Keirsten and Henley packed the weekend with so many things, I didn't have time to talk to Serena again. I needed her in my life in the same way plants needed water. I didn't want her to be the girl I used to be with. Some girl I'd see every now and then when I visit my sister. I needed Serena to be more than that, and I wanted her for as long as I could have her. I'd do whatever I could to let her know I loved her.

I only had a few minutes to do that.

The girls were outside my door saying goodbye to Keith and each other. My eyes met Serena's every so often. She tapped her foot and chewed on her bottom lip as an eager expression crossed her eyes. A light bulb went off, and she moved to me.

“I forgot something. My charger.” She wrung her fingers together and I nodded. “I'll meet you downstairs, Trin. I need help finding it.”

“Oh. Okay.” My sister dragged everyone else out and shut the door.

“What'd you forget?” I moved close enough to feel her breath against my skin.

“I forgot you.” I didn’t remember her being this bold and it was kind of cheesy, but I loved every second of it.

She touched my chest lightly with her fingers.

“I want you, Brandon.” My heart stopped. It was one thing to know someone wanted you by action, but it was another to hear it. “I know you probably don't want to deal with being in a relationship with me. I come with a lot of problems and baggage. I'm still in therapy and I-”

I cupped her face in my hands and matched her eyes with mine. “I don't care about that. I love you for you. Baggage and all. I've always fucking loved you.”

A small squeak escaped. She blinked rapidly and looked down. She drew in a shaky breathe. A small tear slipped down her face, and I wiped it away. “You still love me?”

“Yeah.” I chuckled. “I don't think that's ever going to change.”

“Oh good.” Her laugh was dry as she sniffed. “I love you too.” Her wet eyes shined as she smiled. “I don't think I told myself that. Sometimes i worry I'll do something and . . .”

I hovered my lips over hers. “I won't stop loving you.”

Her smile grew, and her chuckle was fuller this time. “You know I still have to go. Trins got a meeting and-”

I placed a thumb over her mouth and she giggled. I removed my thumb, replacing it with my lips. She moaned and sunk her body against mine almost immediately. I wrapped both arms around her waist. I wanted her as close to me as I could. Our lips moved hungrily together. I pressed her back against the closest. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I lifted her legs off the ground. I pressed myself against her and began grinding when she moaned.

“Dammit.” I breathed out, coming up for air. “Why’d you have to go back right now?”

“I could catch a ride back later.” I planted kisses down her neck and grinned when her breath hitched.

“I'll take you home.”

She nodded. I carried her to my room, kicking the door open with my foot.

“We've gotta tell Trin.”

I groaned as I placed her on the bed. “Alright. I’ll text her.”

I shot Trinity a quick text and threw my phone across the room. Serena was sitting on her knees on the bed. Her hands lay open in her lap. It was as if her heart was in her hands, ready for me to take. I hopped on the bed and she squealed.

“Now it’s just you and me.”

It was just us for the night, no distractions. No one to make her leave. I finally had time with her and it didn’t matter if we spent a few days at a time together. She was mine, and I was hers.

* * *

I turned the corner towards Serena's street. She hadn't left the car yet, but I was already missing her. Midterms were coming and then finals shortly after, so finding time to meet up was going to be difficult? We would make it work. Exams were nothing compared to the two years I spent away from her.

A familiar black car sat in her driveway and scowled. Why the fuck was she here? Serena's mom caused her enough stress. Why did she need to add more? It didn't make sense. She couldn't control Serena anymore. So what did she want?

I looked to Serena and her face was white. Her breathing was still steady, but her eyes were wide and alert. I covered her hand with mine, rubbing it with the pad of my thumb. “You want me in there with you?”

She gave me a weak smile and shook her head. “No, I got it. I'll be fine.”

“Okay,” I caught her chin and kissed her long and hard. “I'll be at my dad's office if you need anything.”

Her smile was stronger this time. She nodded, grabbed her things and left. I guess she was about to face her mom, and I was about to face my dad. I pulled out of the driveway and headed towards his office.

* * *

“He’ll be with you in five minutes.” The secretary set his desk phone down and gestured towards the seats behind me. “Just wait over there, okay?”

“Alright.” I nodded and took a seat in one of the brown leather chairs. Three secretaries sat outside of my dad’s office. They all wore glasses and the same shade of brown. My father didn’t allow much color in the office, and he made sure his secretaries did the same.

His office door opened. He had a large smile on his face as he waved me over.

“So, are you transferring, my boy? Start a new journey in the right direction?” He sat down and swung his chair side to side.

“I’m going to stay at Nerita.”

“Why?” He stopped swinging and placed his hands on his desk.

“The program there is better for what I want to do.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “What about your girlfriend? Don’t you want to be closer to her?”

“We’ll be fine.” I ran my fingers through my hair and smiled.

“The offer’s still open if you change your mind.” My dad stood again and walked around his desk to me. “You could be doing great things. The job I have is a good one with a steady income.”

“I’ll be fine, Dad.”

“If you say so. Good luck with finals.”

I waved as I left. I had to walk my own path and find what worked for me.

* * *

“That right there is why I shouldn’t have let you leave the house.”

“Hi, Mom.”

I knew she would come, but I was hoping for more time. I was hoping my mom would wait before she barged in on my freedom. Hoping with her was always a waste of time. She was sitting on the steps with her arms crossed and lips pursed so tight they almost disappeared. Her skin was grey like the clouds in the sky, but her eyes were angry.

“And that roommate of yours wouldn’t let me in.” She shook her head and hiked her purse over her shoulders, before standing. “You’d think Anne’s daughter would stay sweet a little longer, but I guess her stupid father got to her too. Hi, Serena. I forgot to say hello. I’m usually so well mannered.”

I chuckled. Well-mannered my ass. She hadn’t changed a bit. I stepped around her and let us both inside. Trinity was sitting on the couch, her legs propped on the coffee table and a large slice of pizza in her hands.

“She can’t open the door, but she can eat.” My mom mumbled. Trinity rolled her eyes and set the pizza on her plate.

“If you weren’t so rude, Sophia, I would’ve opened the door.” I sent Trinity a pointed look. I’m glad she loved me enough to defend me, but I didn’t need this visit from my mom to be any more unbearable. Her eyes caught mine and she backed down. “I’ll be nice for Serena though. I’ve got homework I need to finish. I’ll see you later, Ree.”

“Good.” My mom took a seat far from Trinity. Trinity grabbed her pizza and left. “Now, Serena, I don’t want to impose on your little thing you’ve got going here. I’m surprised the place is actually clean.” Her eyes scanned the living area and she shrugged. “It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough, I guess.”

God, why was she like this? “So why are you here? I know you don’t care enough to want to see me.”

She blinked rapidly and her lips parted for a brief moment before straightening herself again. “I do care about you, Serena. I just had to be hard on you. It was all out of love, and you needed to learn the lesson. I’m a great mom. We both know that.”

“A great mom who suddenly decided her daughter was a worthless slut?”

“I wouldn’t put it that way.” She laughed nervously and swiped at her nose. “But I’m your mother. Not your friend. I couldn’t be nice to you all the time. And I had to make sure you did everything right.”

“Do you do everything right?” I moved over the coffee table and sat. “Tell me, to my face, that you were always perfect. That you never did anything wrong.”

“Of course, I did things wrong.” She rubbed her arm with her hands, a fake awkward smile sitting on her face. “I didn’t want you to end up like the old me, but you came here with that boy. I thought you weren’t going to talk to him again. He’s bad for you. Do you know what his father did? He could do that to you.”

“He’s not like Scott, and I’m not like you.” I rested my chin in my hands. “I’ll never be like you, Mom.”

“I just . . .” She frowned and her eyes fell to her lap. Was she actually sad? “I just think you should rethink everything. He could cheat on you with your best friend. Keirsten goes to his school right? He could cheat on you with her.”

“Mom.” I gripped the table with my hands and sighed.

“His father did it. So why wouldn’t he do it?”

“What?” I wasn’t worried about Brandon turning into his father. My mom couldn’t get it in her head that being related didn’t mean you were just like them. Now she was telling me Scott cheated on Anne with her best friend? “You’re her Anne’s best friend.”

My mother let out a small laugh that grew stronger every second. “She hasn’t been my friend for years. She always got whatever she wanted. She had him for years until he got bored of her. He was going to leave her for me, you know?”

“What the fuck?”

“Language, Serena.” She snapped her fingers, and I felt a growl escape from my throat. She continued to talk, but I couldn’t hear any of it. I was too angry to listen. I was too angry to care anymore.

My voice rose as I spoke again. “You treated me like shit because you were a shitty friend?”

“You have to understand, Serena.” She tried to place a hand on my shoulder, but I moved away. “You need to forgive me. I did everything out of love. That was my biggest mistake, Serena, and I wanted to make sure you didn’t end up like me. You have to forgive your mother.”

“I don’t know if I can.” I had no energy left. I needed to sleep and forget she ever came here.

“Good daughters forgive, Serena. Useful daughters move on.”

She was going to call me worthless again, but this time I knew it wasn’t true. This time I knew I wasn’t worthless. I knew I didn’t have to be perfect, and I didn’t need her approval to survive. I was okay, and I was wonderful on my own.

“Can you leave?”

“What?”

“Leave.” I stood and motioned towards the exit. “Do us both a favor and leave. Don’t say anything else. I don’t want to hear it. Just leave, please.”

She scoffed and shook her head at me. Her lips turned down as she jumped from her seat. “You could’ve done so much better. I’m letting myself out.” She grabbed her purse and walked towards the door. She stopped and looked at me. “There’s no way I can be proud of you.”

I opened the door, shining my best smile as I watched her leave. I leaned against the door and felt my legs shake. Somehow I managed to push my fear away long enough to talk to her. I had finally stood up to her, but why did it feel like she took so much away from me? It seemed like she’d taken all of my strength with her.

She could come back. She could hurt me, but I didn’t have to open the door. I forced my legs to move towards my bedroom. Sleep was all I could do for now. I had fought for myself, and that was more than I had done for myself in a long time. I could finally live on my own. I could grow without her and choose to stay away for as long as I needed to. The feeling was scary but it was wonderful.