Going Home

2. Him

The next morning I wake up early. I guess that's what happens when you suffer from a small yet leg. I look at my phone to see it was only six o'clock, but I couldn't go back to sleep. I'm just not that kind of person.

I get out of bed and change into a sports bra and some running shorts. I'm going out for a run. Seeing the fact that it's summer in California I don't bother to wear a shirt or tank top and get out of the front door.

I decide to run the lap I used to do when this was still home and am back to my father's house in less than an hour.

I love taking a run in the morning. It helps me to wake up and start my day with a fresh mind. It always helps me to clean up the mess in my head. There isn't one problem that couldn't be fixed by a good run.

I walk up the steps to the front door only to discover it's locked, I don't have a key and no one is awake just yet. This is just great!

With a sigh I sit down at one of the steps, waiting for somebody to wake up and lets me back into the house.

I feel anything but comfortable sitting here on the steps of my old home. Because if some things were still the same as they were three years ago, there might be a chance I run into someone I don't plan on meeting again.

I slightly look over to the house to my left and see lights going on in a room I knew like the back of my hand. I know what's going to happen if I don't get out of here in less than five minutes.

There is no way I will be able to go back inside and I definitely am not planning to stay here and come face to face with a person I have tried to forget a long time ago.

So I do the next thing that comes up in my mind and stand up. I tie my long brunette hair back into a ponytail and run off to the one place that had always made me feel safe and free.

*

When I finally come back home another hour later, Lillian was up and making breakfast. I knock on the door and she lets me in with a smile on her face. "Did you enjoy your run?" She asks.

I reply with a smile and I release my hair from the band that was holding it together. "I did, thank you. Although I would love to stay and chat. I really need a shower now before I get all smelly."

She just smiles at me and lets me and I walk up the stairs. I go into my room to grab a towel and to some fresh clothes on my back and make my way to the bathroom. Boy, how much I was in need for a nice and relaxing shower.

I wash my long brunette hair, making sure it's absolutely clean after being tied up during my journey here and my run from this morning. I loved my hair and it could really ruin my mood if it became greasy or smelly.

I get out of the shower and dry my body as well as my hair before I wrap a towel around the both of them. With my towel wrapped around my body, I walk out of the bathroom and back into my room to get dressed.

Once I open the door to the guestroom I stop in my tracks immediately as I now stand eye to eye with Lillian. "I'm sorry to scare you, sweetie. But I was hoping you could watch over Mia this morning. Your dad has been called into work and I have a meeting with the caterer. Normally I would go next door and ask Ian to watch her, but I figured it would be a good chance for you two to get to know each other a little bit."

I stand there shocked. I am standing completely still and I almost forget to breathe. What is happening to me? Why does his name alone have this effect to me after three years? Haven't I moved on from this?

"Katherine? Kat? Kat?!" Lillian lays her hand on my shoulders and I finally snap out of it. "Kat? Are you okay?" She asks me and leads me to my bed to sit on it. "Kat, honey, you're crying. I know I am not your mother, and I know you don't really know me. But if you want to talk about something please don't be afraid to come to me."

And right as she says I'm crying I feel a tear rolling down my cheek. I wipe it away with the palm of my hand and shake my head no. "I really don't want to talk about it now. But I would love to watch Mia for the morning. Maybe take her out to the grocery store and fix us some lunch." I say with a genuine smile.

She looks at me with a weary expression. "Are you sure? If you don't feel too well I can just ask Ian to look after her. It will be no problem at all."

"No!" Lillian looks shocked at my little outburst and I immediately feel sorry. "I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean for it to come out like that." I say. "What I mean is, is that I'm totally fine with watching Mia this morning"

She still looks a little unraveled from my stupid little outburst but lets it go. "Thank you. I'll let you get dressed now. Breakfast is ready downstairs." And with that, she walks out of my room and descends the staircase.

I get dressed in some jean shorts, a white flowing top and finish off my outfit with low cut All Stars. I love my All Stars and they are definitely my favorite type of shoes. I like how they are comfy and not all that girly.

Yes, you probably guessed right. I'm not a girly girl. I like to describe myself as independent and down to earth. I rather play sports than I go out shopping. I'm not saying that I never wear dresses, I just prefer jeans. Easy as that.

I let my hair dry in natural waves and apply some light makeup. Before I walk out of my room I walk up to the window, open the curtains and then I see something, or rather someone, I wasn't planning on seeing. And if I would be unlucky enough to walk into him I definitely hadn't pictured him in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

I close the curtains really quickly and run down the stairs hoping for my dear life there would be some distraction there.

Lucky for me I run into Mia the moment I step into the living room. "Good morning Kat," she chimes and smiles at me.

I immediately return the smile and crouch down to her level. "Good morning to you, too, Princess Mia," I say referring to her wearing a Disney Princess sleep attire and she slightly giggles.

"So this morning it's just you and me. What do you want to do? We could go to the park if you'd like. Or bake some cookies?" I say to her with a smile on my face. She really is a good, positive and rather cute, distraction from whatever happened upstairs.

Her face lightens up when I mention baking cookies and I know that's what we're going to do this morning. "Can we bake the cookies? Does momma think that's okay?" She asks me with a pouty face.

That thought never actually crossed my mind but I figured it would be fine. "I'm sure it would be fine honey, I used to bake cookies with my mom all the time I lived here. Go on, get dressed and we can go the grocery store to get what we need. Sounds good?"

The girl never replied to my question and ran up the stairs to get dressed. I smiled at her and then turned around to see Lillian getting ready to leave. "I'm going to go. You sure you're okay with watching here?"

I send her a smile. I really was okay to watch over Mia. Better try and build up a bond with my sister to be now I still can. Who knows when I will see her again when I go back to New York to graduate right?

"I'm positive. Now go, you don't want to be late right?" And with that and another grateful smile Lillian leaves the house leaving me alone with her daughter.