The Boy Who Broke Me

Chapter 37 - I'm Home

The flight home is smooth, my head filled with the thought of graduation and seeing everyone in school again. What will they think of me? Will they be mean?

Butterflies crowd my stomach at the thought of Alec. Seeing his black soft hair and toned chest, feeling his arms wrapped around me like a protective blanket. I feel a smile form on my face.

"I can't wait to see San Francisco." Erika says staring out the window of the jet, breaking my train of thought. The shining blue water below us.

"You'll love it." I reply, my smile growing bigger.

"Are you nervous?" Erika asks uncertainty, her gaze moving from the window to land on me.

I stare down at my clasped hands and sigh, "I'm really nervous Erika, what will everyone think of me? What do I say to my mom after not seeing her for three months? What do I say to my ex-best friend, Ivy who completely betrayed me?!" My eyes are wide and my head is buzzing with the troubling thoughts.

"Girl, you need to calm down, your mom will be thrilled to see you and you'll get along like you never left. As for Ivy, the ball is in your court. You can try to salvage your friendship or end it. Just know I'll be there with you every step of the way." She grabs my shaky hands and gives me a genuine smile that makes my heart swell.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Erika." I feel emotional as tears brim my eyes.

"We've landed girls." Dad cuts in giving us a small smile as he leans on the nearby chair. His hair gelled to perfection as always. We gather our things and walk down the steps walking across the tarmac to a waiting car, the breeze whipping through our hair.

The drive home is long enough for me to calm myself down and collect my thoughts. Dad said he has some things to take care of here so we get dropped to my house, him meeting us later.

The familiar house stands before me, looking the exact same as when I left it. I feel tears well up in my eyes when I see my mom standing in the porch her hair in the same low buns she always wears and her aqua eyes bright with joy. I drop my bags on the ground and run towards her engulfing her in a hug and burying my head in her shoulder as tears fall from my eyes like rivers.

"Sorry." I laugh through a sniffle, wiping my fallen tears off her now wet jumper.

She holds my face in her hands. "It's so good to see you love, I've missed you so much."

"You have no idea mom."

"I'm here now and that's all that matters." She says placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Erika, honey you've grown so much since I last saw you!" Mom exclaims pulling her into a bone crushing hug. "It's so good to see you too Jane." Erika beams.

"Come on in, that's enough tears for one day." Mom smiles and leads us into the house. Immediately I'm hit with nostalgia. The couch where Alec and I opened up to each other, the place the boys came crashing in seeking shelter from cops, the kitchen where the boys told us everything. "Wow." I breathe, feeling like I've been hit by a wave.

My mom gives my head a squeeze, "I can't believe you're actually home." She looks at me her eyes full of disbelief and love.

"It's good to be back."

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It's the next day and after a night in with Erika and mom eating pizza and catching up, Erika and I fell asleep straight away. My cozy small bedroom looking like I never left. I've woken up early to go to school and settle everything so I can graduate. I throw on a white t-shirt and black skinny jeans, my tattoo of a sun on full display for everyone to see. I leave my hair down and apply some mascara to make me look more awake.