Not So Loved (West Coast Campus Series Book 2)

Chapter 35

Rhys

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas!"

Liam squeals while jumping in between everyone and I grab him before he can jump on Maeve.

Since none of us have any real family, Capt and Allie invited us over last night for a big sleepover at their apartment.

Everyone slept in the living room after we inflated a few queen beds and watched Elf.

Liam had the time of his life yesterday. He got to decorate the tree and help make everyone hot chocolate and then we surprised him with matching pjs for everyone.

I grunt. "Liam, I know you're excited but look-Maeve is still sleeping and we don't want to wake her."

Liam's eyes widen. "Ohh. Because she's still hurt right?"

I smile. "Just be extra careful still, okay?"

He nods, dropping back down beside me on the inflatable mattress and burying his way into my side, his head coming to lay on my right arm. "I really hope you like your present, Rhysie. But if you don't then that's okay too."

I kiss the top of his head, making sure Maeve's shoulder is still okay. "I'm going to like anything you get me. We all will."

He sighs. "Why do old people sleep so late? It's already six thirty."

Liam's usually up by five thirty so I thought it was a lot earlier than it was. "Well then I think you need to go wake up Mike and Cam."

Noah grunts from the bed a couple feet away from us, shooting up when I think he realizes that Allie isn't with him.

"It's okay, grumpy. Allie had a bad dream so I went and cuddled with her." Liam pats Noah's cheek.

"Thanks, Liam. I'm sure that helped." Noah says with a soft smile that I've noticed only Allie and Liam get.

"It did! She said so herself! Then she took Leo on a walk and I wanted to go with her but she said I needed to stay here because I had to ask Mae or Rhysie but they were still sleeping so I couldn't and then I went and turned on the Christmas lights..." Liam rambles, running across the room over to where Mike and Cam sleep on the last inflatable mattress spooning one another.

"Ow! Fuck! That was my dick, little man." Cam shouts, grabbing his junk before rolling off the bed. I roll my eyes.

"If Maeve heard you say that, you would be is sooo much trouble." Liam chimes.

"I did hear him and he's gonna have two presents taken away from his pile." Maeve grunts from beside me, flinching when she rolls over onto her bad shoulder.

"Could you-could you help me stand?" She whispers, almost like it pains her to ask for help.

"Of course." I scurry over to her side, wrapping my one arm around her waist as gently as I can because as much as her face is bruised, her torso and stomach are a lot worse.

Liam plops down on the floor dramatically, grunting.

"You better not be shitting your pants, Liam." Maeve warns like it's happened before.

Liam ignores her when he hears the front door open. "Allie's back! Present time!"

Leo, for only being maybe ten weeks old, is a fucking calm puppy. He's usually following Allie around wherever she goes from a distance and right now, he's sitting beside her feet as she toes off her shoes and moves to the kitchen.

He's almost a complete replica of Noah.

It's like he knows that calm is exactly what Allie needs. Maybe I should get one for Liam.

"How 'bout you help me make waffles while the boys put away the mattress's so we have more space." Allie counters, already pulling out the waffle maker.

Liam pouts but he hurries over to her side anyway. "Fine. But chocolate chip waffles right?"

"Of course."

After everyone's eaten and the beds are stored away, Liam and Leo sit patiently on the couch waiting for everyone to come and join.

Ava shows up as well, and I know Maeve's happy she decided to come.

Cam blinks when he sees her, that cocky grin morphing into a soft smile. "Hi, Ava. Merry Christmas."

"Hi-hi, Cam. Merry Christmas." Ava whispers, pushing her way through to the tree and placing her gifts underneath.

"Oh. My. God. Old people are so slow. Hurry up!" Liam shouts and that has everyone scurrying over.

Liam claps his hands, rocking back and forth on his knees. "Can I give Rhys his present first?"

Maeve sighs, smiling. "Sure. Go get it."

Liam giggles, rummaging under the tree. I raise an eyebrow at Maeve but she ignores me.

Liam jumps into my lap, giggling with a thin, wrapped present in his hands. "Here!"

I glance towards Nova again, but she looks nervous, biting the corner of her lip.

I swallow, slowly unwrapping the thin gift.

"Hurry up!" Liam urges.

I tear the paper, met with an orange envelope.

My hands start shaking as I tear it open, pulling out the thin piece of paper.

"Maeve... is this? I-I don't understand." I stutter, my heart dropping.

She tilts her head, smiling. Despite the one side of her face being swollen and purple, she still looks so fucking beautiful. And she's all mine.

My eyes blur as I look back down at the shaking paper in my hands and I take a shuddering breath in.

"Maeve." My voice breaks.

"Well? What do you say?" She smiles but it's shaky.

"You-you really want me to do this?" I whisper, everyone in the room forgotten.

"I wouldn't give you those papers if we didn't want you to."

Liam looks up at me, confused. "Do-do you not want to adopt me?"

Tears start flooding his eyes and his chin trembles. I reach for him, and he wraps himself around me.

"No, I do. I would love to adopt you."

Liam laughs and it's the best sound ever. "Really? Then you can be like my big brother! Or-or Dad?"

"Which ever one you want."

Liam kisses my nose before running back under the tree, handing out gifts to everyone.

Maeve moves closer to me, bumping my shoulder with hers. "Are you really sure you want this? You don't think I'm forcing it on you or anything?"

I blink, shocked. "No. Of course not. I would love to help raise Liam. This is the best present I've ever been given."

I can't stop staring at that piece of paper for the rest of the day. I already love Liam so much and the fact that Maeve loves and trusts me enough to allow me to become Liam's guardian along side her...

I've finally found my real family. One where I belong. One that actually loves me.

I think we both have.