It's Complicated

14 ~ I Hope So

Chapter 14 ~I Hope So

I wake up to sunlight shining through the curtains in the living room, Logan and I had a Harry Potter marathon night after I got home and we passed out halfway through movie three. I bring my hands to my eyes and attempt to rub the sleep from my eyes, considering all that has happened I haven't got much of it. I force myself off the couch and walk over to wake my little brother.

"Wake up, Lo," I whisper as I lightly shake him, he groans and rolls over to the other side. "Lo don't make me shove you off this couch!" I raise my hands up ready to push him when finally gives in.

"Fine, fine. Only because I know you will actually do it." He starts to get up and I cross my arms. "Wise choice grasshopper." He rolls his eyes in response as he stands up and starts to head upstairs.

"But you love me!"I yell after him and he turns back to look at me from the top of the stairs. "Yes, unfortunately you are right about that one." he proceeds to move forward but stops and turns around again. "Hal?"

"Yeah Lo?" I say, walking up the stairs to meet him. "Are we going to be okay?" I go over to him and pull him into a hug and ruffle his hair.

"I hope so, Lo. I sure hope so." I hug him tighter and he pulls away. "I'm going to go take a shower." he says and I nod as he walks away. I take my phone out of my pocket to see a stream of texts, all from Peyton.

***

"Where were you yesterday, I was worried sick!" Peyton crossed her arms at me while I was walking up to her. She was sitting at a picnic table and across from her was Wren. I open my mouth to speak but she silenced me.

"And don't you dare say it's a long story because I swear to god Halston if you do, I will not hesitate to decapitate you," I slid into the seat next to her,"My Mom was in the hospital." Peyton's angry expression fades into a worried one as Wren shoots me a sympathetic look.

"What happened?" I bit my lip nervously and took a deep breath. "My parents separated a week ago... when my mom found out that my dad's has been in an affair. He has been for a while but when she found out she went off the rails. She's had a problem with alcohol but when she found out it all went down the drain. My dad came back and he's the reason for the bruise on Logan's face and I lost it and yelled at her.

"We couldn't find her in the morning after but turns out she was passed out god knows where and she was in the hospital, alcohol poison. I went to see her that afternoon and I told her she needed to sober up and she said she would. After that I went and worked on the project with Asher." Once I was done, both of them pulled me into a tight hug.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Peyton said as we all pulled away from the hug.

"I didn't know how." She nods in understandment and we all sit there in silence until Wren finally breaks it. "So, what's going on with you and Asher?" I sit there in shock, I was not expecting that question.

"Um. Nothing we are just friends that all, why do you ask?" I ask as I lean back onto the bench. "Oh I don't know, maybe because he brought you to his house!" Peyton answers before Wren even opens her mouth.

"I told you Pey, we were working on an English project!" She looks at me unconvinced. "English project my ass Hal,"  I roll my eyes. Just then my phone binged with a text message from Lo.

Halston you have to come home.

I've never shot out of my seat so fast then I did in that moment. "I gotta go, Lo texted me to come home." They both nodded and started towards my car and dialed my brother. He answered in the third ring.

Hello?

Logan is something wrong? Are you okay?

I'm fine Hal it's well you just have to come home and see.

Okay I'm heading home now.  I get into my car and put the key into the ignition. It takes about ten minutes to get home and when I do I quickly head towards the front door and throw it open when I get there. Logan is standing in the entree way with a dark haired women by his side. She turns around and my face immediately lights up.

"Aunt May!" I practically scream my lungs off and I run and pull her into a tight hug. "Why are you here?" She pulls away and gives me a fake hurt look. "Why can't I come and visit my favorite niece and nephew?"

"You and me both know that is not the reason you came." I shoot her a knowing look. "Look I know what you two are going through and I just thought you two might need someone to look up to and look after you right now." She looks at Lo and I and I nod. "Now what about some pizza?"

"Did you just say pizza, because hell yes!" Logan yelled beside me and aunt May sent him a cross look as we all heard a knock coming from the front door.

"I got it!" Lo sprang toward it but was held back by May holding him by the collar of his shirt and nodded at me to answer the door. I pulled it open to see J leaning against the doorframe.

"We need to talk." I looked back at May and my brother, then back at him and whisper, "Not here," then say a little louder, directed to May, "I'm going for a walk with Jillian, I'll be back in a half an hour," I grab my jacket off the coat hook and follow J out of the house, closing the door behind me.

"What was so important that you drove all the way to my house to tell me?" I say as I stuff my hands in my pockets as we walk down the sidewalk. "You never answered my question yesterday, what was the answer?"

"To what question?" I ask, confused and J stops walking. "Were you with Asher?" I furrow my eyebrows and shake my head and keep walking.

"Why do you care? It's not like it's your choice of who I can and cannot spend time with." He grabs my wrist and pulls me to a halt, spinning me to face him.

"He's bad news Hal, that's all I'm saying. Stay away from him, I don't want you to get hurt."

"Why would I get hurt? Him and I aren't anything so just drop it J. How did you even know I was with him?" He purses his lips and yank my wrist out of his grasp and start walking back to my house.

"Hal just promise you'll be careful, please?" I sigh as I turn around and gently nod. "Fine okay I'll be careful. You can go home now."

***

Hi *insert wave* how have y'all been, I hope good. School starts super soon for me so I won't be able to update as much but I hope you all will still keep reading.