't that I didn't want her to know more, it just seemed unnecessary to tell her. To tell her that I had a breakdown, and pointed a loaded gun at someone for kissing my ex girlfriend, seemed like too much to disclose to another person; Close friend or not.
"The fuck does that mean?" Inquired the brunette, as she reached into her back pocket to pull out another cigarette.
"Just means I didn't want to do anything to mess with my condition. It's been pretty hard lately." I looked down at my feet.
"Does this have anything to do with that girl you were dating? What's her name.... Amy, Avery?"
"Amber," I snapped, getting a little upset, "and no. She's the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm the one who messed it up."
"Oh okay.." She rolled her eyes upwards.
"I guess I just wanted to avoid getting drunk and doing more dumb stuff." I confessed.
She acknowledged my answer.
"How'd you guys break up anyway?" She asked, I was praying to God that she wouldn't ask.
"I-uh.." I scratched the back of my neck nervously, "cheated on her with her cousin." I grimaced at the thought of doing that to her. I was such a fucking asshole for doing that shit.
Beck looked amused. "You did what?" She asked, laughing.
I turned my face from her, "I don't want to talk about it."
"Okay just answer me this then," she said lighting the stick. "Who was it? I wanna know if I know her."
"Genesis.. Does that name ring a bell?" I quipped, sure that it did. Rebecca knew everyone aside from Amber.
Beck's eyes widened and she looked away from me. "Fuck!" She exclaimed, "that girl is crazy Tina."
"And you tell me this now." I snapped again. Pissed.
"Wait how do you know her?" I asked.
"I met her in third grade. We used to like this guy named, Peter."
"Peter Ba..... Peter Baxter? The one with the chipped tooth."
"Yeah, that one. So I passed notes to him in class, one day, telling him to meet me near the monkey bars. I thought I was gonna get my first kiss that day, but when I got over there; Genesis was already talking to Peter. I could tell that he like her, but I wasn't having it. So, I interrupted them, and pulled Peter in my direction. She went ballistic. She yanked his other arm back toward her. Soon both of us are yanking this niggah back and forth, and back and forth. He's smiling and laughing, but the both of us are dead ass serious. Genesis let go of Peter, and she clocks me, right in the face. She busted my lip, and messed up my face over a boy."
I was dying of laughter, imagining Genesis doing that, it seemed hilarious to me.
"And you know what, I saw Peter the other day, and he's gayer than a picnic basket."
This caused me to double over in laughter. I clutched my stomach, trying hard not to laugh too loudly.
Soon Beck followed, and we were both laughing in this room.
"What's so funny?" A deep voice asked from the hall.
I whipped my head in the direction of the person speaking. He was completely unfamiliar. I stood up straight, smile fading from my face.
Who the hell was that? Was it Beck's boyfriend?
"Chris, you scared me!" Beck yelled. Chris?
"My bad, that joke just seemed enticing." He confessed, chuckling.
"Tina, this is my brother Chris." Beck introduced.
"Brother as in friend?" I asked.
"No. He's my actual brother, his name is Chris Brown. We have the same dad. We only found out about him sometime last year." She clarified.
"Seriously!?" I asked, looking at him, there were a few similarities between them. Why didn't she tell me before? I leaned in to whisper in her ear. "But he's black."
I was beyond confused. Rebecca's mother was white, I had met her before. Rebecca was white.
"What the fuck dude. I'm black!" She yelled, looking around. She laughed at my startled expression. "I'm mixed, my dad's black."
Oh! No wonder she used the 'N' word so freely. How could I have been friends with someone for so long and not know their race?
"I've never met your dad that's why." I defended myself. "I'm sorry."
It's not that her race had anything to do with our friendship or would change it, I was just caught off guard. She didn't seem at all mixed.
"It's okay. Hella people think I'm white."
We all stared awkwardly at each other before Rebecca started speaking again.
"Okay, so umm what were we talking about again." She scratched her head before talking again. "Oh Yeah, Genesis."
"Yeah... You were telling me about how she knocked you the hell out!" I grinned so hard at the memory. Chris sauntered into the room then leaned against the pool table. I was fine with him being around.
I glanced at him, he was wearing a casual pair of basketball shorts and a graffiti designed t-shirt. He seemed cool enough.
"You know what's funny? Genesis was actually at my party. She was with two other girls." She disclosed.
I frowned, Genesis was really bold to do such a thing.
"Maybe one of them was you ex. Do you have a picture of her?" She asked.
I had so many, but I didn't want to seem pathetic, so I reached for my phone, scrolling through the album that I had dedicated to her and chose one of the thousand that were there.
"This is her." I said before letting Beck see the picture.
"What? This is her?" Beck asked, taking the phone from my hand.
"Yeah." I scratched the back of my neck nervously.
Beck stared openly at the photo.
"She's bad as fuck, Justin!" Beck said. She only called me by my actual name when she was serious about something. "Wow. Why'd you cheat on her?"
"Gimme my phone girl." I tried to grab it and she pulled it out of my reach.
"Chris. Look." She threw the phone to him. He caught it quickly. I didn't miss the way that his eyes widened when he noticed the picture of Amber.
I rapidly reached over to grab it from him. He didn't resist, simply gave it back to me and reached for his own phone in the front pocket of his shorts.
"She's fucking sexy." Beck said.
"I get it. I get it. I'm a fucking idiot for cheating." I confessed, still glancing at Chris in the corner of my eye.
"I'm still trying to figure out how you bagged her." Beck exclaimed.
Chris typed a message furiously, I had a feeing he knew more than he was letting on.
"She was definitely at the party." He whispered when he finally looked up from his phone. "She was with her new boyfriend."
I glared at Chris. Did he know her? Did he try to talk to her?
"Oh, really?" Beck asked, glancing at me one time before turning her attention back to Chris.
"He's a fucking Dick!" He said, a large amount of venom in his voice; indicating to me that he not only met and spoke to Amber, but he got shut down by Aubrey too. If he was smart he would leave it alone.
He liked her. I could tell that he did. He couldn't have her though, neither Aubrey or I, could let that happen.
I narrowed my eyes at him. He didn't seem to notice, which I was grateful for.
"He's probably just really protective of her." Beck defended. "If I had a girlfriend that looks like that, I'd try to protect her too."
Chris excused himself to go to the bathroom, leaving his phone on the pool table.
Soon after he was out of sight, his phone vibrated, and I looked at the screen for a brief moment, before Beck startled me by saying something.
"It's gonna be hard to get her back, but you should try." She encouraged, trying her best to say the right thing.
She had no idea how hard it truly would be.
A/N
Hey guys, so I'm really excited for the the remainder of this book. I'm thinking about ending it at 100 chapters. But there are so many other things that I want to add, that I might continue up to 150 chapters. I'm truly having so much fun writhing this. I get lost in their world and before you know it, I'm on 3000 words per chapter.
Okay I'm done rambling. Thank you for reading.
Love You❤️💋