“Don’t you know?” Carl asks her. “We didn’t want you and that idiot making us work for Snider when we knew it was wrong.”
“You were so unhappy about it you really wanted to leave me?” she asks, looking so hurt and starts to cry.
“Sorry Mum, but we needed to be freedom fighters,” I explain awkwardly. “We never really wanted to leave you.”
“We had no choice, your husband made sure of that,” Carl answers, annoyed.
“I’m so sorry I let you down. I was very upset when you both ran away and I was so worried. I searched for years, hoping that one day I would find you…” She continues to cry.
I put my arm around her, trying to comfort her.
“Don’t cry, mum,” says Carl. “We know it wasn’t really your fault.”
“Yeah, we’re together now, right?” I say.
She smiles, “Yes, we are and I’m so relieved that I have found you, I was almost giving up hope. I was so proud of you working as freedom fighters; you must have worked so hard.”
“But why couldn’t you have become a freedom fighter with us?” Carl asks. “We really needed you.”
“I wish I could have, but it was not the right time,” she answers. “I still let myself be bullied and ordered around by your stepfather and I couldn’t get away; but no matter what he said or how much he tried to make me forget, I still loved you both and thought about you.”
“So where he is now?” I ask, feeling hatred at thinking of our stepdad. “I thought he wouldn’t have let you see us.”
“Don’t worry, I left him shortly after you both ran away,” she tells us. “At least having something so awful happen made me see sense about him.”
“Cool,” says Carl happily. “So we can live together again, at home?”
“Of course we can,” she answers, and I can tell she’s been dying for that to happen ever since we left.
“Mum, since you’re here now, there’s someone I really want y’ to meet,” I say, take hold of Starlet’s hand and lead her over.
“Mum, this is my girlfriend, Star,” I introduce her.
“Hi,” Starlet smiles at her shyly. “It’s nice to meet you.”
My mum smiles back at her, looking pleased that I have such a nice partner.
“Hello Star, I’m pleased to meet you too,” she looks back at me. “I suppose it’s serious between the two of you?”
“Yeah, they’ll probably get married one day,” Carl tells her and grins at us.
Starlet and I just stand there and blush, a little embarrassed.
“In that case, I can’t wait to meet your parents,” she says.
I see Starlet look away sadly and squeeze her hand, feeling bad that my mum unintentionally brought up her deceased parents.
“Star’s parents died when she was a baby,” I tell my mum.
“Oh, I’m very sorry,” she looks shocked and apologetic to Starlet. “Well you’re very welcome to be part of our family, Star.”
“So she can really stay with us?” I ask excitedly. “Please, she hasn’t got anywhere other than here to stay.”
“I would be happy for you to stay at our house,” she tells us and Starlet looks so happy her eyes water a little.
“How about we go back home tonight?” mum suggests. “I can easily make up the beds and you can get your things and move in properly tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Carl agrees, “but first we’ve got a party to attend.”
After all the excitement of being back with Mum, we almost forgot about the party happening around us.
We all join in the celebrations and everyone is congratulating us and looks really happy. I dance around with Starlet happily and let her snuggle up into my arms.
“This is the best day ever,” she tells me. “We’ve got rid of Snider and you’ve found your mum, plus I get to be part of your family and stay with you.”
“Yeah, I can’t wait. It’s gonna be awesome, me and bro being back with our mum and you being there with me too,” I say, thinking about it all. “It’s a new beginning…”
We look into each other’s eyes and kiss under a night sky full of fireworks.
Chapter 30
The next morning we gather all our stuff and move back into our old house. Mum is waiting for us eagerly and I can tell she’s so happy to finally have us back living with her.
It feels so weird walking through the door again and looking around at our home. I was expecting to notice changes but it looks just like when we left three years ago, same wallpaper and mostly the same furniture. It feels like going back in time.
The house does feel different though. It feels empty and a little better now that my stepdad isn’t lurking around. I see that there are only mum’s stuff hanging on the coat rack and feel sorry for her. It must have been pretty bad living here alone without her husband….without me and Carl.
“Go put your things upstairs,” she tells us. “I’ll make a start on lunch.”
Carl goes off towards the direction of his room, so Starlet follows me up the stairs and across the landing to my old bedroom. It feels so weird opening the door and seeing it again.
I’m used to seeing my single bed messy and unmade, but mum has changed and made it, with clean, ironed covers that smell of fabric softener. Everything else is just as I left it and I feel a twinge of sadness at how much I’ve missed it. The walls are dark blue and covered with music posters, all the rock bands I’m still into. I have wooden blinds at the window instead of curtains and my carpet is a lighter blue, faded with use.
My wooden bed is near the window and I have a matching wardrobe and a set of drawers at the opposite side. My TV and old video game console is sat on my oak desk, near the bottom of my bed. My video games and DVDs are lined up at the side, almost falling over.
“Your room is nice,” Starlet says politely.
She notices a poster of a sexy girl on the back of my door and gives me a teasing look. I smile sheepishly and take it down, throwing it into my small rubbish bin.
“I’ll have to get a double bed,” I say, since me and Starlet can’t both fit in this single bed. “You can take this and I’ll use a sleeping bag.”
“Are you sure?”
“’Course. I can’t let my girlfriend sleep on the floor.”
“Okay,” she agrees happily.
“And I’ll clear out some of my stuff,” I volunteer, realising how untidy it is, “since it’ll be your room too.”
“Are you sure you want us to share?” she asks. “I feel kind of bad coming here and taking over your old room…”
“No, it’s cool,” I insist. “I want to be with you. I’d offer you this room if you weren’t happy sharing, but I really don’t wanna share with Carl.”
She giggles, “thanks Rickie. I really appreciate all this.”
“It’s okay.”
We quickly get to work, tidying the room to make space while listening to my rock CDs in the background. When it’s done we start to unpack our stuff. I chuck away most of my clothes that are already in the wardrobe, because they’re too small for me now, and Starlet takes over half of it to hang up her clothes. I also empty two of the drawers so she can use them too.
“How are you two getting on?” mum asks, looking into my room.
“We’re good,” I answer, deciding to take down my posters from the walls.
I think Starlet would prefer it if the bedroom at least looked normal instead of the high school boy theme I left it in.
Starlet is busily emptying the rest of her rucksack into her new drawers and organising it.
“Lunch is almost done,” mum tells us. “I’ll call you down when it’s ready.”
“Thanks, Miss Granger,” Starlet says politely.
“Call me Marlene,” she insists.
I can already tell that my mum is thrilled to have a girl living with us. She probably already wants to adopt Starlet as her new daughter and ask to be called ‘mum’.
I have to shake
my head to get rid of that thought. No way is Starlet becoming my adopted sister! I want her to stay just being my girlfriend, even if mum has taken her in.
“It feels so weird living in a real home, with a real family,” Starlet tells me blissfully. “I bet it was like this when I was little…”
“Yeah,” I answer softly, “but you’re part of our family now too.”
She smiles happily and I feel warm inside. I know it’s a big move having your girlfriend come and live with you, but I’m sure I can handle it with Starlet.
The story and characters are based on
my current teen, action series ‘Freedom Fighters’.
Read the full story about Starlet and Rickie so far:
Freedom Fighters:
Twilight City (book 1)
Starlet has always wanted to be a Freedom Fighter like her parents. However, being a Freedom Fighter has a lot of risks and life on the run isn't easy, but Starlet is determined to put her life on the line for the price of freedom, no matter how dangerous it is.
Available to download now at Amazon!
UK: £0.77
USA: $0.99
Freedom Fighters:
Dragon City (book 2)
When Rickie finally gets the call to say that the evil dictator Lord Snider has now been found, he and Starlet go straight to Dragon City to find out what he’s up to; but they soon discover that he’s not after revenge or to reclaim Twilight City.
Lord Snider is now planning to take over Dragon City instead and wants to kill the Mayor in order to dominate. Rickie, Carl, Starlet and the others must return to their roles as freedom fighters and begin a new fight to protect another city from evil.
Available to download now at Amazon!
UK: £0.77
USA: $0.99
About the Author and Illustrator
Michelle Leyland was born in 1990 and spent all of her life living in Lancashire, England. She has always loved writing and drawing and since the age of 13 has dreamed of becoming a published author and illustrator one day. She has written several fiction stories for children, teenagers and adults, and illustrated all her children and teenage books.
She studied BA Hons Illustration at Bolton University and is currently studying BA Hons Creative Writing.
Michelle also loves to drum, dance, sing, daydream and read.
Visit her website: www.michelleleyland.com
Twitter: @MLeylandAuthor
Facebook page: Michelle Leyland (Author and Illustrator)
More books by Michelle Leyland:
Farm Frenzy (Young children’s book)
Freedom Fighters: Twilight City - Book 1
(teenage book)
Freedom Fighters: Dragon City - Book 2
Dating Dilemma - Book 1 (Teenage book)
Secret Love (Adult’s book)
Coming soon:
Freedom Fighters: Lost City - Book 3
(January 2015)
Sexy Love
Violet Star Publishing
Published by Violet Star Publishing.
United Kingdom
Category: Teenage, Fiction
Published in e-book format August 2014
Copyright Michelle Leyland © 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9926320-2-1
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
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