Stay With Me (Come Back to Me #2)

Chapter 6

Adelaide

Though my family is over for dinner tonight, I spend most of the evening staring at my phone, waiting for Justin to text me.

Halfway through the delicious meal of mashed potatoes, roast beef, corn, carrots, and homemade buns coated in butter, I begin to wonder if the note slipped from his binder and he never got it.

When everyone else is finished their desserts and I'm still picking at mine, I begin to wonder if I somehow offended him – if that's why he's not texting me.

Justin McCallister – the sapphire-eyed, ashen-blond-haired boy that sits next to me during English class – has caused my mind to become disoriented with thoughts. Using my fork to stir around the components of the strawberry shortcake Sophia and I helped Dad make when we got home from school, I attempt to figure this problem in my head out. I just can't seem to understand how someone could be so distant, yet also be so present. So kind, yet so rude. Weak, yet strong.

A walking contradiction.

I press my fork into the dessert, watching everything mush together.

"Somebody's distracted."

I blink, looking up from the plate, and meet Uncle Hart's gaze. "Huh?" I ask.

Uncle Hart grins at me and leans back in his chair. "What's up, Addie? You've been off tonight."

I straighten my posture and, just to make the act look more convincing, take a bite of my dessert. I almost gag. Though strawberry shortcake is my favourite dessert, it's sickeningly sweet and doesn't bode well with my jumpy stomach. "I'm fine," I reply through a mouthful, hoping I don't sound fake.

Uncle Hart's brown eyes are full of this look that tells me he believes my words are complete BS. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, take a deep breath, and contemplate my next move.

If there's one thing I've learned with the Levesque-Clarke-Johansen family, it's that we don't lie or keep secrets, and when we need to talk about something, we talk about it. Together. United as one. Mom, Dad, Uncle Hart, and Aunty Elle say they learned that the hard way.

I set my fork down. "I, um, met this boy today."

His eyebrows raise and he looks over his shoulder. "Brett! Get in here."

I groan, covering my face. This is not something I want to talk to my dad about. Boy troubles don't fit with the overprotectiveness dads tend to have. I've already experienced it once – when Sophia first started dating Zander and Uncle Hart and Dad found out. Shit balls, it was scary.

"I hate you, Uncle Hart," I mutter before Dad enters the room.

He winks at me. "Love you too, Addie."

I can't stop myself from smiling.

"What's up?" Dad asks, sitting down beside his brother. Okay, they're not really brothers, but they might as well be. The two of them are even closer than Jake and Alex – and they're twins.

"Seems as though your daughter is following my daughter's footsteps."

My face pales. "No!" I exclaim. "I'm not dating Justin and I don't want to. At least...I don't think I want to. I mean maybe. I don't know. I just met him today, and – "

Their laughter cuts me off.

"Christ, Addie," Uncle Hart says. "Relax. We're bugging you."

"Gotta admit, though," Dad says, "it's a lot of fun."

"Clearly," I mutter.

"Hart, Brett," I hear Mom warn. "Are you torturing my daughter?"

"It's our business to know about boy drama," Uncle Hart shrugs, winking at me.

I roll my eyes, tempted to call him something worse than an ass.

"Boy drama?" Mom asks, walking over to the table. "I'm intrigued." She sits down beside me. "Continue on."

I sigh. "I met a boy in English today and he was kind, but at the same time, he was really rude to me. I just can't figure out why. I'm scared I said something to offend him without even knowing. And if I did, I want to know so I don't say it again." I pause, feeling everyone's eyes on me. When I look up, I see that Aunty Elle is leaning in the doorway. "I also, um, gave him my number in case either of us misses a class and we need to catch up. He's new at WKSS and I don't have any friends in that class. Figured I'd create some common ground." I glance down at my phone. "I was kind of hoping he'd text me tonight. It would make me feel better knowing that I have someone I at least sort of know and socialize with in that class."

When I'm finished speaking, Mom squeezes my hand. "You want some advice, honey?"

I nod, open for anything.

"Don't overthink it. Though people don't like to admit it, the first day of school is always nerve-wracking. Things will be okay."

"I agree with your mom," Aunty Elle says. She walks up and rests her hands on Uncle Hart's shoulders.

I glance at my dad. He's studying me like a specimen under a microscope, but after a couple more seconds, he nods. And that's all I need to feel some of the weight slip from my shoulders.

"Just to voice my opinion," Uncle Hart says, "I highly doubt you said anything remotely offensive to this Justin kid – you don't have a mean bone in your body, Addie."

Dad laughs. "Trust me, Hart, she does." He looks at mom. "She's just like her mom in that way – you really gotta piss her off to make her mad."

Mom and I roll our eyes. Aunty Elle shakes her head. Uncle Hart and Dad laugh.

In the midst of it all, I hear Sophia yell at me to come and join her and the boys in a game of Aggravation.

As I get to my feet and collect my phone, Mom squeezes my hand in a reassuring manner. "Give the school year some time, Addie. Things might not go as you expected, but they'll turn out just fine in the end."

I smile at my mom. She would know. After going through her senior year facing amnesia, I can't help but admire her. I can't help but admire both my parents. Mom – being so strong and not letting the weight of amnesia strike her down for too long. Dad – sticking beside Mom even though she lost all memories of him, and surviving a terrible infection that could've taken his life.

"Thanks, Mom," I smile back.

Leaving the adults behind to chat, I head for the living room, where Sophia, Jake, and Alex are sprawled out across the floor, the board for Aggravation set out in front of them. I smile to myself, taking my place in front of the wood fire.

I love doing this type of stuff with my family. We are missing one person – Sophia's older brother, Jaymes – but I know that if he were here, he would be laying on the floor between my brothers and investing in a heated game with the four of us.

Just after my first turn, I feel my phone buzz against my hip.

Though I know it's rude to focus my attention on my phone while playing a game, I still sneak a peek at the screen.

Two words and two punctuation marks make the remaining uneasiness dissolve.

Thanks, Addie.