Haven Harbor • a.i. •

Chapter 76

After I had talked to Ashton that night I felt a little better about us taking the break.

I didn't want him to think I didn't want to be with him because I did, I just needed a few days without him to breathe and wrap my mind around everything that had happened in the last two weeks of my life.

I was engaged, I had been diagnosed with these stupid dissociative seizures, I was now taking anxiety medication, my fiancé was a celebrity and was about to leave me for a worldwide tour and leave me at home with my brother and our four year old "adopted" daughter...and I was only 19.

Once I had hung up the phone I took Gracie upstairs to get her in the bath, and then let her get snuggled up in my bed while I went to see what the heck was wrong with Ender.

"End?" I knocked on his door twice before opening it.

He was sitting on his bed with his back to the pillows, one of my dads collector comic books in his hands.

I walked over and sat next to him on the bed.

"What's going on?"

"Coach Robin got mad at me today because I messed up the play and our team lost." He frowned.

"That's okay." I said softly, reaching out to place my hand on his knee. "It happens to everyone. As long as you know what your mistake was and how to not make it again then you learned your lesson."

"I know, but still...he was really mad at me."

"Wanna hear a story? One time at practice we were doing a play and I didn't like it because it was all messed up and I knew it wasn't going to work. So during the play I did the wrong thing on purpose to prove my point and I ended up getting a girl hurt. Coach yelled at me until he was blue in the face and after practice I cried in the locker rooms for an hour. It happens to everyone End, but you live and you learn."

He nodded.

"So what's the deal with you and Ashton? Are you guys fighting or what?" He asked.

"No we aren't fighting. We're just taking a break for a few days."

"Why?"

"Because, we need to."

He rolled his eyes.

"You never explain anything to me."

"Ender..." I sighed. "It's complicated okay."

"It's always complicated."

"Okay, I'm leaving before we fight." I stood up and walked to his door. "Good night." I shut his door behind me.

In my room Gracie was waiting for me and I gave her a soft smile before changing into my pyjamas.

I slid beneath the blankets and she cuddled up to me.

"Mommy?" She asked.

"Yes love?"

"Thank you for being my Mommy." She said and my heart broke and warmed at the same time.

"Aw Gracie." I sighed happily and she smiled up at me. "Thank you for being my little girl."

I pulled her against me, the two of us snuggling up beneath the covers and falling asleep.

In the morning I did my usual routine of carrying Gracie, making coffee, and getting everyone ready.

Ender had decided that he wasn't going to talk to me and I was really over his attitude so I just ignored him.

I got him to school like I had done when Ashton and I were going through the time of me not speaking to him, with Gracie on my lap as I rode the bike and then took her back home where I had her practice more on riding her tricycle around the car lot.