Julie's POV
"You guys okay?" Mam asked as Libby and I walked hand-in-hand into the front room
"Mhm.. I'm starving" I said
"I haven't had a proper meal in about two weeks. I'm really hungry! Can we please go somewhere so I can get a greasy burger?" I begged, I could see the concern in both my parents facial expressions. They were sat there blaming themselves for the situation we have all put ourselves into. There was nobody to blame here but myself.
"So? Can we?" I asked once more bringing them back to reality and out of their mental battle
"Yeah of course" Mam said coming over to me and pulling me into a hug
"Ow" I flinched at her touch, making her instantly fly off of me
"I can't believe you went and got a fcking tattoo" Mam hissed as she carefully lifted my shirt up. Her face instantly crumbling, turning into a little shy smile
"I-Is that me lyric?" She asked with tears in her eyes, I guess she hadn't payed much attention to the tattoo earlier when she grounded me for the rest of my life
"Yeah.. I don't even know how I erm.. remembered it" I laughed awkwardly lowering my shirt down
"Give us a kiss then" She beamed tearfully, pulling me into a gentle hug - almost as if I would break if she were to hug me too tight
"Mam stop" I said trying to pull away, but she was having non of it
"I won't take you to get a burger if you don't give us a kiss" She said seriously, I smiled shyly giving her a peck on the cheek and I allowed her, I allowed her to hold me as tight as she wanted. Because the memory of her asking if I had missed her was still playing in the back of my mind
"I did miss you Mam" I whispered in her ear, I couldn't let her go about her day thinking I didn't let her consume my thoughts, that I didn't actually miss her. When in fact I missed both of my parents terribly.
"I should go" I heard Libby say, I quickly unwrapped my arms from Mam and snapped my body around to meet Libby's
"Wait! What? No, you can't! You have to come with us" I said, in a begging tone. She wanted to leave, she wanted to leave and never come back.
"I have to go, Nana's home alone" She said, I took her hand and pulled her into the front entrance of the house in hopes to give us some privacy
"A-Are you not going to come back?" I asked, I was breaking on the inside. Was she running away from me?
"I'll see you on Monday" She said, looking at me with a confused look. She was trying to figure out my sudden change, my sudden clinging to her
"Promise you'll come back, promise you're not leaving me" I begged, tears boring my eyes
"Hey.. Come on, I'm not leaving you. I'm just going home" She cooed, talking to me like a child. She pulled me into her, wrapping her arms around me - the feeling of safety warming my insides
"Promise" I mumbled against her shoulder
"I promise I'll come back" That's all I needed to hear, her reassurance was all I needed to calm my working brain, the doubts, the constant 'she's leaving you' stopped within seconds
"I love you" I sniffed pulling away, she looked at me for a few seconds, a light smile working onto her lips
"I'll see you Monday" She said kissing my forehead and walking out of the house. I waited for her to come back in and tell me those four words that I needed to her, but she didn't. I didn't get the reply I wanted, the reply I needed to hear. I shrugged it off for now, because I knew she was still upset with me, you can't just forget everything in a matter of seconds.
"Go on and put your shoes" Mum said bringing me out of my thoughts, the smile that had disappeared re-appeared on my face as Mum's husky angelic voice sang through my ears
"I've missed you so much Mum!" I sighed hugging her, her bump had grown a bit but it still didn't give me much resistance to wrap my arms fully around her. Her motherly sent hitting me, my nerves suddenly calming and my early worries disappearing
"I missed you too angel" Her pet names were always so perfect, Mam and Mum were completely opposite in so many ways - yet so much similar at the same time. They both knew how to love someone unconditionally
"Well, come on then" Mam said breaking our little bubble we were in, Mum pulled away planting little kisses against my temple smiling at me for a few seconds before speaking
"You know I love you right?" She asked, placing my hair behind my ear
"Yeah, and I love you" I smiled
"And you know how I always want nothing but the best for you right?" She went on, I didn't know where she was taking this but I had a few guesses
"Mhmm" I nodded, watching as she chose her words carefully
"Sweetheart, that hair is daft looking" She smirked running her hands through my blue locks
"It's not that bad" I huffed rolling my eyes and pulling away from her
"It is" Mam said standing at the door impatiently as I tied my shoes straps
"Well wish no more, I'll be getting it done tomorrow" I said following them out of the house, it felt good going out with my parents. Doing normal things; having lunch like we used to. I missed all of this, I missed the normality of my life
"Can I wear this hat?" I asked Mam, as I rummaged though her gym bag thrown into her backseat
"We were only teasing you Bubba, don't be embarrassed of your hair" She said, looking at me through the mirror as she continued to drive us to what I would only assume a burger joint
"I know.. but I didn't fix it" I shrugged, in all honest I was embarrassed of my hair. I had finally come down from my crazy bad-girl high and everything was becoming clear. I looked like a homeless bum, trying to get their sh*t together
"You know I'm not going to tell ya no" She said, I put on the black leather cap; trying - but failing to hide the distasteful hair dye. We pulled up to Byron, I loved this burger shop; it was funky and always had the most amazing burgers. I could just taste it. We were seated in the far back corner, in the grey leather booth
"I'm going to get the biggest burger on the menu" I said, whilst I scanned the menu like my life depended on it
"You can get what ever you want" Mam said wrapping her arm around my waist. I knew she was watching me, I could feel both of my parents looking at me. They were trying to figure out if I was okay, if I wanted to talk about any troubles I might have
"I'm okay you know.. you can stop looking at me now" I said, keeping my focus on the menu; not looking at anything in particular
"Do you want to talk about it?" Mum asked, trying to be as gentle as possible
"No, I just want a burger. Can we please not talk about anything that has to do with Jason, or my blue hair" I said making them giggle, finally looking up to find two sets of eyes on me; worried eyes.
"I'm not angry at the tattoo, or the piercing-" Mum started
"But that hair" She tutted finally lifting her menu to scan the items
"You guys can choose my next look if you want" I said making them both look at each other and beam widely
"Nothing crazy!" I warned, the waiters came over and took our orders. We sat there, finally in a normal atmosphere and talking about anything our minds could string out. My parents went on for a good 30 minutes talking about what hair dye I should do next, but thankfully it was cut short when the beautiful mouth watering burgers came into view
"So how come you haven't been eating?" Mum asked, taking her first bite whilst I was on my third bite attacking the heavenly cooked hamburger
"I don't want to sit with them on the dinner table" I said with a mouth full of food, chewing like a cow; not caring if anyone could see. I was starving.
"What have you been eating?" Mam asked, concern laced in her voice as Mum took a napkin wiping my ketchup stained chin clean. I felt like a child, and I wanted to be treated like a child right now. I had missed the motherly comfort of my parents
"Well.. We'd erm.. go to parties every night-" If I was going to be honest, might as well come out with it all
"-and we'd drink and all that other erm.. stuff, so I'd just eat crisps or what ever was there" I said making them both give me 'that look' that look that said many things, but one was -
"How could you not take care of your body Julie! Have I not taught you anything" It meant concern and-
"What happened to no more drugs eh? and drinking!?" And disappointment - let down.
"Agh it just happened okay, can I please eat" I groaned continuing to devour my burger, shoving as many onion rings my mouth could fit
"Slow down" Mum said watching me eat like I had been deprived of a meal for years. I'm so upset with myself for ever doubting my parents love for me, their ability to take me upset their wings and take care of me. After everything I had done, and put them through; they still managed to forgive me and forget everything that happened. Because that's what parents are supposed to do, they're supposed to love you no matter what. It was about time that I knew what a parents love was supposed to be like, I finally got it all.
**
Julie's POV
"Mam please don't take me!" I begged for the tenth time as Mam drove me to Jason's house.
"Julie, sweetheart it's not up to your Mam. We have to do it, even if we don't want to" Mum said, but I was having non of it. I began to cry like a stubborn child not getting their way. I didn't want to go back to that house, I hated it, I hated him. I unclipped my seatbelt and climbed to the front seat; sitting my self on Mum's lap
"Julie!! Get in the backseat now!!" Mam said, trying her best to keep her eyes on the road; nudging me to get off Mum's lap. I ignored her completely; hanging onto Mum for dear life. Wrapping my arms around her neck and burying my face into the valley of her neck, crying like a baby
"M-Mum please!! Don't make me go! Please!" I sobbed, ignoring Mam's shouting.
"Listen to me-" She said pulling my face out of her neck and forcing me to look at her
"It's not up to us- Cheryl stop it!" She snapped as Mam continued to argue, shouting for me to sit in the back all while keeping her focus on the road
"Yes it is!" I cried
"Don't make me go! Please! I hate it there!" I was howling, my cries were becoming louder and louder. I could see Mum's face crumbling as she took in the sight of me, she was becoming upset
"Mummy please" I begged, I didn't want to go. I didn't want to stay there one more night
"I can't" Her eyes watering as I continued to cry my heart out
"You don't e-even love me!" I sobbed, wrapping my arms around her neck once again burying my face into the crook of her neck. Needing that safety, but I didn't feel it.
"No! NO!" I screamed, watching Jason come outside as soon as the car pulled up to his drive way
"No Mum! Please I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please!! No!!" I was hanging onto her for dear life as Jason opened the passenger door trying to pry me away from her. He was stronger
"Come on sport! Stop acting like a child!!" He snapped
"MUM! PLEASE!" I screamed, she was crying hysterically watching him take me away from her
"DON'T FCKING TOUCH HER LIKE THAT!" Mam snapped getting out of the car and pulling me away from her
"It's my day with her! You got your two days!!" He snarled at Mam, I wrapped my arms around her waist; shaking as I continued to cry
"Let us just have a talk to her!" She said more gently this time; seeing how shook up I was about the whole situation
"Five minutes and then I want her inside" He said walking away
"Come here baby" She walked us over to the steps and sat me down on her lap. I heard footsteps against the graveled driveway and I knew Mum was making her way to us
"Please Mam" I said more weakly this time
"I'm going to make all of this better I promise" Mam said, holding me tightly as I rested my head against her chest. Mum came into view sitting beside us. One messed up family situation.
"We're going to do everything we can, I need you to be strong. No more crying" Mum said wiping my tears away
"P-Promise?" I hiccuped
"Promise."