Page 27 of A Twist in Fate
28/07 (parents day!)
“I cannot wait to see my mom!” Daisy squeals from my side, clutching Mila’s arm tightly. We all stand in our groups as families reunite. We spent the morning preparing for family day which most people had been waiting for ever since they got here. The way Violet bounces off her feet excitedly, her pigtails moving with her, clearly shows how much she has missed her family. She asked me this morning to put pink ribbons in her hair to match the pink dress she had laid out two nights ago. Family day means that the kids are allowed to have their parents here for a couple hours to show them all of the things they have learnt or just to make sure that they have a taste of home after spending so muchtime away from it. Both Theo and Jacob have gone to their families, pretending that they don't care that they have not seen them in so long. I had watched Jacob run over to his sister who must be only a year or two old and hug her within seconds. They reminded me of Lucas with her sisters. They were so close and seemed so happy. I had never had siblings, but I would like to think I would make a good sibling, if I did.
“What about your dad?” Miles asks her, going up onto his tiptoes to see over the small crowd of people. I could see Daisy’s face instantly change as she looked away and up at Lucas for a second for reassurance.
“He is not coming today,” Lucas says with a smile, walking around me to ruffle her hair. As he walks back around to where Mile’s is standing, his hands brush my own then over my back. I instantly feel my face warm up and the smile he gives me is completely cocky, so I stick my tongue out at him in retaliation. He rolls his eyes and when I look back in front of me, I notice a weird look on Bailey's face as she walks with one of the children from her group.
One by one Mila, Miles and Violet run over to their families as they arrive within the next few minutes. Mila’s parents both scooped her up into their arms and Miles hadran over to the older boy his parents brought with them, which I assume is his older brother. Violet's dad had come to visit her, and she had barely given him a second to get out the car before she was darting across the grass to meet his open arms. I couldn't hear anything they were saying but I saw her point to her pigtails then towards me, showing off her hair with the brightest smile she has had since she arrived. Daisy now waits, not patiently one bit, as she keeps asking Lucas to message her and he says that she's driving so she will not be able to reply. Every single time, I see Daisy huff ever so slightly with a growing frown on her face.
All of a sudden Daisy practically screams when the same light blue truck pulls into the car park. Daisy jumps up and down and when her mom gets out, she starts to run over but the screaming amplifies when she pulls something small from the back of the truck. Lucas beams and when he starts to walk away, he turns back and pulls on my arm. “Cmon, you have to come meet Twig.”
“Who is Twig?” His smile widens and he only holds tighter onto my arm, pulling me with him. Both Daisy and Bailey are already with Mrs Miller and when Bailey almost looks back to me and Lucas, hand in hand, I drop his immediately, continuing to walk over. I try to ignorethe pained look on his face, but it quickly goes away when he pulls his mom into a hug. His hands pick up something from Daisy’s arms and he turns it toward me, while they all have a bright look on their faces. “Ivy, this is the youngest Miller, Twig.”
Looking right at me, in the eyes is a ball of soft fluff. The small goat had a mix of white and light brown patches covering its coat with an especially distinctive large patch of white that started on its forehead and travelled along to its back. Its ears are perked up with curiosity with a small smile on its face. His dark eyes stare until it tilts its head, filled with interest. It might just be the most adorable thing I have ever seen, along with the look on Lucas’ face as he holds it out to me.
“He is a dwarf goat. We got him a couple years ago,” Lucas says as he holds Twig out further signalling that I should pet him. I slowly reach my hand out and drag it across its back and it makes an appreciative sound as I do.
“You didn't bring Steve,” Daisy says, crossing her arms and a frown growing on her face. I continue to pet the small animal that is now in Bailey's arms, and she smiles at me while I do.
“Steve is a cat, Daisy. I can't just take him wherever and you know how much he hates to be held,” Mrs Miller says, ruffling her daughter's hair in the same way Lucas had not long ago.
“He likes to be held by me.” She still has a rough tone that almost makes the words indecipherable. Bailey hands the goat back to her little sister, who takes him appreciatively, her mood changing completely.
Mrs Miller's attention shifts away from her daughter and towards me, instantly pulling me into a hug. “Ivy, my dear. How have my children been treating you?”
“They are all amazing Mrs Miller, thank you. I’m sorry I completely forgot to say hi. I kind of got distracted,” I say, looking at the ball of fluff snuggling into Daisy’s arms who has run off to show Violet and her dad.
“Aw, please call me Elizabeth and don't apologise, my children can be very distracting.” She gives a knowing look between me and Lucas, and I feel my face heat up. “Seriously! I barely got anything done when these two were little." I laugh at her words and when I do, Bailey shoves my arm slightly, a smile blooming on hers too. A few minutes later Bailey is pulled away by one of herchildren to meet parents and Daisy has come back with Twig and Mila.
“Do you want to hold him?” Lucas asks me before scooping the small thing from Daisy’s arms again.
I instantly move away, putting my arms up in surrender. “No thanks. I'm good.” I continue to move back until Lucas holds my arm to stop me. He moves that hand from my arm down to my hand. My heart speeds up in my chest for a moment and he moves it around to make an odd shape with my arms. Suddenly, he places the small animal in them, and it stares up at me with the same curious expression.
“Lucas. I'm going to drop it,” I say, panicking a little, holding it further away for him to take back.
He only laughs and says, “No you're not. Just trust me.” My eyes meet Lucas’, and I know for a moment that it will be okay. I trust him. His hands hold my arms as I hold Twig, firmly. My heart speeds up on my chest and if we were alone, I might have kissed him.
“I told you she was his girlfriend!” Daisy says, giggling at Mila and when both our heads snap towards her, they run off, giggling together. My blush instantly returns and Lucas lets go of my arms. Mrs Miller has asmug look on her face, and it only grows when she notices the blush forming on my cheeks.
“I'm not his girlfriend.”
“She's not my girlfriend,” we say in unison and by the continuing face that Elizabeth has, she is definitely not convinced.
“I never said she was. But if there is something between you,” she wiggles a finger at us, “you need to tell your sister.” The knot that has been forming every day over the past week grows even more. I’ve known that it is not fair for me to be with her brother without saying anything, but we both know that this relationship or whatever we are calling it, is not serious. Bailey should not find out anything that should hurt her. This summer was about us being together finally and while, I spend every moment I can with her and she sometimes falls asleep in my room, I would hate for her to know the nights that she doesn't, he does.
The soft knock on my door those nights and no matter if these nights he just slips into my bed to curl up next to me or to talk until we naturally fall asleep, I have to wake up before 6am, every day, to watch him leave. He has created comfort I never thought I would ever find in another person, other than Bailey, but every time I start toeffortlessly enjoy my time with him, reality crashes down on me. It is a new type of comfort, not the same type of comfort as Bailey brings. In three weeks, I may never see him again, and if I do, he is not allowed to be mine and I am not allowed to be his. He said that he didn't want to pretend anymore but I am still pretending that the thought of leaving him, and my best friend doesn't cause an indescribable pain in my chest that is refusing to leave. I have never had a friend like Bailey, and I know we will see each other again but if the first and maybe only person who has ever really understood you literally lives on the other side of the world, how will our friendship ever last?
I don't want to leave either of them. I don't want to leave here at all, but I won't be reckless about my future because this is what I've worked for ever since I could read. It was all I ever wanted and even if I want more, like her friendship and his love, I know it won't work like that.
CHAPTER 15
Lucas
Song 15
Ivy – Taylor Swift
07/28
