Redemption.

Chapter Fifteen.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

PEOPLE SURROUNDED ME and stood by me, all smiling and happy. Everyone was waiting in line with their arms outstretched, reaching for a sing embrace: a hug. It seemed that everyone wanted a part of my attention; wanted me to spend time with them. And for once in my life, I felt loved. This time, it wasn't me who was pining ridiculously to spend time with my family and friends; it was them. It was obvious that they wouldn't be leaving me any time soon, so all my worries flew out the window, leaving me fully content. 

I felt wanted, and happy, as if people finally woke and realised that I was standing there, waiting. Leo was standing by my side with Oreo in his arms, who jumped into mine once he noticed that I was looking at him. He purred softly like cats do, and snuggled into the crook of my neck. Oreo was always there for me, especially when I was upset. Some people say that a dog was man's best friend, and I would say that a cat was a women's best friend. I know this might sound silly, but I sometimes felt as of Oreo understood me better than any human ever could. Silly, right?

There was a light shining from somewhere in the crowd, hidden amongst all the people. The light was so bright, drawing me towards it. As I walked forward with Oreo snuggled contentedly in my arms, the crowd made way for me, letting me make my short journey towards the light.

The people moved out of my way, like a water fall until they finally revealed the light; and the people standing under it. There was a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties, with his arm wrapped around the shoulders of the woman next to him. The woman was petite, but very beautiful, with a bundle in her arms. As I got closer to the couple, it became more obvious that the woman was carrying a little baby, a girl in fact.

The girl was tiny and had her hand wrapped around her dad's finger, trying to tug it into her little mouth, giggling sweetly as she did. She had little wisps of brown hair sitting upon her head, which she obviously inherited from her father, who had his hair styled in a messy look with little strands of hair curling over his ears and daring to fall into his eyes. Though it would be fair to say that the little girl inherited a fair lot from her mother. 

She may have brown hair, though there were little hints of bronze in it, like we mother who had a mix of bronze and brown hair. The mother had a sweet heart-shaped face, one that her daughter sported as well. Tr little girl looked just like her mother, but with her father's big cocoa brown eyes.

They were a little family, and a happy one at that. They loved their daughter, and even though she was only a baby and probably didn't understand much, you could see clearly in her eyes, that she loved them too. The mother was cradling the baby, cooing softly which made the girl giggle, whilst the father had one arm wrapped around his little family, and used the hand of the other to play with the little girl's fingers.

It was such a sweet moment, one that made me pine for attention of my parents. One that couldn't be fulfilled by neither my biological parents, or my adopted parents. It was a pine, a hole that couldn't be fulfilled. Not by anyone.

The smiles and the laughter soon faded away, as did the family. They were fading away from my line of sight. Or rather, I was. I could no longer see them, but that didn't mean that I was going to forget them.

"Ames. Wake up, Ames." The voice was smooth, and reassuring. 

I groaned quietly and rolled over in my bed so that I could hide my face in my pillow, and hopefully, return to my dreamland. Though, whoever had walked into my room, they were determined to wake me up; and I could tell on all the prodding and poking alone.

Next thing I knew, I could feel someone breathing down my neck and their breath tickle my left ear as they spoke eerily into it. "Now, sweetheart. You wouldn't want me to fetch a bucket full of iced water, would you?" The voice was firm and strict, meaning every word of what they had just said. That alone was enough for me to bolt up in bed, hoping that whoever heaved out that threat would not act upon it.

Much to my surprise, Lawson was standing next to my bed, leaning over so that he was towering over me. I inched back slowly on my bed so that I could get away from the close proximity of his face. "Oh!" Was all that I managed to coax out through my lips. "Wh-what are you doing here?" It came out in an exasperated manner as I clutched the sheets to my body. It was an understatement to say that I wasn't comfortable with Lawson to be in my bedroom at this time, especially when I was still in my PJ's.

He chuckled at my wide eyes and at the grip I had on the sheets. "Well, good morning to you too, sweetheart. Didn't know that's what you wear to bed," he said, jerking his chin towards the big tee of Leo's that I was wearing. Me, being very self-conscious right now, tugged at the hem of the tee in attempt of trying to make it cover a little more. Leo's tee was baggy, but barely went to mid-thigh.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as Lawson took a seat at my desk, though turned the chair so that he was straddling it while facing me.

"We'll I'm sorry if I wanted to see my friend once in a while." Hunter feigned hurt and placed a hand over his heart, clutching with as mock pain spread over his face. He then went back to his normal posture and carried on. "Your butler let me. Though, a heads up, maybe you should train him or trade him in for a new one. The guy's been string at me in a creepy way." He shuddered.

I rolled my eyes and smiled at both his terrible acting and the torment he would suffer knowing that Leo tried to put some moves on him. "What are you really doing here? What's your ulterior motive?" I narrowed my eyes playfully, wondering what the real reason could be of why he is here.

I watched curiously as he scratched the back of his head, while rubbing his jaw with the other hand t the same time, curious to find out what was making him come off as such a nervous wreck. "Okay, you got me. You see, there's a fair on today, and I was wondering if you would come with me?"

A fair? Today was Sunday, the day that I chose to laze all day and do absolutely nothing before and after breakfast. Invite Av over so the three of us, four if you count Oreo, could laze around together and watch Zac Efron, Alex Pettyfer or some other hot male on the big screen. Though, Av has a another date with Gabriel, Gabe, today so it would just be the three of us: Leo, Oreo and I. 

A cough brought me out of my little daydreams and I struggled to give him an answer while my brain was still kind if turned off as I pictured the rest of my day. "That sound great, but I- but I kind of just do nothing on Sundays."

I squealed and backed up on the bed, once again, as Lawson literally jumped at my feet, begging me. "Aw, come on. Please. You won't regret it." He gave me his puppy dog eyes, which honestly weren't going to work on me.

My finger tapped my chin as I pretended to think about it. "Okay, but one condition." He nodded obediently, signalling for me to carry on. "You have to buy me some cotton candy."

"Okay. Deal?"

"Deal. Now leave. I need to get changed." 

'Or I can say here." He sent me a flirty wink and smirked. "I wouldn't mind at all."

"I know you wouldn't. Now leave." I commanded while chucking a pillow at him, hopefully that will be enough to convince him that it would be best if he left. 

Unfortunately, that was the time that Oreo sauntered in through my wide open door only to have his tail stomped on by Lawson. Oreo shrieked and scared Lawson in the process, stepping on Oreo's tail again, but this time with his other foot.