Life in Search ✔️

58 ~ Weird

Standing in front of the mirror, I fidget with my tie for the thousandth time.

"You look so grown up." Mom offers, watching me in the background.

I continue to mess with my bow tie till I completely ruin it.

Mom chuckles, turning me around so she can undo all my damage. "I guess I need to get used to seeing you in this color."

Crimson is a pretty set part of my future.

"It's a good thing I look pretty in it." I tease as she finishes up.

There's a gleam of humor in her eyes, "Yes, I suppose so." Straightening my jacket, she smiles softly. "You turned out better than I could've ever hoped for."

Taking in the tears glistening in the corner of her eyes, I hug her. "Mom, I'm not special enough to cry over."

"Hush, you are so special to me. My baby, all grown up." her muffled voice replies. "So sweet and caring."

Well those are the same words Ronnie's teacher used to describe her, but I know what she means. "It's all your doing, mom."

All hers, she wanted me to be someone good and I am, even if it took a while.

*****

Arriving at the Rhodes house, I never know what to expect but it certainly wasn't Emmy to be sitting in the tv room.

"Did you knock?"

"Nope." I respond taking the seat across from him.

"So you just decided to let yourself in?"

"Yeah." I smirk, ready to play this game with him.

"Why do you have a bag?"

Resting a backpack at my feet, I lean back in the chair. "It has my clothes for tomorrow."

"You stay here often?" he asks, masking his shock.

"Ashton practically lives here." Sterling confirms, walking into the room with a camera focused on us.

Right, I forgot they're doing this whole YouTube thing right now. If it was anyone else shoving a camera in my face, I'd be annoyed, but the twins don't count.

That's a bit of an exaggeration but it's worth Emmy's reaction. His eyes turn a terrifyingly dark shade.

Sage wanders into the room, eating a slice of pizza, and takes a seat next to me. "Sup, guys."

"Dude, we're eating dinner in like an hour." I point out as he finishes the slice.

He shrugs, "I'm a growing boy, I'll be more than capable of eating it."

How much more can he possibly grow? Any taller and he'll be in a different atmosphere. Emmy gets up, leaving just the two of us alone and I'm finally able to ask the question I've been wondering since last night.

"Hey, how does Ella feel about the whole tattoo thing?"

"She doesn't." He offers, glancing around to make sure she isn't listening.

I blink, taken back. "What do you mean, she doesn't? A tattoo is a pretty difficult thing to hide from your girlfriend."

he rolls his eyes, "She knows I have it, she just thinks I got it to remember my parents."

"So you lied." I conclude for him.

"No, I didn't. Technically it does honor them and the other part will never be relevant again. I don't even have to think about it so why should I worry her?" He explains.