Falling Together

10 Months Later

Maisie looked down at the greasy pizza on her plate and wondered how she ever ate something so gross multiple times a day. 

"Come on! All the way here raving about how I wouldn't understand how amazing it was till I tried it and now all you can do is look at it!" Noah laughs in my face "Admit it, even you don't think this soggy tortilla looks good anymore!" he says looking down at his New York city slice like its growing fungus right as we speak. I watch as a bubble forms and pops on the surface of the oil. Knowing darn well its not hot anymore and wondering where the heck the bubble came from..

Dax looks over the table atNoahs pizza and then next to me at mine. I can tell he's trying to be supportive and not make the same disgusted impression that Noah is although I can clearly tell he wants to vomit at the sight of the tiny puddle of grease filling up his own pepperoni slices like hot tubs.

"Ok.." I say starting slowly as I look back at my own plate again. "Maybe... just maybe.. The owner has added a little more grease in the recipe since the last time I was here." I say pushing my pizza backwards.

"Oh thank god.." Dax says swallowing a lump in his throat and pushing his away too.

"Thank you!" Noah exclaims loudly throwing a paper towel over his slice to keep from seeing it, only for the entire paper to turn orange with oils. "Oh god make it stop..." He says using another plate to cover the science experiment happening in front of him.

I cant help but let out a laugh. Today did not go how I thought it would go. But in all the best ways. I leaned into Dax and smiled as he kissed me on the head.

"How are you feeling baby?" he asks as he pulls back just enough to see my face.

"Good. I wont have to see their faces ever again and the judge granted me and my mom protective orders. I didn't think they would since my mom didn't even show up."

"Did you hear from her at least?" Noah asks as he raises his hand for a check and hands a waiter a twenty dollar bill. The waiter nods and says his thanks but I don't miss the confused looks about the untouched pizzas in front of us.

"No. After I told her I wasn't going to move back with her our relationship hasn't been the same. But I deserve to go to college and make a life for myself. Not have to take care of my mother the rest of my life."

"Hear Hear!" Noah says as he raises his water to his lips and takes a sip. "Now! Can we go somewhere where the food is actually edible? I'm starving." he says looking around.

I laugh as a few New Yorkers over hear his comments and throw shade at him, and then almost die laughing as I realize he's waiting for the waiter to come back with his change.

"Your not getting change back Noah." I laugh as I grab Dax by the hand and pull him out of the pizza booth with me.

"What?!" But the bill was only like $12!"

"We tip here in New York big brother." Dax laughs with me as he slips his jacket over my shoulders and pushes me towards the door.

Noah, Dax, and my father had become my constants. They gave me the courage to come back and face the man that harmed me and made me feel so afraid to even breathe.. And Now I was here in my big beautiful city wanting to show them around the home I've always had.. But it no longer felt like home.

I looked to Dax and Noah. The memories of the last year of laughter and family game nights filling my head. My dad helping me fill out college applications and getting on my own two feet. Noah helping me pack and register for classes, and Dax coming with me all the way to college despite not attending just to make sure I make it safe. Knowing that all of them will be there waiting for me when I got back to Samoa. All three of them were my whole heart. And home is where the heart is.