Everlyn pov

It's been 3 weeks since Leah asked me to be her girlfriend, and I can positively say it has been the best three weeks of my life. we were together everyday, going on dates, going to the diner, to the movies, spending time with Seth, and other friends from the reservation, but always together, we even went shopping, which she hated but suffered through for me.

sometimes we just spend the whole day in front of the TV eating junk food, not doing anything. but even those days were the best, because she was there. we sneak little kisses at each other every few minutes, we got a little more touchy over those three weeks, not going Beyond making out. we're taking it slow, and I'm loving it.

Right now we were just hanging out at my house we're in the living room I'm lying down with my head in Leah's lap while she's running har fingers through my hair, the tv playin quietly in the background.

when my dad walked in yelling into the phone, "it makes no sense! why would she go back at the end of the summer, just to come back here in January?! I understand that Bella wants to stay with you for as long as she possibly can. but it makes no sense to have Everlyn go back to Arizona, to start the school year there and then come back here in January, in the middle of the school year. if Bella wants to stay I understand but I'm sure Everlyn would prefer beginning the school year, here."

There was a pause probably someone speaking on the other side of the line "well then, I'll talk to her and get back to you." another pause "yeah, okay bye." and then he hung up the phone.

I was sitting up now, looking at my dad,

"Dad what's going on?

what do you mean stay here for the school year?

Was that Mom?

can I stay here, really?"

I asked excitedly.

"Give me a second Evie." dad said sitting down in his chair letting out a breath "could you grab me a cold one?" he asked.

I got up and grabbed him a beer, giving it to him before sitting back down on the couch next to Leah. I waited for him to take a sip before asking him again "soooo what was that about? it sounded to me a lot like I can stay here?" my voice going a little bit higher at the end from the excitement.

dad chuckled at my excitement "it's not completely decided yet but, your mom and her new husband want to move to Jacksonville for his work in January, and Bella suggested that it would be a good idea for the two of you to move here." he finished talking, taking another sip from his beer.

I was shocked to hear that, I mean Bella knows I'll be happy if we stayed here, so why would she suggest it? I was baffled by that. for the last five years all she has done towards me was for the sole purpose of making me miserable and now she does the one thing that will take me happy.

I was in disbelief this was too good to be true, it felt like a prank. like she was going to tell Mom to tell Dad that we can stay here and then he'll tell me, and I'll get all hopeful and excited and then she'll say 'oh I changed my mind' and I'll have to go back. I didn't want to get my hopes up, this didn't feel real.

"How not decided is it dad?" I asked, Leah moved to hold my hand but continued just sitting there watching our conversation not saying anything, knowing to wait for all the information.

"Pretty decided," dad said "they already accepted the job offer, now it's just a matter of when you and Bella move here, didn't your mom tell you?" He asked sounding confused as to how it didn't come up in our conversations.

The thing is she didn't tell me. in fact I haven't spoken with her since I left Arizona, it didn't take me many summers to learn that if I won't call first we simply won't talk the whole time, when I was 15 I called it 'let's see how long it takes for my mom to remember she has another daughter.' now I just don't care or at least I'm trying not to.

"What do you mean just a matter of when?" I questioned, choosing to ignore the mom part. dad knows it's bad, but he doesn't know it's so bad that she doesn't call me for a months to ask if I'm alright when I'm away. I'm sure that if another month went by she still wouldn't call. dad didn't notice me avoiding the mom question, but I think Leah might have, going by the look she gave me and her squeezing my hand.

"Well you see, your sister." I wanted to scoff but I held back "she wants to stay with your mom for as late as possible." 'Of Course she does how alse would she get whatever she wants' I thought.

"they'll be moving to Jacksonville in January, which means Bella will be moving here than as well, in the middle of the school year. but I know you would prefer to stay, instead of going back and then returning in January, to start in the middle of the year. And now I'm talking to your mom to see if you can just stay here and not go back at all." dad said.

Even if this is some cruel joke that Bella's playing I can't help but feel moved by my dad's actions, not only does he know what I want but he cares enough to fight for it. I got up and gave dad a hug "thank you, you know me so well, I really wish there could have been another way in the past for me to stay with you forever. I'm so happy I might be getting to do it now." I said while hugging him.

I could see my dad getting a little choked up, if there's one thing my dad and I don't have in common is that my dad is a little emotionally constipated, were I just say what I want, when I want, no filter included.

"I just want what's best for you. Whether you're here or in Arizona I just want you to be happy and I know that you wouldn't want to start ForksHigh in the middle of the year. I know that you would rather start in the beginning with everyone and not feel like an outsider." my dad said.

"Wait ForksHigh? that's not where Seth and Leah go. why don't I go to the same school as them? so I'll know some people. Paul and Jared might be there as well." I asked.

"Well..." my dad started scratching the back of his neck "the reservation school is kind of far away Evie." He said looking like he really didn't want to say that.

"I can drive her there everyday." Leah chimed in for the first time in our conversation, I looked at her giving her a grateful and loving smile while squeezing her hand thinking about how amazing my girlfriend is, hoping my face reflects that.

"Well you see Evie" dad scratched the back of his neck, looking like he didn't really want to say what he was about to say "the thing is....."