Clo POV
~ Dream ~
I looked over at my friends, it was like they couldn't see me, like I was invisible. Going closer I couldn't see Rye, the others were all there though. Shan sighed "I just can't believe it you know babe."
"I know," Andy said softly, "but she's been missing for a year now, he's allowed to move on."
Jodie mumbled "Aye but what if she-"
"She's not though, is she?" Brook mumbled lowly.
Leaving them in the lounge I went up to where my room used to be, walking in my stuff was all in boxes. And going to the other room it...it held a bed and Rye with a girl I knew all too well. His ex Lucy. Lucy the one who cheated on him, Lucy the one who hated me and made no secret about it.
She looked over at me, pain whooshed through me, she saw me. No. Why couldn't my friends see me. She crooned "Rye baby it'll be ok, you'll move on,"
"But-" he got interrupted as she began kissing him, pushing her body onto his, no room. He was kissing her back. Did he kiss me like that? Tears were falling down my face, but it didn't matter, only Lucy could see me. He pulled back slightly to kiss her cheek, then her neck, his hands on her. Her hands on him.
"Baby? Wake up."
They were meant to be clearly, I couldn't stop the sob that escaped me as I left the stupid room and ran to the attic only to see it was a guest room. I was replaced.
~ End Dream ~
Stirring I felt wetness on my face, reaching up I touched my face, I'd been crying? A light was on and I realised Rye was straddling me, hair tousled and eyes full of concern. Hands on my waist...my waist. Blinking back the tears as the dream came back to my mind, I remembered the text I'd gotten a few weeks back.
"Baby, talk to me, please." he said voice rough from sleep, I choked out "What time is it?"
"3am." he replied rolling off me and lying next to me, "you were mumbling in your sleep...then you started crying."
I mumbled "Just a bad dream."
"You wanna talk about it?" he asked quietly, looking at him I shook my head, instead I curled into him wrapping my arms round him. Relaxing into his embrace, I could hear his heartbeat too. I whispered "Love you,"
Closing my eyes I was about to fall asleep, when something started to creep into my mind, squeezing my eyes shut I tried to block out the lyrics that were bubbling up inside of me. Sighing softly, I slowly rolled off Rye, who'd fallen back asleep, got up and pulling my slippers and dressing gown on. I slipped out of my room and went to the door that leads to the attic, going up I smiled stepping inside my den, it was still a wee bit empty but it worked. I had a desk up here now, and several beanbags, my laptop was up here but most importantly, I could get these lyrics out of my head.
Jodie POV
Groaning as someone came into my room, I said "Go away."
Brook's hold on me tightened, pulling my body closer to him. A voice said "It's 10am Jodes, time to get up,"
I glared at Shan who smiled "Also...you seen Clo?"
"No." I huffed, as I slowly got out of my bed with Brook. Making our way down we went to the kitchen joining the others. Becky and Nay weren't here yet, they probably had work.
"Rye she's probably gone out shopping or something," Andy replied, yawning, "Tea babe?"
Shan nodded "Please,"
I couldn't help but stare at Shan's promise ring, she always wore it...I don't think I've seen her take it off since she got it for her birthday. There were footsteps and Clo came running in phone clamped to her ear as she said "No I get that...no here Blair talk to him."
She passed the phone to a stunned Andy "Blair?"
"Where have you been and why are you this energetic for the morning?" I grumbled.
Clo coughed "I've been busy. And I'm always energetic when I've had my caffeine...hurry up Fowler I'm busyyyyyyy."
Andy rolled his eyes at her saying "Yeah ok thanks,"
Handing it back to her she said "No, ok cool thanks laters."
Pocketing her phone she went rooting through the fridge humming a tune, Rye mumbled "Babe what are you humming?"
"A tune." she replied shutting the fridge, Shan stared at her "Ok spill why are you in a happy mood at 10am?"
Clo mused peering in the cupboards "Fancy sponge cake?"
"Oh my life duck, don't bake more cake, I don't want to become fat." I whined.
Clo glanced at me snickering "You don't need to eat the WHOLE cake Jodes."
"So mean." I sniffed resting my head on Brook who kissed my cheek, Shan raised a brow as Clo began getting stuff out still humming a tune under her breath.
"Clo what are you humming?" Andy whined, she paused looking at him amused then continued much to everyone's annoyance.
Rye sighed "Babe what are you doing?"
"Being productive unlike you." she retorted, Rye winced "Ouch, talk about burn."
She smiled "Sorry baby, but you're not excluded from my sass just cause we're dating."
There was a familiar voice and I nearly choked on my drink as Robbie, Rye's older brother came in. Rye stared at him "Bro what are you doing?"
"Nice to see you too," Robbie laughed going over and hugging him.
Clo looked at Robbie "You're a wee bit late mate."
"Look here you, you rang me at 6am."
"I'd been up since 3 you lazy so and so," she retorted shrieking as he tasered her "Now what do you need help with?"
"Aside from dealing with your brother?"
"...god Rye, I can't wait to call her my sister in law." Robbie grinned, Shan stifled a laugh, all of us were finding this rather hilarious. Rye groaned "Robbie can you shut it."
"...what is that?" Robbie asked nudging Clo seeing her promise ring.
She scoffed "A promise ring Robbie,"
"Cute. You make him into a total softie." Robbie chuckled, Clo gave him a look just as a voice yelled "Cloooooo you have a huge house!"
Rye stared as Sammie came wandering in, he coughed "Baby what is-"
"Clo dear? I got what you asked for," a voice said, Karen Rye's mum came in along with Rye's dad.
Andy was nearly doubled over from suppressed laughter, I frowned "Erm duck, why have we been invaded by Rye's whole family? And I thought the twins were at school?"
"They had the day off today and it's a Friday anyway," Karen chuckled answering one half of my question, Rye mumbled "I'm so confused."
Karen hip bumped Clo out the way "Scoot over pet, now then you're making a sponge? I'll do the main course shall I?"
"Hello mum, dad, not that I'm not happy you're here-" Rye got cut off as his dad said "Robbie did you bring the stuff for the icing?"
"I thought you were?" Robbie frowned, Karen sighed "And this my dear,"
"Is why you leave it to the women, cause men are hopeless," Clo said passing the bowl to Robbie he held it and peered in it "Can I-"
"No you even try to taste it, I'll hit you." Clo yelled, Karen swooped over taking the bowl off him. Whilst Clo decided to climb onto the kitchen counter, Shan raised a brow "Doll, what..."
Rye's dad said amused "Karen decided she randomly wanted to throw a party for no apparent reason, Clo joined in and-"
"She's not in the family group chat though." Rye said confused now.
Karen rolled her eyes "Rye honey I message Clo regularly, plus she was up early, which worked out wonderfully."
Clo looked at Karen "Ok what colour icing?"
"All colours." Karen laughed, Clo chuckled and grabbed a box dumping it on the side.
Rye just stared as his mother and girlfriend overtook the kitchen, Karen said "We need music."
"Rye get dressed," Robbie said rolling his eyes, Karen glanced at her son amused "He ever go to bed with a top on?"
"You kidding? I'd think he was ill if he did," Clo snickered, Rye shook his head smiling faintly "Babe, behave please."
Clo looked over at him smirking "I always behave."
"Go get changed and stop flirting," Robbie grumbled, "honestly Clo, you're such a bad influence on him."
Clo huffed saying nothing, Karen said "Oh David you can take the twins out to get some party stuff,"
"Why are we having a party?" Naomi said coming in looking really confused, Karen turned to her smiling "You must be Naomi, Clo's told me all about you."
Nay blinked, Rye patted her shoulder "Turns out my girlfriend and mum get along like a house on fire,"
"That's your mum?" Naomi squeaked, seeing the twins who said "Who are you?"
"She goes out with Jack," Clo said helpfully, Sammie went over to her "Can I ice the cake?"
"I'll make cupcakes so you two can ice them?" Clo offered, which seemed to satisfy the twins.
Naomi said slowly "Why are we having a party?"
Clo peered at Naomi smiling faintly before resuming to her cake mix. Karen chuckled looking at Clo who stayed silent. Naomi shrieked eyes wide "No you are not! You did not do this for me...oh my god Clooooo."
"Wait what?" Jack said confused.
Nay groaned "Clo please don't I don't want a stupid party ok and-"
"But you want cake and a party means cake and plus Karen's helping so you...shush...ah-" Clo cut Nay off who swallowed went to speak again, only for Clo to go over and put a finger to her lips saying "No arguments. You're gonna be 17 tomorrow, so we're gonna have a party today and not on your actual birthday. Ok?"
"Okay..." Naomi trailed off looking at her, "but you didn't have to do this..."
"I mean...I kinda did." Clo winked, "you best love your present from me."
Naomi groaned "You know sometimes I worry about you,"
"Saves me worrying bout me." Clo shrugged, Jack said "You never told me when your birthday was..."
Naomi shifted looking at Clo who nodded, Nay hugged her and disappeared. Karen said "She's sweet...kinda reminds me of you a bit."
Clo smiled "We were internet friends since I was...14 or 13 something like that."
"Explains a lot," Karen chuckled.
Clo came over to us "She grew up in care...after her parents died that is she tells everyone that they died when she was 11, you know and makes a story up about her childhood."
"They didn't?" Sammie asked going over to her, I stifled a laugh as Clo picked Sammie up sitting him on her lap, Shaun sitting on the edge of the seat with her. Rye was watching them and he looked like he'd just melted from seeing Clo with his little brothers.
Clo said stroking Sammie's hair "Nay was left at the hospital as a baby, not in the hospital...outside in the cold. There were no records of her and so the staff took her in, tried to search for her mum or dad. Nothing..."
"But didn't her parents love her?" Shaun frowned, Clo glanced at him shrugging "It's not always that simple. She grew up in care, she's been in and out of foster homes, never had a place that felt like...home. In that sense I got her, whilst I had parents, a family my house didn't feel like a home when they began arguing. It was just bricks...with people in it. No one knows when her actual birthday is, tomorrow is the day she legally changed her birthday too as they knew she was born in that year just not when."
"Why tomorrow?" Jack asked.
Clo looked at him then at the cake mix "It marks 5 years since she and I first started talking,"
"She never tried to find her parents?" Brook asked quietly.
Clo looked at him shrugging "I wouldn't if it had been me, why bother searching for something that you've never known. She's here, alive and her biological parents could be dead for all she knows. They never reached out and she gave up long ago, hope is a dangerous thing Brook..."
"Ewww stop being all deep," Naomi said lightly coming back, Clo tilted her head back looking at her, Nay squished her cheeks "I hate you for doing this...but I also was scared you'd forget."
"Yeah I know I'm terrible with dates Nay, can you not squish my cheeks?" Clo mumbled, Nay smiled "But you're a squishy."
Clo rolled her eyes "I'm not a toy."
Naomi giggled and whispered something in Clo's ear, she slowly flushed grumbling "I'm going to kill you Nay."
I raised a brow "Why? What'd she say?"
I didn't know it was possible, but Clo had gone an even darker shade of red, Rye chuckled nudging Nay "Bad child."
"Oh shut up, you love seeing her blush Ryan." Nay laughed ruffling his hair much to his amusement.
Clo mumbled "Out of my kitchen, I've got stuff to do,"
"Yes Boss." Mikey laughed, Clo shot him a withering look causing him to laugh even more.
Rye had disappeared to get changed, and we all followed suite, getting ready we came back down to find Nay sat in the lounge with her laptop on her lap and she was wearing glasses.
"You wear glasses?" I asked, Nay looked up smiling "Same reasons as Clo, only so I don't strain my eyes, and for computer work."
"Whatcha doing babe?" Jack asked coming through and sitting next to her, curling into her, she mumbled "Editing a vlog."
Pretty soon everyone was back in here, Becky was still at work I think, Shan asked "Rye you ok there?"
"He's probably panicking about his family being here." Andy chuckled, Clo came through then. Rye caught her hand, as she went to walk by pulling her back to him. She groaned "Whaaaaat?"
"How and why my family?" he asked, "why not Maria?"
"...I like the twins ok," Clo mumbled, "and Robbie..."
Andy snickered "What she's trying to say is she feels part of a family, her relationship with my mum is different Rye,"
Rye looked at Clo who mumbled "I have to go-"
"Did you go back to bed?" Rye asked, holding her gaze, she shook her head "Lyrics were going through my head so I went to the attic. And began writing them out, then your mam appeared on face book at like 6am, we had a chat I told her bout Nay...and she suggested they come down to help. And it meant they got to see you and the others."
Karen came through "I wondered where you'd got to. Rye-pie leave her alone for god sake, I'm not ready to be a grandma yet."
Clo giggled kissing his cheek "Go take the twins to the park or something,"
"CLO WHAT THE HELL IS WITH ALL THE CRAP IN THE ATTIC!"
"ROBBIE WHY ARE YOU IN THE ATTIC?!" Clo yelled running upstairs, "YOU'RE SO NOSY....GET OFF ME YOU OAF!"
There was a shriek and laughter, Sammie came through "Can we go to the park?"
Rye nodded "C'mon, Shaun!"
A/N
I hope everyone has/has had a good day at school, college etc and if you've not, keep your head up hopefully tomorrow will go better for you :) In other news, I've been up since 4am today, I got my dad to wake me up to I could actually get some stuff done before it becomes too hot.
If you want to follow me on my socials my twitter and instagram are both @eloisethewriter and I do have a blog if you're interested, type into google bookdragons247 and the first link that shows, should be my blog.
love Clo xox