I open the door to my room slightly, Hadley stirred a little. I open the door as quietly as I can. I place a glass of water and aspirin on the table. I look back at Hadley and see that she's waking up.

"Morning doll." I whisper to her, taking a seat on the side of the bed. She looks at me for about half a second before she gets up with a start. The blanket I had placed on her the night before falls to her lap.

"Where am I? Oh my god, my dad, Oliver. Why am I here?" She talks fast and is almost inaudible.

I place my hands on her shoulders." Shh, Hadley it's okay."

I can see the worry in her eyes. Her hair is a mess. I have my hand and run it through her hair a few times in an attempt to tame it.

"But..." she starts then stops, then she speaks again in a softer, quieter tone. "Why am I here? I need to get home." She says while closing her eyes.

"Don't worry. I took care of it." I assure her. I pick up the water and aspirin handing it to her. "Here, this will help." She takes them from me and pops them in her mouth washing it down with a ip of water.

"I have to call my dad." She says putting down the water. "He's probably worried." She says searching around for her phone.

"Don't worry." I say agin. "I called him from your phone last night, I told him you weren't feeling well after we hung out and I knew that he was working so I was going o take you to mine and keep an eye on you." I decide against telling her what her dad told me last night. About how he's happy she's finally living.

"And he was okay with that?" She asks me confused.

I shrug. "He didn't seem to have an issue with it, I called the babysitter too and convinced her to stay." I say twiddling my thumbs looking down at the floor.

"How did you manage that?" I really don't want to tell her. I know she'll say something like Dustin I can't owe you more or something like that. "Dustin?"

I look up and meet her eyes. I grin a guilty smile. "I might have told her she's be paid more." She shoves me a bit and gasps.

"Dustin Fox! Are you serious? I'm just racking a bill with you." She says not completely angry, I can tell.

"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you'd be properly cared for in your hung over state. I don't want to put it on your dad and I highly doubt you know how to help." I tell her being truthful on my intentions.

She says silent for a moment, then lets out a slightly frustrated sigh. "Thank you." She finally says.

"Oh my pleasure doll, what else are friends for." I say. I not only say it for me since I like having her as my friend but for her. I want her to know that I'm her friend and I want to keep reminding her that so she knows she has me.

She smiles at me in response " What about your parents? Do they know I'm here? Like am I going to have to sneak out of this place?"

I run the back of my neck, technically they don't know but I've been up and about for a while and neither my mother or father are here, plus I slept on the couch and my mom did come out of her office but didn't see me and if my dad did come home he either didn't see me or didn't care enough to ask why I was in the living room. "No, they're not technically here."

"What do you mean?" She inquires putting her hands behind her back and leaning on them.

"Well..." I start. "Can I be honest?" I ask her and she nods her head. "If they did see me, when my mom finally comes out of her studio or my dad finally gets back from the office, they don't care enough to ask. They never have."

She sits up and brings her hand to my shoulder. Her touch is soothing.

"It's funny. My family is the richest right, let me tell you something, no amount of money can buy happiness. Like it can buy things to make you happy but... I don't know." I take a second. Hadley remains quiet. "I always feel so lonely in this house, always have. I have Jason and Eric but they have family so.."

"I'm so sorry Dustin." She finally speaks up. I look at her then quickly look away.

"I used to have this cat, I named him fur ball, he was really the only family I had until he, you know ran his last life." I say. It's true I did have a cat named fur ball and he was my best friend. "When I was sad or angry even overjoyed, I would never go to my parents, I would go to Furball"

"Dustin..." she starts, but I wave my hand.

"Can we just talk about something else?" I say trying to hide the fact that I'm upset.

"Like?" She doesn't sound like the convention went awkward or anything, like this was not just an emotional conversation.

"Food, you hungry?" I ask and stand up waiting for her answer.

"I'm always hungry!" She yells excitedly throwing her arms up in the air. She really does brighten the room.

"Well come on, I'll make you food." I say an motion her to follow me.

I walk to the kitchen, Hadley close behind and pat a barstool. She takes a seat and I walk to the fridge grabbing the eggs. "You like French toast?" She nods her head excitedly.

I get to work making the French toast as Hadly looks around the kitchen, her eyes wandering to everything. I already know she's probably amazed at the size, I wouldn't doubt that my kitchen allow is about half the size, maybe even bigger, then her whole place.

"You don't have to stay sitting there." I say to her over my shoulder. "Wander the place if you'd like, just don't go into the last door on the right of that hall," I say pointing. "It's my moms studio." She nods and stand up walking to the living room. I stay in the kitchen and finish up the food.

I finish the French toast and make up two plates as well as poor two glasses of orange juice. I go into the front room to get Hadley. She's looking at the one picture we have on the room. Some ocean landscape.

"Admiring the artwork?" I asked, but I knew exactly what she was doing. She wanted to see if we had any photographs. Like ones of me, me and my dad or me and my mom or most importantly us as a family. But we don't.

"It's beautiful." She turns to look at me. "Do you... I mean.." I know she doesn't know how to ask without hurting me. So I fill in the blanks.

"Have any family photos?" She nods. "None that I'm aware of, actually scratch that I think we do have one from when I was like three." She sends me a sad smile. "Anyways, food?"

She walks past me and back into the kitchen. Before I turn to follow I look around the room, it does look like a show home, nothing that makes it home like.

When I get into the kitchen Hadley is almost half done her plate. "Aren't we hungry today?"

She puts her fork down and covers her mouth full of food. "Sorry, I had every intention of waiting for you but it smelt so good and I was so hungry and I just couldn't help myself." She says sounding slightly embarrassed.

"It's alright doll." I slide into a seat next to her and start on my own plate.

We talk, we finish eating, we talk some more. "So when are you wanting to go home? Say the word and I'll drive you on over." I tell her after I place the plates and glasses in the sink.

"I wish I don't have to go." She says, not even thinking about it. Resting her head in her hand.

"I mean you could always stay, I'm not complaining." I smirk. She slaps me on the shoulder and I bring my hand to the spot she made contact acting hurt.

"It's just, this life is so free you know. You can do what you want live how you wish. Have a life!" She says standing up and spinning around her arms out wide.

"Hey you have a life." I state. "You've got your dad and brother, and you've got friends now. Plus don't forget that killer party you attended last night."

"I know it's just, that party, it was a one time thing. I can't afford a babysitter nor can I leave my dad to have to keep checking up on Oli." She sighs moving some hair behind her ear. "I've got responsibilities. I'm practically a mother." She sits down in the middle of the floor cross legged. I stand to move to and take a seat in front of her matching her pose our knees touching. I take her hand and play with it. Running my finger along the length of each of hers.

"Well, you are friends with me now. Trust me I bring the life out of everyone." I glance up o her face and see a small smile at the corner of her lips.

"Thanks Fox."

"Always doll, always."