amelia's POV

even after a couple days it makes me feel so special when zona tells me she loves me or i tell her i love her. it just makes me so happy to hear or say those words. while i am day dreaming about zona, mads comes back from school.

"hi mum" she says almost instantly.

"hey mads, how was your day?"

"good i guess, i have a question for you. and it's something i've been meaning to ask you about and i'm not really sure if you think this is late notice or anything and how you are going to feel about this." i interrupt her before she can continue rambling.

"don't worry. just ask me" i begin to worry because it is obvious that this is something she doesn't really known how i am going to react. i don't know how i will react either but all i know is that it has been worrying her which makes me worry.

"okay, well....i've been invited to a party. and there will be alcohol and things there." i immediately go to say no and look at her so she knows what i'm thinking. "please mum, i can be responsible. i know i've failed you once but i won't do it again. or at least i'll try. i promise mum."

she looks back at me with such sadness and desperation in her eyes. it strikes me as this could be the first party she goes to without getting high.

"you have not failed me mads. i can promise you that, but can i have a while to think about it?" i ask, trying to buy time for me to talk to zona.

"okay, i guess so, if it changes your decision at all, jo said she would let me go if it was up to her. the parties on saturday by the way so you have about 5 days to decide." she says sounding slightly annoyed. i feel bad because i don't want to let her go, and jo said she would, but then again jo doesn't understand it all. i know what it is like and how hard it is to resist the temptation of doing drugs and i don't know if mads is ready for all that.

it also hurts that she tells jo these things and not me because i am her mother and i know it isn't biological or anything but she really does feel like my child and as if she has been since she was born. i know jo is her biological sister and everything but i feel like i'm being replaced by her and it just makes me sad. before i burst into tears i quickly call zona and ask when she will be home. when she replies with, 'i'm on my way now' i get excited.

madison's POV

i understand why mum wants to take time to think about letting me go, but she should know she can trust me by now. i only relapsed because everything went wrong and i couldn't deal with it. i'm not sure whether it's lucky or not that i ended up in the hospital but i am glad that i did make it back to mum. anyway i really want to go to a party because it will be my first party that i haven't already been high before i get there and it will be the only party i go to where i won't do any drugs. i've already made that promise to myself and i won't let anything like that happen.

soon enough i hear the front door open and i run down to see arizona. i quickly go and hug her before whispering to tell her that she needs to talk to mum. either she doesn't hear me or she just takes on board the information as she doesn't say anything about it.

later in the evening i head downstairs to see if mum and arizona are still up. to my surprise i hear them talking about me. i can only make out small pieces of conversation, however i understand the general gist. i try to get closer to the door so i can hear more.

"mils, she has not done anything recently for you not to trust her. let her go and she will show you that she can be responsible. we can see this as a test, if she does fail and get high, we will be there at 12 no matter what to pick her up. not too much can happen in a couple hours" i hear arizona say.

"but zona" mum pushes

"please mils, i know it is ultimately your decision because you are her mother, but you should let her go. i promise you everything will be fine. i know you know you can trust mads. she has grown so much over the past few weeks and..."

"fine, i'll let her go" i begin to smile. mum finally is allowing me to go. i almost run straight into the room but manage to stop myself and run upstairs and out of sight. i know mum will want to tell me herself.

amelia's POV

zona managed to persuade me to let mads go to this party so i thought it best to share the news as soon as possible. i head upstairs hoping that she is not already asleep, luckily she isn't.

"mads, yes, you can go" i say. instantly, she jumps up and wraps her arms around me.

"thank you so much mum. i promise i'll do you proud."

"i know you will. i trust you mads, it just took me some time to fully realise it. i love you mads"

"i love you more mum" she says before i leave and she climbs into bed. i go down the corridor towards mine and zona's bedroom and get into bed with her.

"i heard an excitable mads, assume that means it went well" zona giggles

"yes, of course it did. thank you for persuading me. i know it was the right thing to do" i reply

zona cuddles up to me and i wrap my arm around her so she can rest her head on my chest.

"goodnight babe, i love you" i whisper to her before kissing her head and drifting off to sleep.