Forbidden Love

1

Jaxon

I still can't believe I'm back in this hellhole.

A year is not long enough to be away from a place I hate. I wish I was back in Canada, relaxing on my cousin's hammock without a care in the world. But I'm not in Canada nor am I on my cousin's hammock. Instead, I'm in my mom's car heading back to jail—also known as my house in Rose Thorn Heights.

I peel my eyes open and look out the passenger side window. We're almost there, and everything looks familiar to me. The donut shop where the team would go when we won a game, Olive Garden, the sign to go to the beach, the car shop. If we turn right and drive for a bit, we'd see Ty's (my favorite restaurant in the entire town) and eventually, we'd hit Rose Thorn Academy—that's tomorrow's problem though.

"You're up. Did you have a good nap?" My mom glances over to me before her eyes shoot back. I don't miss the way she twists her lips when she realizes she took her eyes off the road for a second.

"It was fine." I lie with more edge to my voice than necessary. I wasn't napping, I was pretending to be elsewhere. Somewhere where my problems don't exist. Somewhere the memories aren't as constant.

"I see your attitude hasn't gotten any better." Her tone isn't harsh, but her words are.

Why did I even think of coming back again? "Sorry to disappoint."

The ride is silent the rest of the way home. She doesn't try anymore, she stopped trying with me right before I left. It's nothing new.

When she picked me up at the airport, we shared a very short and awkward embrace. The tension hasn't left in the year I've been gone. I don't think it'll ever really leave. There will always be that little reminder of what's missing and the knowledge that we won't ever get it back.

When we pull up to the house that I've lived in my whole life, I drag myself out of the car and grab my suitcases before following my mom inside. She tells me that Dad will be home after work, but I don't respond. The last time I saw him, he was throwing my stuff on the lawn and practically begging me to leave. I'm not exactly thrilled to see him. Actually, I'm not exactly thrilled to see anyone.

The scent of the house is the same, the living room, the kitchen, the stairs, everything is exactly the way I left it, right down to the barren walls where photos should be. I see my parents are still struggling with acceptance. I honestly feel like I haven't left at all.

That's what I was most afraid of. The familiarity of coming back to my life in Rose Thorn.

I make my way up to my room and out of habit I glance to the left. To the door next to mine. I thought that habit was long gone, I guess it's not. I almost want to punch myself for looking. But instead of violence, I push my door open and walk in.

My room hasn't changed at all aside from my bed. It's filled with clothes. Clothes that don't belong to me. Looks like Mom went shopping. They're all plaid flannels. I roll my eyes for what feels like the eightieth time today. Before I can toss them in my closet—never to be worn—I get a call from my cousin Allison.

I answer without hesitation. "I hate it here."

A laugh echoes from the other end. "You've been there for—what? Two minutes? Give it some time."

"I want to go back."

"You'll be okay." She tells me. "How's Auntie Kayla and Uncle Lance?"

"Mom barely talked. Dad's working." I shrug even though she can't see me. Silence falls for a minute, and I double check to make sure she's still on the line.