Typical

Chapter fifty

Sorry it's been a few days 😁 just got back from vacation :/ so I've been doing last minute homework.

❤️ you.

...

"Shawn"? Aaliyah's eyes widened as she looked towards the door I had closed only seconds ago.

Her long brown hair very similar to mine and dark eyes.

We always fought like siblings did growing up but she was the only sane one in our family besides me.

"SHAWN" She flew off her bed, running towards me as I grasped my arms around her back, spinning her around.

"Hey kiddo"!

"I missed you so much. Dad told me you left us." Her eyes were glossy as she squeezed my neck.

I hugged her tightly before setting her down.

"Word of advice, don't listen to dad" She laughed at my words, running over to her suitcase to pull something out.

"Look, I got you this in California." I sat on the end of her bed, she pulled out a black string with some sort of charm attached to it.

"It's a necklace, with a guitar" Smiling, she set it in my palm.

I ran my fingers across the silver guitar.

"I love it, thanks Al." I fist pumped her before standing back on and slipping it around my neck.

"I want you to meet someone, she's right outside" Aaliyah gave me a confused look as I walked towards the door and opened it.

Will leaned against the wall, her arms crossed staring blankly at the wooden floor.

I took her hands gently, turning her towards my sister.

"This must be the famous Aaliyah I've heard so much about" She bent down slowly, smiling.

Al nodded politely.

"Shawn's never had a girlfriend."

She laughed, raising an eye brow up at me.

"Ah.. Not true"

"Very true" Aaliyah smirked at her brother, keeping in a laugh.

He stuck out his tongue.

"Nice to meet you." She shook Willows hand, quickly running off downstairs.

...

Willows POV-

I watched as she walked away, her hair bouncing.

She looked just like Shawn.

"I'm so excited to introduce her to Pen" I turned to Shawn, wrapping my arms around his waist and burying my head in his chest.

I wasn't going to tell him about my encounter with his father, he didn't need any more stress or anger added to his plate.

"Aaliyah can stay. But my parents aren't sleeping here" He kissed my forehead, rushing off back downstairs.

I grabbed his hand, following.

"Shawn..shouldn't you sit and think first? You haven't seen them in..months.. Give it a minute to sink in" He was walking so fast, I couldn't tell if he was going to run up to his dad and punch him or walk straight out the door but as soon as we entered the familiar living room his rage died down.

"Are we gonna stay? Mom I don't want to go back to California. I wanna stay home" Aaliyah sat next to her mom on the couch, Mrs. Mendes had her head in her hands, shaking it back and fourth.

"Al.. Leave it" She choked out.

"Aaliyah could you come with me"? I smiled, holding out my hand.

The little girl who looked around 11 nodded. Sighing and sitting up to take my hand.

I knew Shawn had something to say, and the least I could do was get his sister out of the room.

"They think I'm a baby and I don't notice what's going on" She took a seat on the island stool.

Resting her head on her hands.

"They just don't want you too have too worry" I half smiled, pulling two glass cups from the cabinet.

"You have parents like mine and you'd worry too" She rolled her brown eyes.

I chewed the skin on my bottom lip, nodding once.

"I'm sorry.. That was rude. I just wish they'd tell me things." Gently setting down her orange juice and sipping mine, I rested my elbows on the counter facing her.

"Can I tell you something my mom always use to tell me when I worried"?

"Yeah"

Thinking of my mom was no longer such an emotional place for me.

I missed her, more every day.

But remembering her, just made me smile.

"Whenever I was little and went to sleep at night, I could hear my parents arguing. I use to cover my ears with my pillow and squeeze my eyes shut, thinking of a better place, like flowers in a field.. Or a puppy" She laughed a little, listening intently.

"Well, eventually I was no longer able to reach those better places so I would get myself lost in something. Like a book, or a movie. I'd try and not listen until I couldn't anymore.." I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

Bringing all this up felt scary yet relieving.

"But I always wondered why they fought so much. I hated knowing they weren't as happy as they once were"

She looked down, then back up at me slowly.

"I decided to ask my mom. I was a little younger than you but I went downstairs, sat my mom down and asked her. Why my family was changing on me, why things weren't as good as they were before. And you know what she said"?

"Hmm"? Al asked.

"She rested her hands on my shoulders, and she looked me dead in the eye. She said that things change everyday all around us, for the good or the bad and we can't stop those things. She told me that no matter what, no matter how sad or scared or out of control I felt. Nothing that was going on was my fault, none of what was happening everyday around me was caused because of me. She said family's fight, family's argue and sometimes.. Family's split up. But no matter what, they'll find a way back to each other with time"

I took her hand in mine, squeezing it.

I didn't realize until meeting Al how alike we were.

She's going through everything I went through, no, her mom didn't pass and her father doesn't abuse her but it's the same mental torture I spent years trying to figure out how to stop.

I didn't want her to feel like she was alone.

"You don't have to worry, about anything"

Her eyes welled up.