Don't Give Up On Me ✔

Chapter 22 ~ Please give me a chance

Isla's POV

The ride home from the diner is quiet but peaceful. As we pull up to my house, I think about how much the relationship between me and Hayden has changed since the beginning of the school year. "Hayden?"

"Yes?" he replies as he turns the engine off and pulls his key out of the ignitions.

I push a strand of hair behind my ear that has fallen in front of my face. "Thank you for everything. Especially for coming to my parents' funeral. You were the only that showed up for me."

He looks at me with guilty eyes. "Isla, I'm sorry that I didn't come up to you at the funeral or say anything. I thought you might still be upset from the day before, and I didn't want to make the day worse for you. That's why I stayed in the back. I showed up because I wanted you to know that I was there for you if you need me."

"Make it worse? If anything, you made it better. I saw you in the back. It helped just knowing you were there. I thought everyone hated me, but seeing you there made me feel like I still had a friend. One friend is better than no friends. It didn't help that I had shattered my phone after I left Beth's house that night. I wasn't able to contact any of you."

"Hate you? I could never hate you. I thought you need space. Maybe I should have made a better attempt to check on you. To see if you were doing okay. I'm so sorry if you thought I hated you. I swear I didn't, and I never could. Like I said the day you woke up at the hospital, you're stuck with me now," Hayden says with a huge grin.

Hayden jumps out of the car and runs to my side and opens the door for me. "You're such a gentle man," I giggle.

"Only for you," he tells me as he scoops me up bridal style and carries me to the front door. I get a strange feeling being in his arms. The best way to describe it would be that it feels like home. With me still in his arms, he easily opens the front door. He puts me down once we are inside. The entire room is dark and silent.

"Welcome home!" I hear voices cry out in unison. I look around seeing Nick, Isabelle, and Isaac. The living room has been decorated with flowers, balloons and streamers. There is a lopsided cake on the coffee table that must have been made by Nick and my siblings. My sister has drawn several pictures for me that are hung up around the room.

Tears begin falling down my face as I laugh. "Sissy, why are you crying? Do you not like it?" my little sister asks with worry written on her face.

I pick her up in a hug and swirl her in a circle. "I'm crying because I am happy. This is amazing and I love you. I love all of you!" I place her back on the ground and hug Isaac.

"Where's my hug?" Nick complains, walking up to me with his arms open widely. He wraps his arms around me and spins me like I did with Isabelle causing me to laugh.

"I've missed all of you," I say as we sit on the couch. "So, who made this beautiful cake?" I wonder with a chuckle. Nick blushes as Isabelle grins and points to herself, Nick, and Isaac. I sit there and talk to my siblings and my friends, catching up on things that I've missed since being in the hospital.

We are all laughing and having a good time. This is my new family. By no means is it a typical family, but everyone in this room loves me and cares for me, and I feel the same towards them. I have really missed my sister and brother. I have never gone for more than a few hours without seeing them. I wish they would stay home with me tonight, but Mrs. Ford has agreed to keep them for a few more days so that I can settle in and figure out my new routine with them being home.

Mrs. Ford is going to be picking them up soon, so Hayden walks into the kitchen to grab us plates and silverware for the cake. The cake looks like a complete mess. I mean, what do you expect when a seven-year-old and two eighteen-year-olds who act like seven-years-olds make a cake? It's the thought that counts, right? Anyways, while it looks like a mess, it's one of the best cakes I've ever had.