_________________________________

T h e   H o l l o w s   I n
O U R  F R E E D O M
_________________________________

S K Y

My mum stared at me for what felt like hours. I felt my mouth go dry.

"What?" She asked, confused and in shock at the same time. Her eyes were observing my face, trying to detect a lie where there wasn't one.

I swallowed. "I'm pregnant," I repeated, watching something cloud in her eyes. Maybe realisation, maybe worry, maybe anger. I couldn't be sure with my mum.

I sighed, looking away and down at my hands. I knew this would happen—so much for Jameson telling me it would be fine.

"But...how?" She asked, sounding more confused than anything.

I shrugged, barely able to meet her harsh glance, "I don't know," I told her, "we were using protection."

She was staring at me, drilling holes into me. I just couldn't meet her eyes.

"So you weren't trying?" She asked, sounding as though she was about to explode any second.

I exhaled, then shook my head.

I heard as my mum blew out a breath. "And you know for sure? You did a test?" She asked. I think she was trying to find ways to disprove something I knew was legitimate.

I nodded. "Seventeen of them."

"Seven–" My mum broke off horribly before she shot up suddenly. My head snapped up; I thought she was going to leave. But she didn't, she just paced.

She paused to lean over my dad's desk.

"Sky, this is dangerous." Was all she said.

I swallowed, feeling tears prick at my eyes, "I know–"

"We're leaving now, Sky, we're going to be out in the open for a maximum of three days before we reach the house—and you're not just one life, you're two." I watched as she clenched her fists. She was trying not to lose her temper with me, I could tell.

"Now?" I asked, unaware of the advances.

"Yes," Elle declared, "Alexi wants to leave," I held my breath. She spun around suddenly, "I can't make either of you happy," she said, "Alexi wants to leave but you can't."

I stood up suddenly, "But I can, mum, I want to leave—it's too dangerous here–"

"It's too dangerous out there too!" She yelled at me, making me jump. When I caught her eyes, they seemed to be more full of concern than anger. I watched her for a few moments, not knowing what to say.

"It's the same, mum, nothing changes," I promised her.

She placed a palm to her forehead, "You're pregnant, Sky, that changes more than you think."

She sighed and I stayed silent, not knowing what to say but also not wanting to upset her.

"Go pack, Sky, what's done is done."

I stared at her for a few seconds, waiting for her to look up at me and smile, telling me she was joking. That's what I thought she'd do, anyway.

But she didn't.

I turned around before the tears fell, slamming the door behind me. I ran up the stairs, past groups of people lingering around the kitchen and the front door, up to mine and Jameson's room.

I yanked a suitcase out from under the bed, throwing random things into it as I sobbed. I think I knew that my mum wouldn't have been okay with what I was going to tell her, but it just hurts more to know that I was right.

I heard the door open suddenly and I quickly wiped at the tears on my face before spinning around to see who it was.

She rose her head slowly, having evidently been crying, and smiled at me. She closed the door gently and I dropped what I was holding to pull her in for a hug.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, feeling her nod into my neck. "I can't believe what you said out there, did Harry really do that to you, Lexi?" She nodded again, and so I pulled her in closer.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. She didn't respond to that, but I bet if she had she would've told me to shut up, and that I have nothing to apologise to her for.

She pulled away slowly and I reached out to wipe her tears away. "You're the strongest person I know," I whispered to her, watching as a lone tear escaped but as a smile grew on her face.

"Thank you," she said, pulling away. She looked around before she stifled a laugh, "You've made a mess." She observed.

I hummed, trying not to remember what had just happened but when I looked at her, it was hard not to.

"Lexi, I'm–"

"Carrying a model baby, I know."

I stared at her, frowning, "You know?" I asked, thoroughly confused.

She smiled, "Of course," she said, pushing my hair away from my face.

"And you're not angry?" I asked, my frown deepening.

She rose an eyebrow, "Why? Will it be prettier than me?" She asked, making me laugh.

"No," I told her, looking away, "it's just...I just told my mum," I swallowed, "and she was quite angry."

"Angry?" Lexi asked, looking confused. I nodded, feeling the tears return.

"That doesn't sound like Elle." She murmured to herself, her eyes escaping mine.

"No, but it sounds like my mum," Lexi frowned at this, reaching out to wipe the tears away as they fell. I sniffed, "It just seemed like we were both her daughters—she told me you want to leave but that this makes it difficult."

Lexi laughed, "She can adopt me if she really wants," she said before turning serious once more, "but it will make things more difficult, she's right."

I looked down, both ashamed and frustrated.

"But it's also a blessing and I won't let anyone tell you that it's not." She told me, and I looked up at her to see her smiling down at me.

I launched at her then, hugging her once more. "You're the best Alexi I have ever met," I told her, feeling her laugh.

After hearing me sniff a few times, she said, "We're a mess, Sky Beaufort, but in all the best ways."

I smiled, "I'm unsure about that." I told her, pulling away from the hug.

"I'm not," she told me, "now carry on packing," she ordered, peering at what I had already packed, "and put the toilet roll back on the holder." She said, before spinning around and leaving.

I frowned—toilet roll?

I turned to see that I had, in fact, thrown the toilet roll from the bathroom into my suitcase in the midst of my breakdown. I laughed, pulling it out before I began folding everything neatly.

Jameson joined me soon after and immediately sensed that I was upset. He showered me in kisses, hugs and gentle whispers before he too started to pack.

"So how is this working?" I asked Jameson as I zipped up my suitcase.

Jameson frowned, "How are we leaving?" He asked in response, folding up a pair of jeans more neater than I could ever imagine being able to do.

"Yeah," I responded, hauling the suitcase off the bed, "like the groups."

Jameson hummed in realisation, rifling through our wardrobe, "The group that went out to my parents' house are going first, with a few added Guardians I'd reckon."

I nodded, looking down at my stomach for a brief moment.

"I suspect they'll keep you and Cassie separate, just because you both have extra lives but, apart from that, it's all the same." He told me.

I nodded, "What about your parents, and Toby?" I asked.

He thought for a few moments, "I have a feeling my parents will be split, and Toby would be fine in any group." He told me, smiling over at me.

I nodded, smiling back. He turned to zip up his suitcase before bringing it and himself over to me. He took my hand into his and brought it up to his lips to place a kiss on it.

"Let's go." He said, keeping ahold of my hand and opening the door. We left the room, which would be dissembled by the 'moving people', who would bring the important furnishings to our new home at a later date.

Until then, we were leaving yet another place behind.

A new chapter.

________________________________

A new chapter !!?!!!!!!!

my god this book is a broken record

hey who's happy with my annual double update

now for more suspense

see u in 2020

-that looks ugly but kinda cool too

FABULOUS SONGS

Songs that played when I was writing this chapter (in order):
wRoNg - ZAYN
Walk Through the Fire - Zayde Wølf
Gone - Bebe Rexha
What Is Love - Jaymes Young
Various Storms & Saints - Florence + The Machine
No Trace - MS MR
When It's All Over - RAIGN
Daydream - Ruelle
Human Nature - Michael Jackson (A BOP)
Nothing but a Heartbeat - Say Lou Lou

END OF FABULOUS SONGS

Date written:
25/07/18 (I am back on the grind y'all) (my hands hurt now) - written on 25/07/18

_________
Next update: ask my uni !! I have no idea how free I'll be :))
_________

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR SPOILER:

Our new chapter wouldn't be as big of a display without a surprise, unwelcome guest.

And you'll never guess why they're back.