Presley
I woke up and made my way downstairs. My brothers were up and eating. I walked over to the coffeepot and poured a cup of coffee. I sat down in between Parker and Paxton.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Payton asked.
"I don't know," I answered, shaking my head. I felt in a daze. "I don't know how to feel."
My brothers looked at me as Shaun and Britt came into the kitchen.
"It feels as if I'm in a nightmare that I can't wake up from, and it terrifies me," I whispered, looking at my cup.
"It's a stage of grief," Pax mentioned.
I sat there and placed my hands on my face as I cried. Parker wrapped his arm around me, offering comfort.
"What are everyone's plans?" Payton asked, taking the attention off me. Payton didn't do it because he wants to ignore my grief; he did it to keep things regular.
"I have to work at the bakery and thought Presley would come to keep me company," Pax offered.
"I think that's a good idea," Payton agreed.
"What do you say, little brother? I can show you a cake I'm designing," Pax mentioned.
I nodded as I wiped my face.
I took a shower and got dressed. I went with Pax to the bakery, saying nothing. I didn't want to talk. We went into the bakery, and some guys were standing around the front counter. I followed Pax as we went into the kitchen.
I stood there as Pax sat down in a chair. I watched as he worked on a cake. I don't even know why I was here. A guy came into the kitchen.
"How's it going?" The guy asked Pax.
"Good. Oh, Nik, this is my brother, Presley," Pax introduced us. I shook his hand.
"Pax told me about you," Nik mentioned.
"That's okay because Pax told me nothing about you," I replied.
Pax glanced at me.
"Yeah, I was like you," Nik mentioned.
I looked at Nik.
"Angry," Nik added.
I didn't need a lecture from a stranger. I left the kitchen and walked to the entrance of the bakery when four guys stopped me.
"We haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Leo. That's Xavier, Zane, and Angie," the guy said to me.
"Yeah, I don't care," I replied, trying to move past the four guys. They blocked my path.
"Oh, you'll care because you're leaving with us," Leo said with a look.
I furrowed my brows as Nik helped escort me out of the bakery.
"Let go!" I yelled.
"Nope, you need help, and we're helping you," Nik said, dragging me behind him. The other guys followed us.
Note to myself hurt Pax when I see him.
I sat on a couch at a house as the four guys stood there. Nik sat in front of me.
"I know what you're going through," Nik said.
"How would you know?" I questioned, crossing my arms.
"Because I lost someone I loved in high school," Nik answered, surprising me. "I didn't know how to deal with loss or grief. I almost got expelled from school until my parents sent me away for the summer. I came to stay with Leo and his brothers."
I looked at Nik and the other guys. Leo walked over and sat down next to Nik.
"We also know what it's like to lose someone. We lost our fellow quint," Leo mentioned, shocking me.
"My pops is a quint," I mumbled.
"Loss is a loss, no matter who it is. You still grieve. You're experience anger; it's one stage of grief," Nik explained. "But it won't last. One day, you will meet someone else."
My head snapped in Nik's direction, and I stood up. "I don't want to meet anyone else! I don't want anyone but Eliza! Maybe you can move on, but I refuse!" I snapped.
Nik and Leo stood up.
"Get out of my way and leave me the hell alone!" I growled as I stormed past the five guys.
I went home and straight to my bedroom after slamming the door shut. Parker came out of the kitchen with Payton.
"Well, that was an epic failure," Parker told Payton. Payton looked at Parker and shook his head.
I laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling. How dare my brothers? Who do they think they are? Why can't people leave it alone? I don't want anyone but Eliza. Tears fell down my cheeks as I wiped my cheeks with my hands.
I was better off alone. I never wanted to deal with this pain.
I must have fallen asleep because I woke up and rubbed my eyes. I came out of the bedroom and went downstairs, walking towards the kitchen.
"It's about time you got your lazy ass up," someone said.
I turned and saw an older woman sitting in a chair. I crept towards her. The woman snapped her fingers, and the lights turned on as people sat around talking.
"Gray, I told you this would happen," a woman said.
"You told me nothing, Luci," the man said.
"You're kidding, Daniel," a girl laughed.
"No, I swear it happened, Sadie," the guy said, chuckling.
"I still can't believe you did that, Dominique," a woman said to another woman.
"Oh, Karen lighten up. Cayson had it coming. You never take an Italian woman's food," a woman said back.
I stood there, looking at the people talking along with others. What the hell? Then everyone looked at me, then disappeared.
The front door opened as my brothers walked into the house.
"Did you talk to Pops?" Payton asked Parker.
"Yeah, Ma isn't handling it well," Parker answered.
I stood there, confused.
"I told you it would blow up in your face," Pat told Pax.
"Like I care? Shaun and I are over," Pax said.
"You're lucky. I never got a chance and still single," Pat grumbled.
"Who cares? I still have to deal with Sable and her bullshit," Parker snapped.
My brothers started arguing, then Eliza came into the house. My brothers stopped and walked over to Eliza.
"How are you doing?" Payton asked.
"I'm hanging in there. I wish Presley didn't go into that building," Eliza said.
My brothers comforted Eliza.
"I'm not dead," I said as everyone ignored me.
"Maybe one day I can move on. Oh, wait, I did," Eliza said, smiling at Payton, who smiled back.
"What? What about Josie?" I questioned.
"They can't hear you," someone said.
I turned around and saw the older woman.
"You're dead as a doornail. It was a sad funeral, but shit happens," the woman said, shrugging.
"I'm not dead!" I yelled.
"Sure, you are. You bit the big one. You took a dirt nap. Sayonara and all that jazz," the woman said, waving her hand around in the air.
"I got to get out of here!" I yelled, running to the door.
"Where are you going, Presley?" Payton asked.
I turned as my brothers walked towards me along with Eliza.
"Yeah, you promise me forever," Eliza added.
"What?" I said.
"Forever Presley," Eliza said. I watched as she changed, covered in soot, and put her arms around me. I screamed.
"Presley!" I heard someone yell.
I opened my eyes, finding myself in my bed and Payton looking at me with furrowed brows. I let my anger rip and punched Payton.
"Christ, Presley!" Payton yelled.
I got out of bed.
"Why would you do that?" I screamed.
"Do what?" Payton questioned.
"Get with Eliza when I died!" I shouted.
Payton looked at me with shock. Parker came into the bedroom and looked at us. I looked around with confusion.
"Presley?" Parker said.
"I saw people, then you guys and Eliza," I rambled. "It was so real." I sat down on my bed and stared off, making sense of what happened. I felt confused.
I think I'm losing my mind.
Lex
Piper and I stood in the hallway at the rental house, waiting. The door opened, and Maverick emerged.
"How is Presley?" I asked.
"He's grieving. Has Presley slept?" Maverick asked.
"Not much," I answered.
"Lex, the boys, tell me that Presley isn't eating and having nightmares," Maverick told me.
"What does that mean?" Piper asked Maverick.
"It means if Presley doesn't get help, it will get worse. Grieving is normal when you experience a loss, but it affects everyone differently. Presley needs a professional, and I can't help him because I'm family," Maverick informed us.
Piper and I looked at each other. I saw what Lyric went through with Daniel. I didn't want to lose our boy.
Piper
I went into Presley's bedroom and sat down on the bed next to him. He looked at me.
"Baby, you need help," I said, taking his hand in mine.
"Ma," Presley said, his voice cracked.
I wrapped my arms around Presley.
"Honey, you suffered a tremendous loss and need to talk to someone," I said, comforting Presley.
"It hurts," Presley mumbled.
"I know, but one day, it will hurt less," I reasoned.
"When?" Presley asked.
"I don't know, but it takes time," I answered.
I placed my hands on Presley's face as he looked at me with red eyes.
"Love is a powerful emotion. It consumes you, and when you lose it, you lose a part of yourself. That means that the person meant something to you," I explained.
"But I don't want to love anyone again," Presley sniffled.
"I know, but sometimes family loves you when you can't love yourself. Let us love you while you grieve," I said.
Tears fell down Presley's cheeks. I wiped his tears and offered a comforting smile.
"Hey, bud," Nolan said, sitting down next to Presley. "We heard you are having a hard time."
"We came to help," Luna said, crouching in front of Presley.
Presley looked at us.
"We're here for you, Pres," Nash said, coming into the bedroom.
"All of us, because family matters," Pat added.
I watched as the family entered the bedroom as Presley sat there. Everyone looked at us. I looked at Presley.
"We have you," I assured Presley. He nodded as he wrapped his arms around me. Our son was grieving, needing his family and unconditional love to help him through this moment. Presley needed us.
Presley
I didn't know what will happen now, but I wanted the nightmares and pain to stop. I heard of a broken heart but never experienced it. It's a pain, unlike no other, and you can't breathe. You gasp for air, and you're drowning.
It doesn't matter how someone dies; it fucking hurts. People say it gets better, but I had my doubts. You pray that when you get swept away, someone rescues you. I'm drowning, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.