Her head leaned right back on my arm, making me hold her hand, focusing to the road.
I had already texted the guys and told them she was staying, everything was in order.
"What's these bruises from?" I asked, touching one across her knee.
"Soccer" she mumbled.
"Shit, did you get tackled?" I asked her, which made her smile lightly.
"I'm just clumsy, I trip a lot" she spoke to me, making me nod, accepting it.
We soon got home, and I walked her inside, where we immediately all heard the guys yell in unison
"Holland!"
Before she even knew it, she was brought into a group hug, making her laugh, which made me smile.
"I'm so glad you took our offer seriously" michael spoke for all of us.
"Thank you for offering." She exhaled.
Before immediately jumping to questions, we all gave her time to get comfortable
We showed her the guest room, let her shower and change, and then we all sat together and had a general conversation.
"So, pretty girl" Calum spoke for all of us, herself looking down as we all looked to her.
"What's been going on?" He finished.
She shrugged lightly before speaking
"Just school, soccer and home" she spoke to us.
"How's home?" Ashton asked.
She nodded slowly
"Dads got a new girlfriend" she cleared her throat lightly.
"How's that make you feel?" I asked her, seeing her knee bouncing lightly.
"I don't really have a feeling about it- she most likely won't be around long." She spoke, making us all exchange a glance.
"What about school?" Ashton changed the subject.
"Hard, like always" she mumbled.
"Did you take that week off-" "I took two days off" she spoke slowly.
"I gave you a week off for a reason." He spoke firmly to her.
"School is hard enough without missing a week." She spoke, and she had a good point.
"So soccer" I brought up.
"Why'd you quit? I thought you loved it?" I asked her slowly.
"I thought I did too" she mumbled, managing to get a light laugh out.
"I don't know" she spoke, finally looking up to us.
"It just- isn't fun to me anymore. I'm always tired and everything hurts and then I suck at the games, so I don't see a point in continuing." She spoke.
"What do you mean when you say everything hurts?" Ashton asked.
"I'm just always sore" she spoke simply.
"She's bruises all over her legs and arms" I mumbled, seeing her glance to me slowly before adverting her gaze back to her sweatpants.
"So, I know dad has a new girlfriend." Calum spoke, and I knew where this was going
She nodded with him
"Does dad still cook?" He asked, making her go silent.
"Occasionally." She spoke quietly.
"But I can cook- so it's fine." She tried to dismiss it.
"What did he cook you, and how often?" He spoke, making her look away.
"Like twice a week- and like normal family meals." She spoke.
"And what can you cook?" He asked.
We watched as she made direct eye contact with him.
"Ramen noodles and eggs." She spoke swiftly.
But she smiled, which made every one of us smile in return.
"What a chef" Calum joked, pulling her into a hug, which she held him into.
"But you're totally getting a check up tomorrow."
