Holding On To Happy | ✔

10. Secret Love

I was supposed to be packing for my trip to Dad's house. Instead I was too focused on these incoming texts and my three visitors.

My gaze shifted between my phone and Faye who sat cross legged on my by, along with Jasmine and Ellen. The three of them were huddled around my laptop watching fashion vloggers on YouTube, looking for homecoming dress inspiration.

My phone dinged again and I internally groaned. Derek had given up on calling, instead he texted. Constantly. He wanted Faye back and he wanted me to set it up. It was like he didn't understand the sensitive nature of this situation.

In the few days I've been hanging out with Faye she hasn't mentioned Derek once. None of the girls have. He didn't exist. I couldn't have stressed this point enough to Derek the first time he texted me, but nothing was getting through to him.

"Who's been texting you all day?" Jasmine asked. The three of them eyed me, waited for answer.

"My dad," I lied, turning my phone off to put an end to the texts. "He's just wondering how I'm getting there."

"How are you getting there Ms. Failed-My-Drivers-Test-Four-Times," Faye teased.

"Alyssa is taking me."

Ellen perked up, her brown eyes narrowing on me. "Your friends with that freak?"

Jasmine chuckled, "She looks like the type of person to collect people's toenails."

"Ew," Faye grimaced. "Stop!"

"What? It's true, " Jasmine defended.

"She's Mia's friend," Faye said.

"No really" The words fell from my mouth before I could stop them. Why did I feel the urge to even say it?

"Either way," Jasmine shrugged. "Just keep her away from your feet."

I laughed with them. Not because I wanted to, but because I felt like they expected me to.

There was a knock at the door, followed by Mom poking her head in. She's been home a lot more since her new rule system. She's even made it a point to make dinner these last few nights. We still didn't talk much, but it was a start.

"Alyssa is downstairs," she announced before leaving.

"Guess that's our cue to leave," Faye said as the three of them got up from the bed.

I followed them down the stairs, half listening to Jasmine as she talked about her Homecoming campaign. It wasn't as big of a deal as prom queen, but she treated it as such.

Alyssa stood in the foyer waiting as we descended the stairs. Her cheery smile faltered when she saw that I wasn't alone.

"Wow," Alyssa drawled. "Anyone else's getting major deja vu? All I'm missing is my sleeping bag and a pack of Oreos for you to steal before kicking me out."

Jasmine stifled a laugh and Faye elbowed her in the ribs. The memory of my last sleepover with Alyssa plagued my memories. She laughed at it now, but that night she was in tears. All these years later and I still felt guilty about it.

"I'm so sorry about our behavior back then," Faye surprised me, along with Jasmine and Ellen, with an out of the blue apology. "No one should be treated that way. You still like Oreo's? I'll get you a pack."

Alyssa snorted a laugh and realized Faye was being sincere. "Ok, just make sure their double stuffed."

The three of them then said goodbye to me before they filed out of the door.

"Faye Mitchell is going to buy me Oreo's," she laughed. "Can you believe that?"

"That girl is full of surprises."