The Move // h.g.

Taken

brooke

"He can't go." my voice cracked talking to the man at the door.

"I'm sorry miss, but he will be at your eldest sister's house." he said, sympathy stringed in his voice.

"No, he has to stay with me. We've been together since the beginning. He has to live with me." my voice was wobbly.

"He can visit miss." I full-on started crying by then, not wanting to let my brother leave.

Chris was confused, his face sad that I was crying. "Sissy, why are you crying?" I cried harder, taking him into my arms.

"You're-e going to have to live with Kelsey now. You can visit anytime you want baby." I stuttered.

"But I want to live with you." his voice was broken, squeezing my waist tight.

"I love you." I whispered into his ear.

"I love you more." he mumbled.

We slowly started taking his already packed stuff to the car of my sister. Her eyes were sad, knowing how close Chris and I are.

"Please take care of him. I know you will but it's... instinct." I sniffed, hugging her.

"I know babe. He'll come and visit all the time." she rubbed my back soothingly.

I walked over to Chris in the backseat, eyes filled with tears. "I love you so much bub. Be good." I kissed his forehead.

"I'll see you every weekend. Don't worry sissy." I laughed at how big his smile was though his eyes threatened to spill tears.

We'll see each other every weekend, nothing will be different. I chanted in my head.

They drove away, the social worker driving behind them. I cried at how the judge lied to me, saying he was able to live with me.

I just can't believe he's gone.

-

addie

"Hayes!" I giggled, trying to get out of his grasp.

At the moment he was tickling me so I would agree to go and watch his mid-day practice today, which I didn't want to go to.

"C'mon babe! It's only for a little while." he whined, pulling me down on his lap.

"Five hours is not a little while." I smiled at my boyfriend.

"Still." his pout made me giggle.

"Hayes, I-" I got cut off by my phone ringing from the coffee table.

I picked it up, squealing to see it was Brooke. "Hey bae how's it-"

There was a harsh sob on the other end of the line. Thoughts were
already running through my head of what could have happened. "Spill." I commanded.

"The social security worker took Chris away from me. He has to live with Kelsey. I'm so scared." her cries made my heart break into pieces.

"Brookie... I'm coming over." I hung up after she said her heart-wrenching okay.

"I have to go love. Brooke needs me." I said softly, already grabbing my keys and Cali's leash off the table.

"I get it." he smiled, standing up.

We walked towards his front door together, Cali trailing in front of us. He gave me a satisfying kiss goodbye, kissing Cali on her small forehead from in my arms.

I waved as I backed out of his driveway, high-tailing it to Brooke's apartment.

"B..." I trailed off, walking through the front door.

"In here." a faint cry came from Chris' bedroom. I ran over, sad to see my best friend on his vacant bed, sobs wracking her body.

"C'mere love-y." I took her fragile body in my arms, rocking her back and forth soothingly.

Her sobs turned into cries, which turned into small whimpers until she had no more tears to cry.

"Promise you won't leave like everyone else." she whispered, holding out her pinky.

"I promise." I wrapped my pinky around hers. I waited a minute until I spoke again.

"Now, let's go get some ice cream and watch Orange is the New Black, yeah?" her head nodded, sniffling before getting up.

The rest of our afternoon was spent watching the two seasons of Orange is the New Black, an empty gallon tub of ice cream on the coffee table.

I spread a throw blanket over the sleeping Brooke on the couch, cleaning up our mess.

After I finished cleaning, I quietly left, reruns of Seinfeld blaring quietly in the background, Brooke sleeping on the couch.

***

"She was so hurt. It was terrible." I vented to my boyfriend next to me.

Cali was in my lap, soft snores coming from her mouth as she slept soundly.

"She's just never seen a life without Chris right there with her." his fingers raked soothingly through my hair as we laid in his living room couch.

"At least we got Nash over there." I mumbled.

"Try to get your mind off of things baby."

"Breakfast at Tiffany's?" I asked hopefully.

"Anything you want." he kissed my forehead, pulling me closer into him.

The moment I grabbed the remote, Cali woke up, hopping off my lap and to her dog bed by the couch. I pouted, turning towards a laughing Hayes.

We ended up watching Breakfast at Tiffany's and falling asleep soundly on the couch, Moon River playing in the background.

The perfect ending to a not-so perfect day.

~

NOT my longest chapter, but I plan to update twice tonight so...

there's a tornado warning and my moms freaking out and our house is really hot right now 😂

oh and it's POURING DOWN rain. literally. pouring.

so if I die, Brooke, you know my password and you BETTER update this story

(y'all I'm just kidding, I won't die)

xx

🌻