to live for the hope of it all.

Chapter 10

September 8th, 2023

"You and I, we were made to thrive,
And I am your future, I am your past,
Never forget that we were built to last,
Step out of the shadows and into my life,
Silence the voices that haunt you inside..."

Bailey

The car ride back home was mostly silent, aside from my grandfather humming along to the music on the radio. When we pulled into our driveway I hopped out but froze when nobody followed. Grandpa Matt nodded his head at Wren, who was looking out the window in the back seat and I took his silent message. I poked my head back in, told Wren I loved her, and then closed the door to go inside.

Beckett's truck wasn't back, so I assumed he and Caleb went out somewhere after dinner and would be back soon for their movie night with Delilah.

I went upstairs to shower real quick and change into my pajamas while waiting for my grandfather and Wren to come inside. I was only in the shower for maybe 15 minutes before I heard my bedroom door open and knew it was Wren when I heard her humming to the music I had softly playing while I showered.

Whatever Grandpa Matt had said certainly helped with her mood.

"Hey," I said, stepping into the room and drying my hair with a towel. Wren was laying on my bed after just having changed into pajamas, but she sat up when I walked in.

"Hey," she responded, smiling softly. Grabbing the brush from my dresser, I tossed it to her on the bed before sitting in front of her. Wordlessly, she grabbed the brush and started kneading it through my brown waves.

We sat in silence for a while she did that, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Wren and I could speak a thousand words without actually talking, and I knew she needed this moment, and I would be here when she was ready to talk.

When she finished getting every last knot out of my hair, I put the brush back on my dresser and grabbed my headphones from my desk. Turning back to Wren, I put the headphones on her before sitting crisscrossed in front of her on the bed. Pulling up "Take on the World" by You Me At Six, I press play and let my best friend listen to all the things I want to tell her.

And I am your future,
I am your past
Never forget that we
Were built to last

Step out of the shadows
And into my life
Silence the voices
that haunt you inside

And just say the word
We'll take on the world

I can count on one hand the amount of times I have seen Wren cry, and not once have I seen her crumble the way she was in front of me right now.

I haven't hurt in a while, I have started to come to terms with everything that has happened with my father, and Grandpa Matt and Wren were a huge part of that.

So to see the person who helped me at my lowest, be at her lowest, was beyond heartbreaking.

Moving to sit beside my best friend, I pulled her head into my chest as she listened and stroked her hair as she cried. And when the song was over I took the headphones off and held her some more while she cried.

"I'm going to be better, Bailey. I will," she coughed out.

You are already more than enough.

Grabbing her head, I pulled until she was looking at me.

"Wren, you are more than enough. You always have been," I smiled, wiping her tear stained cheeks. Releasing a breath, Wren smiled back at me. But I knew it was going to take some time for her to believe me, and I only hoped Grandpa Matt and I could help get her there.

"Okay, 20 more," Wren said.

20 more.

It was a thing we started years ago, when roles were reversed and I was the one crying during sleepovers. 20 more seconds to catch our breath, shut the bad thoughts out, and then focus on the happy things.

When the 20 seconds were up, Wren sat up from where we were laying, turned off the lights, came back to the bed and wiped at her face before smiling softly.

"We're going to tour Pennbrook," she stated.

"We are."

"We are," she paused. "Grandpa Matt is going to cover me if my parents call, say that I am staying here and he's taking us out on Saturday."

"Then, I guess we're going to tour."

"With Beckett and Caleb," Wren said, smiling.

"With Beckett and Caleb," I repeated, blushing.

Wow. How have these last few weeks changed things so fast?

"We are going to be in a car, for four hours there, stay the night in a hotel, spend the day with them Saturday, and then four hours back here."

"We are," I repeated, hesitating. "Wren?"

"Yeah?"

"We're not allowed to go to different schools. If either of us doesn't like Pennbrook, then we look into one of the other places we applied till we find one we like, together," I said. Wren smiled and threw herself back down to her side of the bed before getting under the covers.

"Jesus, I thought I was the emotional one tonight," she laughed, with no real malice. "We're going to the same college, Bailey. I knew that from day one."

"Good." I sighed, relieved we were in this together.

"Good, can we sleep now?"

"Goodnight, Wren. I love you."

"I love you too, Bailey."

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