Caught Between (If Roses Are Red #1)

Chapter 24

"Dad! Mom!" I alight the limo as soon as it stopped in front of my home. I run and hug them both.

"My princess," Dad said kissing my head, "I missed you."

"I missed you too." I sobbed​ biting my lip to stop from wailing out loud. "Both of you."

"It is good to have you back." Mom rub my back bleary eyed.

"Your Highness." I watched​ my parents bow slightly.

Nolan bowed, "Please call me Nolan."

"Oh... alright, I guess." I grinned watching my dad. He is still his silly, nervous self. My heart skipped a bit at the sight of my former home.

"Come in."

Hearing the camera shots run off did the least in making me feel comfortable. Don't they have their lives to attend to? What's wrong with all these paparazzi?

"And we've got a little surprise for you." Mom said as she opened the door for us.

"Ooh, tell me." I held her arm swinging it slowly beaming at her.

"Surprise!" Three voices yelled. Kim, Brie and Vicki!

"Ohmigosh. You guys... " they pulled into a hug. "I missed you guys."

"We barely get to see you with all these royalty blah blah blah." Kim waved her hands around.

"You are smokin' babe." Brie commented.

"Oh, I do my best." I flipped​ my hair faking on an English accent.

Someone lifted me from my ground. "Hey."

My favorite brother, Vic was grinning. "Hey, big sis." He sat me on the kitchen counter. I hugged him tight.

"Vic, I missed your annoying snarky jokes."

"Of course, you did."

Nolan had his hands in his pockets obviously feeling out of place as he looked. I am not going to bother myself with him. I don't care what happens to him. I just couldn't forgive what he did to me. Who kisses a girl then snobs her the next?

"Yo Prince, what did you guys do to my sister?" Vic asked. Nolan raised brows in confusion. "She lost a lot of weight. And I mean a lot. She be looking like a model and I don't like it. What would be the point of calling her a pig when she isn't fat?"

The people I call friends and parents laughed hard. Even my frown became a smile.

"Come up with a new nickname then?" Kim suggested.

Vic stroke his chin looking me up and down "hmmm", suddenly he exclaimed, "Anna Banana."

I rolled my eyes and jump off the counter. My parents brought out cake. "Happy birthday Anna," They chorused.

"Since we weren't at your birthday party, we decided to celebrate when you came home." Dad explained hugging me again

"I'm telling you, it's a good thing cause that birthday party was as dry as fuck... No offence, Mrs Bill."

"None taken."

So we partied all day in the living room dancing, eating, laughing, playing and making a lot of noise. I have not felt this good in a long time. No imposing rules, no intruding figures, no lack of privacy. I am home baby!

Vickie had brought her karaoke machine and started singing off key to Ed Sheeran's Photograph. Her funny expressions had us all laughing.

This is the life. Being with the people who matter the most. I look at each of them from my parents to my best friends. My eye caught Nolan who was sitting quietly watching Vickie sing, sporting a tiny smile. His gaze locked with mine and strangely I couldn't turn away. I felt my face give way to a grin. My heart leaped when his expression mirrored mine.