"Dad! Mom!" I alight the limo as soon as it stopped in front of my home. I run and hug them both.
"My princess," Dad said kissing my head, "I missed you."
"I missed you too." I sobbed biting my lip to stop from wailing out loud. "Both of you."
"It is good to have you back." Mom rub my back bleary eyed.
"Your Highness." I watched my parents bow slightly.
Nolan bowed, "Please call me Nolan."
"Oh... alright, I guess." I grinned watching my dad. He is still his silly, nervous self. My heart skipped a bit at the sight of my former home.
"Come in."
Hearing the camera shots run off did the least in making me feel comfortable. Don't they have their lives to attend to? What's wrong with all these paparazzi?
"And we've got a little surprise for you." Mom said as she opened the door for us.
"Ooh, tell me." I held her arm swinging it slowly beaming at her.
"Surprise!" Three voices yelled. Kim, Brie and Vicki!
"Ohmigosh. You guys... " they pulled into a hug. "I missed you guys."
"We barely get to see you with all these royalty blah blah blah." Kim waved her hands around.
"You are smokin' babe." Brie commented.
"Oh, I do my best." I flipped my hair faking on an English accent.
Someone lifted me from my ground. "Hey."
My favorite brother, Vic was grinning. "Hey, big sis." He sat me on the kitchen counter. I hugged him tight.
"Vic, I missed your annoying snarky jokes."
"Of course, you did."
Nolan had his hands in his pockets obviously feeling out of place as he looked. I am not going to bother myself with him. I don't care what happens to him. I just couldn't forgive what he did to me. Who kisses a girl then snobs her the next?
"Yo Prince, what did you guys do to my sister?" Vic asked. Nolan raised brows in confusion. "She lost a lot of weight. And I mean a lot. She be looking like a model and I don't like it. What would be the point of calling her a pig when she isn't fat?"
The people I call friends and parents laughed hard. Even my frown became a smile.
"Come up with a new nickname then?" Kim suggested.
Vic stroke his chin looking me up and down "hmmm", suddenly he exclaimed, "Anna Banana."
I rolled my eyes and jump off the counter. My parents brought out cake. "Happy birthday Anna," They chorused.
"Since we weren't at your birthday party, we decided to celebrate when you came home." Dad explained hugging me again
"I'm telling you, it's a good thing cause that birthday party was as dry as fuck... No offence, Mrs Bill."
"None taken."
So we partied all day in the living room dancing, eating, laughing, playing and making a lot of noise. I have not felt this good in a long time. No imposing rules, no intruding figures, no lack of privacy. I am home baby!
Vickie had brought her karaoke machine and started singing off key to Ed Sheeran's Photograph. Her funny expressions had us all laughing.
This is the life. Being with the people who matter the most. I look at each of them from my parents to my best friends. My eye caught Nolan who was sitting quietly watching Vickie sing, sporting a tiny smile. His gaze locked with mine and strangely I couldn't turn away. I felt my face give way to a grin. My heart leaped when his expression mirrored mine.
It is nice, being with the right people at the right moments. I don't want to let go of any of these memories. A tug on my arm pulled me away from Nolan.
"Hey, come with me." Vickie asked pulling me away without waiting for a response. We climb to the top of the roof.
"You remember those sleepovers we would stay up late and climb up here to see the stars?" I said reminiscing.
"And your mom would yell at all four of us to go to bed." she grinned
"But we never did."
"Ever," she held my hand."Everything is different now. A good different."
"Yeah," I heaved a sigh.
"I think something is up with Kim. She keeps complaining of an headache and she eats less."
"Really? I hope it's nothing serious."
"Me too. Let's ask her what's going on later in the group chat." As I bobbed my head, she rested hers on my shoulder. "Anna I want you to be honest with me. What's going on between you and Henry? You texted me about it."
"Oh," I kept my voice low, "Henry and I, we are seeing each other."
"Like dating?"She whispered.
I nodded blushing.
"Wow. I never thought you would be one to keep to two guys."
"What do you mean?"
"I saw the way you made gooey eyes at Nolan. Your heart was practically in your eyes. What happened that day at the party?"
"I don't make gooey eyes at Nolan. I don't even like him. He just tends to be attractive sometimes." I said and shrugged.
She cocked a brow leaning back. "Right"
I sighed and told her all that happened.
"Your love life is a mess."
"It's not. It's really straightforward. I love Henry. Nolan is just a distraction the wall between Henry and I just as I am between Nolan and Aubrey"
"Yeah, so direct and so not confusing." She drew out sarcastically.
"Well, what would you have me do? Henry and I were together from the beginning."
"Not really."
"It doesn't matter. I love him."
She sighed "It's crazy. What you two are doing. You've got to be careful because if this gets out, lots of things would be at stake."
"Well, what about Nolan? He is keeping his girlfriend."
"Just because he is doing something wrong doesn't mean you should do the same. Two wrongs never make a right."
"I know that," I held my head in my hands, "I love Henry. I just can't end it."
"You can't or you won't?"
I held my hands up. "That's enough. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let's go back down."
Why would she say that? She knows everything yet she judges me. I'm not being irrational. This marriage business would be over soon. I would be free again and with Henry.
My friends left much later. We cleaned up and gathered in the living room discussing sleeping arrangements. Well mostly where Nolan would sleep. The subject in question didn't seem bothered especially when he dropped the bomb.
"I think it's best if I should just sleep with Anna."
My parents went silent. My dad looked like he was about to faint. My mom was, however, in awe grinning widely while my brother looked bored and sleepy. Me, I was envisioning myself stabbing Nolan to death and strutting all the way to jail. Insert evil cackles.
So that was how I found myself a few minutes later with Nolan in my bedroom. He took off his clothes and laid on the bed. Why the hell is my bed small?
"Did you paint that?" He pointed to the ceiling.
"Yes" I smile at the memory looking at it. My parents couldn't get me another canvas so I painted a family picture on the ceiling.
"It's beautiful."
"Thanks." I look down and couldn't help admiring him. Not his body mind you. But his ability to get accustomed to everything. He was quiet without being invisible and knew what to say to get people's attention.
"I did that too." I pointed at the wall where the head of the bed rested. The painting of me and my friends. The four musketeers.
He sat up taking it in. "You are very good."
"Thanks"
"I've never seen you draw or paint. Why?"
What is he trying to mean by asking that question?
"I don't feel like it anymore."
"Don't worry, when we are divorced, I will help you with your art in anyway I can."
I nod slowly. "Why?" He turned to me, "Why do you want to help? What's with the mood swing? First you are so angry and the next you are a very nice and humble person. Why did you-?"
I'm glad I caught myself in time. I don't want him to know I'm still bothered about that kiss.
"Come sleep." He finally said patting the mattress after minutes passed without answers.
I laid down laying on my side my back to him. I felt the warmth of his heat on my back and the sound of his soft breathing on my hair.
"Goodnight." I said.
"Don't let the bedbugs bite." He replied.
I let out a giggle. This bipolar guy has me giggling. That is hard to believe.
"Just a forewarning, giant roaches come out later." I closed my eyes chuckling at the feel of his body tense. "Sleep tight."
I slowly drift off to sleep with a wide smile on my face.