Chapter 3

Malakai's POV

"Mom where the hell are you taking us?"

"Don't tell him!"

"I've been sworn to secrecy."

I gasped.

"I'm getting killed aren't I?"

"You'll see in two hours."

"TWO HOURS?! WHERE THE HELL ARE WE GOING?! AT LEAST BURY ME SOMEWHERE NICE!"

Noah started laughing. I was confused the entire car ride.

"Why are we at an airport?"

"You'll see."

"Can someone at least tell me what's going on?!"

"Nope. It wouldn't be a surprise then."

We went inside the airport and started walking around.

"GUYS! DID YOU FIND THEM YET?"

Find who?

"I need someone to tell me what's going on. Who are we looking for?"

"An old friend."

"Ha Ha Ha. Very funny. Nice try. Why are you recording?"

"I'm not. I'm taking selfies."

"I don't hear your camera shutter clicking. . I heard the record button sound."

Every time I turned around they were in my face. It's like they're trying to record me from all angles.

"You guys are REALLY starting to annoy me. Why are you all staring at me like that? Did you guys do drugs?"

I felt arms going around my waist.

"Hi Mally!"

Mally?

"Why are you all smiling like that?"

"Turn around!"

"No don't turn around!"

"I'm so confused."

The arms let go of me and someone walked in front of me.

"Rosey?!"

She looks like she's straight out of a movie!

Our arms went around each other.

"Holy shit! Holy shit! It's you! It's really you! Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Surprise! I moved back!"

"Really?!"

"My mom left my dad. He was the reason we moved. My mom's old job let her work for them again."

"How long ago did this happen?"

"Few months ago. We had to get the whole custody thing under control. Oh! I live a block away from you now!"

"There you are! Wow you've gotten tall Mal."

"Hi Miss.Hailey!"

"You should know by now that you can just call me "Hailey" right?"

"Oh. Sorry I forgot."

"We need to get going. Mateo is at the house."

"Mateo?"

"I was getting to that! He's my step dad!"

"Where's your brother?"

"He's in the moving truck with Mateo."

"Sorry I haven't talked to you. My dad didn't let us have phones."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It was pretty boring. All we did was play board games or read or write. I mostly wrote."

That makes a lot of sense.

"All these years I thought you were avoiding me."

"Me? Avoid you? Never!"

"Where were you?"

"Upstate New York. We went to Tallahassee for vacation a few years ago. I uh.. wasn't allowed to see you."

"Huh?"

"For some reason my dad never liked you. He preferred Chance Bennett."

We started walking to the exit.

"How's Sora? I haven't seen him since he was a puppy."

"He's good. He'll probably remember you. You were always his favorite."

"Tell her what we did to you yesterday."

I stuck up my middle finger.

"Right back at you Mal."

"We forced him to go to homecoming last night."

"You got him out of the house? For a school dance?"

"I wasn't there long. I hate school dances."

Mainly because she wasn't here to go with me. Maybe I'll go now that she's here.

I felt something touch my hand. I looked down and saw Rose had started holding my hand. I held hers.

This is new. Should I tell her? No. It's too soon right? Plus I don't want to deal with public humiliation. It's better for me to wait.

"I'm not a fan of school dances too."

Phew!

"you really are meant for each other."  Harrison whispered into my ear.

I elbowed him in the stomach.

"You said it didn't you?"

"Yeah... I said it."

"Why did all of you come?"

"We wanted to see your reaction."

"You guys planned all of this?"

They all said "yep!" At the same time.

"Is anyone picking you up?"

"You're bringing me home! Oh! And I'm going to school with you again!"

"He's smiling!"

"He hasn't done that in years!"

"That's a lie."

"Not really!"

Stop trying to expose me!

"I will literally punch you five. So how was the flight?"

"I slept through it. I didn't sleep last night. I'll probably fall asleep on the car ride home."

"You do look exhausted."

"So do you."

"Well Noah did wake me up by screaming in my face."

"I had to wake you up somehow!"

"Or you could've let me sleep."

I still can't believe she's here and she's holding my hand.

When we got to my mom's car I helped put everything in the trunk. I closed it then opened the car door so we could get in.  Rose and I  sat behind Noah. Rose put her head on my shoulder. Noah turned around and mouthed "tell her!" I mouthed "no!"

This is definitely not the right time.

I put my head on hers then shut my eyes. When I opened my eyes I saw Noah was taking pictures of me and Rose.

"What are you doing?"

"You two look so cute."

"Fuck off."

"When are you telling her?"

"Do I look like I know?"

"Yes."

"Just shut up."

"Wake her up. We're at her house."

I woke her up then we got out of the car. We got everything out of the trunk and started bringing in their bags.

"Where's the rest of you crackheads?"

"Hey Adrian."

Her brother walked over to us.

"Damn you've gotten tall. Still got that crush?"

"SHHH!"

"He's scared to tell her."

"We can do if for you!"

"No! No! You cannot!"

"HEY ROSE!"

"SHUT UP!"

"MALAKAI L-"

I covered their mouths.

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine!" 

I laughed nervously.

"O..kay? Come inside in a few. Mateo wants to meet you guys."

She walked inside and I smacked the back of both of their heads.

"What the FUCK is wrong with you two?!"

"We were just trying to help!"

"Well I will knock you out if you try to help some more! I'll tell her when I'm ready!"

"So never?"

"I'm serious! I'll kick your goddamn ass! Rejection is humiliating! You do know this right?"

"Dude. She's not going to reject you."

"What makes you think that?!"

"That's..not my place to say."

"I always knew your dad hated me. Now I gotta worry about a step dad?!"

"He's cool. You'll be fine."

"Dude I-I can't! This won't go well!"

"Guys! Come on!"

We went inside and I was trying so hard to not throw up.

"Come here for a second Mal."

"O-okay."

"Are you okay? You look like you're panicking."

"No. I'm not okay. I'm terrified your damn step dad is going to hate me!"

"He's harmless. I already told him about you guys. He said he doesn't mind. He's probably happy I at least have some friends."

"Wait. You didn't make any friends?"

"No. I tried talking to people but they could never replace you. Just between us two. You're my favorite out of them."

I'm her favorite?

"They're like my brothers. But with you. I think I feel something different. I'm not sure what it is though."

Does she mean that she only sees me as a friend?

"If I ever find out what it is then I'll tell you."

"Yeah. Okay. Sounds good."

"Noah and my brother said your name but you cut them off. What was that about?"

"Nothing! I'm just glad you're back!"

"Oh! Okay then! Noah's dad is picking him up in a few minutes. You should go meet Mateo."

I gulped.

Why am I so fucking scared?!