PUPPY LOVE¹

{11}

tay walked home slowly, her mind replaying what had happened an hour or two ago over and over again. 

she had pushed liam away, pushed passed the pack, and left. she just left with her sobs, not saying a word. she walked in, hearing two people shot up immedately from the couch.

"there you are!" lena sighed. "where've you been? you haven't called or texted in weeks, we haven't heard anything from liam or scott's parents." she paused. "what's wrong?"

"are you ok?" sam added, seeing how her face looked.

tay cleared her throat, not bothering to wipe her eyes or anything. "fine," she lied in a mutter. "i'm gonna go to bed. sorry for worrying you."

"wait-" sam started.

lena gave him a look, tugging on his hand. "we can tell her tomorrow," she whispered.

"tell me what?" tay croaked, her voice beyond horsed from the screaming, crying, exhaustion, everything.

lena frowned, exhaling softly. "why don't you go to bed? it can wait until tomorrow."

tay shrugged. "whatever." she went upstairs, heading to the bathroom in her room. she stared in the mirror and looked at her reflection. and she began to laugh, absolutely no humor in it whatsoever.

theo... was in hell.

her brother, was in hell. gone. forever. for all of eternity. stuck in hell with a murderous tara.

tay's laughs died down - like theo - and slowly removed her clothes, hoping in the shower once she turned on the water and it was the right temp. once she was in her PJ's and in bed, she stared at the ceiling, her mind still on replay.

she couldn't believe it. 

and when she closed her eyes, she could see theo being dragged down, falling asleep only to have nightmares of that.

𖦹𖦹𖦹

"sweetie." lena knocked on the door, waiting a moment to peer her head in. "can we talk?"

tay slowly woke up, turning on her other side to see her adoptive mom better. she cleared her throat. "what's up?"

lena moved so she was next to tay on the edge of the bed, handing her a water and a small bowl of strawberries. 

tay gulped down half of the water after sitting up, eating a small strawberry after. she was too hungry not to eat it, no matter how not in the mood she was. "thanks," she mumbled after swallowing.

lena just nodded, playing with her hands anxiously. "ok. um, tay... i just wanna start with, i have no idea what's been going on. i know something's happening, but i'm not going to be one of those moms, or guardians, who's in their kid's business and up their ass."

tay furrowed her eyebrows slightly, sitting up more. she had her full attention now since she didn't like the sound of her voice. it made her nervous.

"uh... um... tay, honey... sam and i, we have a promotion in the company. and we're taking it. i think... i think it will be good for all of us, especially you, if we do. even if you don't like it."

tay sighed. "ok. isn't that a good thing? you'll get more money."

"tay... we're moving away from beacon hills."

she froze. "i'm sorry, i don't think i heard you right. we're... what?"

"moving away from beacon hills," lena repeated guiltily. "i'm sorry, but this is what's best for all three of us."