“I’ll get some drinks,” I tell them, as I walk out of the room.

Chapter 11

*Mikayla*

Heidi and Lucy have come by to let me borrow some things while I’m here, seeings as I can’t get into my house, crime scene and all that.

“I just got you some stuff you might need, girl things. Jake didn’t really know what you needed. It was kinda adorbs when he rang, all awkward and shit,” Heidi pauses. “Micky…” she waits until I’m looking at her. “Jake… he’s good people y’know. I’m glad it was him you ended up with last night.”

I nod slowly, “Me too.”

“Anyway,” Heidi continues perking up, “I just bought some toiletries, body wash, shavers, toothbrush, lotions. I didn’t know what you liked so I just packed whatever I had. I bought some clothes too. I mean, we didn’t know how long you’d be staying so we really didn’t know what to pack. We figured we’re all about the same size though.”

“You guys, whatever you’ve got will be perfect, I’m sure.” I smile, it’s a genuine one, because these girls, they don’t even know me, and they’re doing what they can to help.

I still haven’t heard from Megan. Nothing.

Lucy pipes up. “I packed some clothes too, obviously Heidi and I don’t dress the same, so at least you’ll have a choice of what to wear,” she chuckles to herself. “Umm, I also bought my spare e-reader for you. I don’t really know…” She looks to the ground, her voice getting softer. “I don’t know if you’ll want to read, or if you can concentrate on reading… I just… it’s there if you want it.”

“Thanks, book best friend.” I tell her, and she beams back at me.

Theres a few moments of silence.

I can’t even imagine how awkward this must be for them, trying to console a girl they don’t even know.

“So…” I start, “Justin Bieber’s your jam, Heidi?”

They both laugh, and the awkwardness leaves the room for the moment.

“It’s kind of an inside joke,” Heidi says through giggles.

“Not really,” Lucy smirks at Heidi. “Heids here had a wee little obsession with the Biebs when he first blew up. She went a little too stalkerish when he was in town once, his security had to detain her and her parents had to pick her up.”

“No way!” I say, eyes big in disbelief.

“Yes, way.” Jake interrupts, as he walks in with drinks for all of us. He places the tray on the coffee table between us.

“The next day at school everyone knew about it, people were calling her ‘wannabeiber’. She didn’t care though, she wore it proud, like a badge. I still see Dylan's eye twitch whenever he hears Justin Bieber.”

Our laughter fills the room.

Talking about this reminds me of Emily, so I tell them about it.

About how my dad tried to dance ‘The Dougie’ to Emily’s version of ‘Baby’. About how they followed me around belting, ‘Penis, penis, penis ohhhh’.

When the laughter fades, a sadness washes over me.

“I can’t believe it was just last night,” I say to no one in particular. “It feels like so long ago. This day has gone on forever.” I look at Jake next to me. “Is this like, the longest day in history? What is with today?” I ask seriously.

He puts his arm around my shoulders and kisses the side of my head, I love when he does that.

“We’ll let ourselves out,” Lucy says, halfway out the door with Heidi.

“Let’s get you to bed.” He helps me to my feet.

***

I’ve been laying in bed for 2 hours and I can’t seem to settle. I’m exhausted and restless, and devastated. I don’t have words. I want to go home, and I don’t. I guess I won’t be able to tell how I feel until I’m faced with the opportunity.

An hour later I’m still wide awake. I need to get out of this bed, out of this room. I head downstairs. I can hear the murmurs of a TV running, but stop in my tracks at the bottom of the stairs when I hear my name, conversation’s coming from the kitchen.

“Does Mikayla have nowhere else to stay?” Jake's dad, Nathan, asks.

I freeze, my stomach drops to the floor.

“Dad, Seriously?”

A moment of silence.

“I’m sorry, son. That came out all wrong.” Nathan's voice is softer now, more sympathetic. He doesn’t have an accent either, come to think of it, neither did Julie.

“Look,” Nathan continues, “it’s not that we don’t want her here, you have to know that, but you need to understand that we’re just worried about you-"

“Dad-"

“Hang on, Jake. Just let me finish… What you guys experienced, it’s a lot to take in, even if you had known each other for years, it’s still would have been… I don’t know. It’s just that, well, your mom told me that you guys met last night, and we’re not blind Jake, I see the way you are with her, the way she is with you. I know that there’s something there. But, I guess we just worry, and not just for her, for you too, Jake. This is a lot to take in for someone your age, for anyone, regardless. I guess what I’m trying to say is that we, your mother and I, are just afraid that she’ll depend too much on you, and that you’ll take it as more than what it is. She has no one else?”