If I Stay✔️

2

L E O

The house was quiet for a change, well as quiet as it could be whenever Maya was round. She had the God forbidden talent of becoming chattier than Atlas at times. Something I never believed to be possible until I'd lived through it myself.

"Where is everyone?" She asked, following me into the kitchen.

"Dunno," I shrugged, taking a seat at the breakfast bar. "Zac's at work, Ace is out with Beck. As for the rest, who knows."

She didn't look pleased with that answer.

"Lily!" Maya screeched without warning, voice near bursting my damn eardrums.

"Jesus Christ," I rubbed my ears and glared at her as I tried my best to soothe my now burst eardrums. "Shut the fuck up."

She rolled her eyes at me, unbothered by my irritation as she began helping herself to the contents of the fridge.

This girl had no shame.

"Make yourself at home, Mi."

"Thanks, babe," she smiled an overly innocent smile, turning to face me with a bottle of Zac's beer in her hand. "You're so sweet."

"Who's screaming?" Grey asked as he entered the kitchen, eyes landing on Maya and me. "I'm guessing it was you?" He nodded towards my friend with a small sigh. It was clear he loved her as much as I did.

"Greyson, it's good to see you."

My brother rolled his eyes as he pulled the beer from Maya's hand.

"How many times do I need to tell you to stop raiding my fridge? You're fifteen, no alcohol." He glared at her, placing the bottle back in the fridge before handing her a water, offering one to me next.

"Shouldn't have left it in there then," She retorted cheekily, pouting at the water bottle. "One beer wouldn't have hurt."

"Leo," Grey turned to me with a look of annoyance, "Why must you bring her here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"Where's Lily?" Maya asked Grey.

"I'm here," my sister announced, running to Maya before wrapping her in a hug.

I watched them for a few seconds, until Grey's voice pulled my attention to him.

"How was therapy?" He asked, actually sounding interested.

"Fine." I mumbled, focusing my eyes to the floor. I didn't want to share anything with him, not when I still felt anxious. Talking about it now would only make each beat of my heart hurt harder. "I'm gonna go to my room."

"No, no, no, no!" Lily grabbed hold of my wrist, smiling pleadingly. "You're going to come to the park with us, right? We're taking Charlie down to the lake."

Don't go, keep your distance.

"It's freezing." I replied honestly, pulling out of her hold. "Charlie will freeze."

She rolled her eyes, brows falling to a frown. "He's not going in the lake, we'll just walk him around it."

"You know for a fact if we go to the lake, he'll go in it." Boy did our Charlie love to swim.

"I'll just keep him on the leash. Stop trying to find ways to get out of this." Lily whined, stomping her foot like a toddler. "Please, come with us." She pouted with her signature puppy-dog eyes, which, might I add, should be illegal.

Don't—

Exhaling loudly, I nodded unenthusiastically. "Yeah, fine."

I didn't have time to react as Lily's body latched itself to mine. I stilled, my breath catching in my throat. Closing my eyes to pray the panic away, I shakily wrapped my arms around her in response, squeezing her tight in hopes that it would hide the tremors.