14.

I wiped my tears and walked up to the steps of my house. I was greeted by the smell of marinara sauce. In the comfort of my home, and the smell of delicious food invading my senses, my mood couldn't help but be lifted.

"Yum!" I turned and gave Archer a hug. My favorite types of foods involve pasta. He must have made it help me feel better.

We walked into the kitchen, and he pulled on his apron. Looking at him, I was surprised he wasn't seeing anyone. Not in a weird way or anything, but who doesn't want a guy who can cook? Last I had remembered, he had been dating some girl in high school.

Her name was based off a flower... I couldn't remember what. But they had moved to college together, it seemed weird he hasn't mentioned her. So of course, being the good sister I am, I bring it up.

"What happened to that one girl you were dating?" He turned around so quickly that the spoon he was holding the flung sauce. His skin tone had been bleached of color, which was confusing.

"Nothing, I haven't seen her for a while. We broke up a long time ago." He says studying his cuticles. Obviously, he is lying. No one looks that intently at their fingers for no reason. I started to pout.

"You used to never lie to me," I mumble, and I can tell he softens slightly. I can also see him look away with guilt. His phone started to ring, and that gave me an idea.

"One minute, I have to take this. Can you make sure the sauce didn't boil over." He says, apologetically. I walk over to the pot and claim the spoon. Holding it tightly in my hand. He walks out of the room, so I naturally follow him and eavesdrop around the corner. I hear fragments of the conversation.

"What? No, I haven't talked to my mom yet."

"Yes, they're starting to get slightly suspicious about why I'm not in school."

"No, I'm not going to tell them. They won't understand!"

"Alright, bye Eve."

And then I dropped my spoon. It hit the ground with a clatter. I scooped it up and ran as quickly as I could back to the kitchen. Eve, like Evangeline? Like the girl who Tyler had been meeting up. I may be jumping to conclusions, but what a strange coincidence it would be if there were two girls who had the possibility of a similar nickname like that.

My mind was churning, my heart beating rapidly. He probably heard me. I don't need another person mad at me. I grabbed a new spoon, and let out a yelp as the sauce bubbled up.

"Did you drop the spoon?" Archer asks as he walks back in. I jump a little bit, and turn around, trying not to look guilty.

"Yeah, don't worry, everything's okay." I turn the heat down and find that my hands are shaking. I grip my shirt, trying to get them to stay still.

"I'll, I'll be up in my room," I say as I slowly back away. My chin trembling. Every feeling from the day overwhelming me. The argument, the nonfriend, the fact that my brother had been lying about something.

I fall into bed and start to cry. Tears pooling out of my eyes. I had never considered myself a strong person, at least mentally. It was my fault Riley was mad at me. My fault that I had dated Harris. Let him hurt me. Let that hurt others. I closed my eyes, trying to squeeze the tears away. I wanted my mum and her warm hug that was always a tad too tight. I wanted my dad to tell me a funny work story to cheer me up while we ate chocolate cookies. Like when I was younger and fell off my bike. I wanted to talk to Riley, tell her all the crazy things that were going on. With Archer, and how he wasn't telling our parents something.

I wanted to get to know Tyler, a little bit better. So when things like this happen I have someone to talk to. I swiped at my face, felt myself slowly calming down. I hugged my pillow tight to my chest, picked up a book and started to read.

- - - - - - - - - -

I heard a soft knock and my mum walked in. Sitting down on my bed she held her arms out and I crawled towards her, seeking comfort in her loving embrace.

"Archer told me you were crying, and that you had a bad day at school." She says softly into my hair. I mess with my soft comforter and nod. A few tears leaking out of my eyes, and she gently wipes them away.

"Do you want to talk about it, it'll make you feel better." She says, and after some deliberation, I nod. She sits down and leans against the pillow at the head of my bed.

"Riley is mad at me. Like really mad, and it's all my fault. I know how to fix it, but doing so will mean cutting off a new friend who really understands me." I explain, wanting to add the part about how Harris cheated on me. As far as she knew, he had been a lovely young man. He and I had gotten in a disagreement, and I had broken up with him. It was a simplified truth. What had actually happened wasn't something I wanted to think about now.

"I'm sure you and Riley will figure this out, you always do. Like that time where you knocked over her fathers' ashes and broke the urn. You thought she would never forgive you, I didn't either if we're being honest. But remember how it helped her move on. She forgave you eventually, and I'm sure what you did wasn't half as bad as that." I flinched at the reminder of one of my worst moments.

It had been horrible, I had been trying to regain my balance and had hit the cremation urn, and felt so guilty. I had spilled her fathers remains all over the floor. Riley's mother had sent me out of the house, and Riley hadn't stopped crying. She had eventually forgiven me, and it was the first time I'd seen her smile since her fathers' death.

"Thank you mum, you're the best," I say hoarsely. The downstairs door opens, and she kisses my forehead. Dad was probably home.

"I'm gonna go talk to your father, see if he can make you some chocolate chip cookies, and we can watch a movie or something, okay? Come out when you're feeling better." She says. I need to tell her about what was going on with Archer, but I wanted it to be from him, whatever it was. So I held my tongue.

"Okay. I love you, mum." I say, and she gives me a small smile.

"I love you too, honey."

After a few minutes composing myself, I walk to the bathroom and wipe my face down with a cool washcloth. Walking downstairs, I sit in front of the couch and eat lasagna. Watching the first 'Harry Potter' movie.

After I finish eating, my dad brings in a plate of cookies. Even if one wasn't completely honest with me, or always there. Even if they were mad at me, for something I shouldn't have done. I knew that they would always support me.

Cuddled up between my mum and dad, eating the freshly baked cookies, I couldn't help but feel lucky about the amazing family I had. I don't know what I'd do without them.

- - - - - - - - - -

A/N ~ Roughly edited ~

Short authors note, I just want to say I love you guys!!

How many of you were counting down the days, (jk, it was all if you right???)

Question: What do you think of the new cover? Or if you've already answered that, do you like chocolate chip cookies?

Until Teusday,

~ Skye