Fragile

31. Home

I didn't feel like going home anymore. Before this trip I hadn't wanted to come, I cried on the morning I had to leave.

But now after five days being here with Fox on my side and starting to get along with August, home wasn't a very tempting choice. I didn't want to go back to normal school again and see Dahlia- or Leo. Or Abby. None of my old friends. Or go back to fainting in my staircase, to skip dinners and lie.

But the plane took off, not caring about my worries and hesitation.

The already familiar ringing noise rung in my ears annoyingly, hurting from the rising.

"This helps to open your ears." Fox hands me two pieces of my favourite cotton candy flavoured gum.

I chew it, innerly crying about the pain in my ears, but soon it eases.

"I'll never get used to flights." I sigh.

"Try to enjoy the views." Fox suggests and points at all the miniature houses down below. "Isn't that cool?"

"So you actually enjoy this?" I ask, glancing at the view but not feeling impressed.

"Sure." He shrugs off.

"Wanna switch seats? I don't mind."

"No thanks, you should at least try to find this amusing." Fox flashes me a smile.

"I will try." I say and look below at the German houses and countryside, remembering the bridge and Eleanor, and all the fun towns me and Fox had explored after the kidnap attempt. It's funny how something so traumatic can lead to something so sweet.

After all, I kind of fell in love with this country. And maybe a bit for the boy next to me.

I press my head against his shoulder, happy to finally, after four long months, do this simple thing with no worries or hesitation. Life was finally rolling on its right tracks, everything felt too good to be true. That was the only thing that worried me.

***

Mom is outside the airport waiting for me, and to my surprise Elijah came too. Even when we just had a fight before I left over something stupid like math questions and he swore he'd never talk to me again. Brothers.

I wave at them, heart still warming because family is a family, no matter what we've been through. But I was lucky that my family was like that.

While Elijah waves back at me smiling, I ask Fox "Are your parents coming? Or Tod?"

He shakes his head and I can see in his eyes deep hurt. He doesn't show it, but it's in there.

"I'm sorry, could you come hang around at my place? I'm sure mom won't mind." I ask, feeling hesitant to let Fox alone in that house. Even if mom would mind.

"Liv, I'm alright. You don't have to worry." He says and surprises me with a gentle kiss on my cheek. I don't even dare to see mom's reaction, or Elijah's.

"I'll still worry. I just can't handle the fact that you could get hurt, that's not right for you." I say looking deep into his eyes.

"We already talked this through, go have fun with your family. Please. I'll be okay." Fox strokes my cheek gently.

"Promise to call me straight away if your parents try to hurt you. Promise." I can't hold him back from his home, I know that, but it still feels wrong to let him go.

"But neither has a phone? Forgot already?" He smirks and I remember. Fuck, mom was going to kill me for that.

"Oh. Well, I don't know. I'll figure something out for us. But seriously come straight to my house if anything happens. Even slightly, at any point of the night or day. I don't care, just don't get hurt."