My Family (A Brooke Hyland Fanfic)

Chapter 8 - Back Home

Chapter 8

It was a long bus ride back from New York, I sat with Chloe, Mackenzie and Paige on the back seat. I seem to have become the pillow, I had Mackenzie on my lap she was curled in a ball her head resting on my chest holding my shirt. Chloe was curled up on my right side her head on my shoulder, arms wrapped around my waist. Paige was on my left side, in a similar position as Chloe.

I didn't want to move because they all looked so peaceful and I didn't want to wake them up. Nia, Kendall and Maddie had all fallen asleep in the row in front of us, they were laying on each other. I saw mom turn around and pull out her phone, I pulled a face as she took a photo before closing my eyes and trying to get some sleep.

I was woken by giggling, I decided to keep my eyes closed and my breathing steady so I looked like I was still asleep.

"She's going to be do mad when she sees" I heard Kendall giggle

"SHHHH!" Mackenzie whispered to her

"So Chloe" Maddie whispered "how's Brooke, with the whole adoption. Did you see Nicks tweet, why would he do that to her." It took every bit of self-control not to open my eyes and say it wasn't him.

"We haven't really talked about it, I don't know what's she's thinking. When she's ready to talk, I'll be there to listen" I would have hugged her but I still didn't want them to know I was awake, so I sort of fell/leaned into Chloe and put my arms around her.

"Mom said she had another child but she lost it when she was younger, I think it died in her stomach" I heard Paige say, I felt sorry for her she would have had another sibling.

"I'm glad Brooke is with us, I don't know what I would do without my older sister" Chloe said while hugging me.

"I love you too" I whispered opening my eyes and hugging her back.

"Brooke" Chloe said surprised "you were listening?" She asked

"Just the last bit" I said and kissed her cheek "how long do we have left?" I asked all the girls looked at their phones.

"2 hours" Nia stated, I stretched my arms and back before laying my head on Chloe's lap and my feet on Paige.

"Wake me up in an hour" I yawned before getting comfy and falling asleep.

They woke me up an hour later, somehow I had managed to turn around burying my head in Chloe's stomach with my hands wrapped around her waist, they also told me I had kicked Paige a few times, once in the face. I apologized and hugged her before apologizing again. She just laughed and said it was okay, the girls were laughing at me and by the end I was glaring at them, it shut them up.

"Girls!" Abby screamed from halfway up the bus

"Yes" they all chorused

"And Brooke" she added

"Yes" I replied

"Tomorrow I want all of you in studio A at 9 sharp, It will only be you lot at the competition, I expect another clean sweep" I forgot that Friday was the last day of school for summer, I got to spend my days teaching at the studio, for the summer programs.

We all replied with 'yes' or 'okay' before returning to whatever we were doing. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and decided to text everyone that I would be back in Pittsburgh in just under an hour. Most of the reply's where from school friends saying we needed to do something over the summer, but I knew they just wanted to find out about me being adopted.

I got a text from Gia stating she would be waiting for us, the only other person who texted back from the studio was Nick, he said he would be waiting with Gia as well. I put my phone away and listened to the girls conversation. We had about 30 minutes before we arrived at the studio, and I would get to see everyone, but the thing I wanted to most was my bed. I needed my bed!

"Brookie, you get to come away with us again!" Mackenzie squealed

"I always come with you" I laughed as she climbed onto my lap and hugged me.

"Maybe we could have a duet!" she said excitedly

"Maybe"

"Promise you'll ask?" she looked like she was 6 again looking up at me with big pleading eyes.

"Promise" I placed my hand over my heart.

We talked about random things for the next half an hour, we talked about movies we had seen recently, books we've read and music we've listened to and soon enough we rolled into the ALDC parking lot. Just like they said Gia and Nick where waiting outside by the door of the studio, it was 7pm so classes would still be going on inside.

We climbed off the bus and walked over to Nick who looked like like he was about to wet himself trying to hold in a laugh, I looked at him sceptically before he burst into laughter. I pulled out my phone and opened the camera where I saw I had pen all over my face. I spun around to the girls who were also laughing, a ran towards them and they ran off screaming. I smirked triumphantly before walking into the studio to clean off my face, and of course when I walk through the door the person I would rather not see was coming out of the dancers den.

Payton. I walked through the door and she looked up from her phone, she laughed at my face which just made me madder.

"Hello my little unloved friend" she smiled

"I'm not your friend" I growled

"Did mommy let you do your own makeup today? Oh wait, you don't have a mom" I was seconds away from slapping her in the face, I heard the front door open and quietly people came in, neither me or Payton payed any attention to them.

"I'll have you know my sisters did this, and I do have a mom, her name is Christi"

"Sisters?, oh you mean those awful little dancers, why one earth would you want to be related to any of them?" It was one thing to attack me and try to hurt me. But her saying those things about the girls sent me over the edge, I was about to break down but I wasn't going to let Payton see, so I did the next best thing. I slapped her across the face and walked into the bathroom, I heard Abby tell Payton to get out, I slammed the bathroom door and slid down the far wall, tears streaming down my face.

I put my head in my hands before I really started to cry, the bathroom door opened and someone sat down next to me. I was struggling to breath, I started to shake uncontrollably.

The person but their arm around me and it was then I knew it was my mom. "Shh, baby, it's okay, I've got you." I fell into her embrace, pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around them before placing my head on top of my arms. "Don't listen to her, we all love you" I would have replied but I was crying so hard I couldn't get any words out.

Mom pulled me up onto her lap, I wrapped my arms around her neck and cried onto her shoulder. I gripped onto her shirt and tried to suck in air through my sobs. I heard the door open again and I felt mom move under me, I gripped onto her tighter.

The person joined us in the hug, I didn't know who it was until they spoke "I love you Brooke" Chloe said, I lifted my head and smiled at her, I must have looked awful, my face tear stained and red with pen all over my face.

I stood up and cleaned my face, I made sure all the pen was gone and soon the only that gave away I had been crying was my red, puffy eyes. I wiped away a few stray tears, and grabbed Chloe's and mom's hands before walking out of the bathroom, mom took her hand out of mine and wrapped it round my shoulders.

Everyone was in the front entrance, I squeezed Chloe's hand, I wanted to go home, curl up in my warm bed and sleep forever. "Can we go home soon?" I whispered to mom, she nodded before everyone gathered in yet another group hug, because we hadn't had enough of them today.

I noticed someone still hanging around, I noticed that it was Paige's mom looking slightly uncomfortable. It took about 5 minutes for everyone to let go of me before we could finally leave, we got home I gave everyone a kiss goodnight before going upstairs and curling up on my bed.