Chapter 25
*Aaron*
I wait by Victoria's locker. I watch Caleb talk with our friends and I can't help thinking that I can't trust him. We made a promise not to date each other's exes, but I have a feeling he's going to ask Victoria out.
"Go away." Victoria says as she opens her locker. I didn't even see her come in.
"I want to apologize for yesterday. I was getting a little ahead of myself."
"You know, I really wish that you and Caleb would just leave me alone. Between Caleb last night and you this morning, I don't know who's worse. I'm done with both of you. Stop harassing me."
"Caleb spoke to you last night? What did he say?"
"It doesn't matter." She sighed. "I'm sick of you both bothering. Please, leave."
I make my way over to Caleb. I grab his shoulder roughly and turn him to face me. He gives me a confused look as I shove him against the lockers.
"We made a promise." I remind him. "You asked Victoria out last night, didn't you? She's off limits to you!"
"I just offered to treat her well and appreciate her. Two things you didn't do." I punch Caleb and my knuckles immediately throb after contact.
"What the hell Aaron?" Fawn asks, as she examines Caleb's jaw.
"I can't believe you're so worked up over a girl like her." Connor says. "She's nothing. Worthless." I punch Connor in the mouth, hoping it'd take him a while to say another derogatory thing again.
"Speak about her like that again and I'll do even worse."
*Victoria*
After school, I head to my job to quit and say my goodbyes to Charlie. I'm going to miss my best friend their video chat and text. It just won't be the same not talking to her face to face. I arrive to my job and find my boss.
"What?" he asks. My boss is a jerk. I didn't have to deal with him much at work so the job wasn't too bad. But he's not the easiest to talk to.
"I'm quitting. I'm moving next week so, yeah."
"You couldn't give me two weeks' notice?"
"I would, but this is a last minute move. I'm sorry."
"Whatever. Just turn in your uniform before you move." He dismisses me with a wave of his hand and I roll my eyes as I go look for Charlie who sits somewhere in the food court on her break. I finally find her by some Chinese food place and I sit across from her.
"Hi." She greets me with a smile. "Don't you have off today? Why are you here?"
"I'm moving to New York next week." Charlie drops her fork and stares at me with wide eyes. "I know it's sudden. My mom got her big break and the job is in New York. Everything is in New York it seems. But this is the best thing that could happen to her and our family."
"You're leaving?" A sad expression crosses Charlie's face. "I'm going to miss you so much."
"We'll still talk. There's texting and video chat. It'll be like I never left."
"I want to know everything. How you're settling in, and new friends. Promise me. I don't want to worry."
"I promise." I laugh. "You'll want to be rid of me afterwards."
"Never." We stand and she takes me into a tight hug. "I'll try to visit whenever I can."
*Aaron*
Sophie dances around the living room to my iPod. She jumps up and down with a large smile on her face.
"Daddy, dance with me." She says.
"I'm a little tired, maybe later."
"Pwease?" she frowns.
"Okay, you asked for it." I pick her up and hold her up as I spin and dance us around the room. Sophie laughs and as usual it makes my heart melt a little more. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her. I can't let Grace and her family take Sophie away from me. It would break me if I lost her too.
"Daddy, you're so silly."
"I'm silly? Why, because I make faces like this?" I make a funny face and Sophie laughs, placing her tiny hands on either side of my face.
"Yeah." She replies. I then place a bunch of tiny kisses all over her face and she laughs harder as she tries to push me away.
"I love you." I tell her.
"I love you more." She replies.
"I love you to the moon."
"I love you this much." She holds her arms out as wide as she can.
"You win." I sigh, placing another kiss on her cheek. Let's go get a snack."
***
I wake up and get ready for my long day. It's the day that I have to face Grace and her family in court over the custody of Sophie. I'm nervous about all of this, but I hope more than anything that this goes in my favor.
After I shower and dress in my suit, I wake Sophie to get her dressed. I dress her in black tights and a pink sweater dress. I brush through her hair quickly before carrying her downstairs for breakfast. My mom had already cooked and made each of us plates. My mom was dressed nice too. She wore a grey dress with a matching blazer.
"Are you as nervous as I am?" I asked her.
"I don't know, how nervous are you?"
"I'm beginning to feel sick to my stomach." I push my plate away.
"Yeah, then we're about the same." She gives me a small smile. "But we're going to win this. I can feel it."
"I hope you're right."
We arrive to the courthouse. And I walk Sophie to the children's waiting area. She frowns and grips onto my leg as she looks at the unfamiliar place.
"Daddy, I don't want to go in there."
"You have to sweetie. I'll only be a little while and then I'll come back and get you. I promise. Don't worry." I unclasp her hands from my pants and give her a slight push forward. She reluctantly walks in and the caretaker lady meets her with a warm smile and a teddy bear.
"Are you ready to go in there?" my mom asks as she fixes my tie."
"As I'll ever be." She fixes my tie and then flattens the wrinkles out of my jacket.
"Let's go."
We walk in and I find Grace already sitting and waiting. Her parents sit patiently where guests sit. My mom takes a sit across from them as I go to face the judge alone.
"Don't worry Aaron." My lawyer Kristina says.
"Force of habit when it comes to my daughter." We take our seats and the court session begins.
***
I wait for the judge to give her verdict. According to studies, custody usually goes straight to the mother with occasional visitation from the father. In this case, I hope it's the reverse.
"Mr. Evans, you have done a great job raising your daughter. She has perfect health, and she seems to be a very happy child, but you and your mother are struggling to keep your heads above water in the money department." Panic begins to fill me, as I see this going in Grace's favor. "Ms. Valentine, what you did was unethical. And to be absent from the child's life for so long, I'm quite surprised your daughter as accepted you so soon. My decision is based on what is best for the child." I bite my lip so hard, I think I taste blood. "Sole custody is granted to Mr. Evans. Ms. Valentine will receive the child every weekend." The judge slams her gavel and gets up to leave.
I smile as relief fills me. I stand and rush over to my mom who takes me into a tight hug. I honestly thought this wouldn't go in my favor, but I'm glad that it did.
"I knew we'd win this." My mom says. "I could feel it. I don't think Grace deserves weekends, but I guess if the judge orders it I'll let it pass."
"Mom, Grace really has changed, but not enough to make me trust that she'll stick around. I'll be nice to her, but only for Sophie's benefit."
"Aaron." Grace says from behind me. I turn to see her standing with her parents. "No hard feelings?" she asks as she puts her hand out towards me.
"Sure." I say, shaking her hand. "We can be civil for the sake of our daughter."
"I was wondering, since it's Saturday, would you mind letting Sophie stay with me for the weekend? Why not start now, right?"
"Um, sure. I have something I need to take care of anyway."
*Victoria*
I finally pack the last box for my room and push it out the door. I turn and look at my now empty room. These two weeks flew by. I left school two days ago and focused on packing. It's strange to think I'll never see this room or this house again.
"Are you finished yet sweetie?" my mom called up the stairs. "We need to be on the road in twenty minutes if we want to beat traffic."
"Yeah mom." I call. "I just need help carrying down this last box." My mom rushes up the stairs and grabs one end of the box. I grab the other end and we carry it down the stairs and load into the truck. "That wasn't so bad." I say as I wipe away a bead of sweat.
"What did you pack into that thing?" my mom asks with a huff of breath. "Come on, let's go do a once over and make sure we're not forgetting anything before head to our new lives."
I check the upstairs while my mom checks the downstairs. After checking the last room, I shut the door and enter the hallway. I jump at the sight of Aaron standing in the hallway. He wears a suit for some reason and I admit he looks handsome.
"What are you doing here, in my house?"
"You're leaving today?"
"Yeah. Why are you here? You know this kind of classifies as breaking and entering."
"I don't want you to go to New York. I don't want you to leave me here and forget about me. I was an idiot for breaking up with you and I wish more than anything that I didn't."
"Vicky, let's go." My mom calls up the stairs.
"I have to go." I say, moving towards the stairs.
"Wait." He steps in front of me. "I love you Vicky. I'm asking you to stay here and give us another chance. Give me another chance."
"Aaron, what we had was great. I loved you, so much. But then you took that love and smashed it in the dirt. You left me for the mother of your child and I understand that you wanted a family, a complete family. That didn't work out for you so naturally you come running back to me. I respect myself too much to let you back into my life. I'm not going to be the girl you leave again when you feel like giving Grace another shot. I'm sorry, but this is goodbye."
I brush past him and go downstairs. My mom waits for me out in the truck and climb into the passenger side.
"Ready?" my mom asks.
"Yeah." I say with a smile.
My mom backs out of the driveway and pulls off. I never look back at our house. I'm starting a new life, one where I'll make new friends and pave a new path. I'm excited for this new chapter in my life. I can't wait to see where it takes me.
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Hey guys! So this is technically the last chapter. I'm sorry that it's so short. I actually kind of wish I'd just put this with the last chapter. There will be an epilogue and then this will be over and it'll be one of the many books on the list to be rewritten/edited. Tell me your thoughts on this chapter and again, I'm sorry that it's so short.
Please comment, vote, and/or fan (follow). Thanks!! ;-)