I throw my head back and inhale deeply as I step out the door and stand underneath the cool shade of the afternoon sky. I was finally released and I just couldn't stop myself from loving the smell of nature and being free from the dreadful place they called a hospital.

"Come on hot shot, you can smell the roses all you want when we get you home." Roni says and I smile as she wraps her hand around me.

"We look weird." I whisper against her ear as she assists me to my dad's car.

"What do you mean?"

"Your hand is in a cast and I'm walking like a hunchback old lady. We make an odd sight."

Roni laughs and I can't help the warmth that flows through me. Damn I missed this girl.

"I'll accept weird any day." She kisses my forehead before helping me in. Seconds later she was sliding in besides me and I lean my head against her shoulder.

"Thanks for coming... This means a lot."

"Of course."

I look up just in time to see my dad smirking at us through the rear view mirror before he was pulling out of the hospital's parking lot. I was so happy that he wasn't as disgusted that I'd thought he'd be, the only problem now was facing my mother. Dad was staying at his brother's house in the city but after mom found out about me she flew back home.

It didn't hurt as much anymore because I knew she would never understand and maybe she might never accept me but at least this way she wouldn't make Roni feel as bad as she made me.

I raise off of her slowly, mindful not to cause myself any more pain and roni immediately is on guard.

"Is something wrong? Are you in pain? Do you want us to turn back?" She asks, examining me.

"I'm fine, I just wanted to see you... Well not see you but... Oh never mind."

"Hey." She pulls my chin towards her and I smile. "Since when are you the shy one?"

"I just... You don't know how happy you make me."

"I have a haunch." She brings my face closer and I close my eyes as I feel her soft lips against mine.

I immediately open my mouth and on cue, her tongue connects with mine. I brace back in my seat as she leans forward and I push my fingers in her hair, dragging it loose as I force her head closer to me. A groan escape her mouth and I could feel my nipples hardening as I started to get turned on. The clearing of my dad's throat had us pulling apart and Roni's cheeks flared up as she became embarrassed.

We spent the remainder of the drive giggling at each other, our hands intertwined.

"We're home!" My dad shouts as he opens the door and drops my bag at the base of the stairs.

I hear footsteps upstairs before Roni leads me towards the front. She carefully places me in the chair and I heave a bit as I try to catch my breath. My stitches aren't due to be taken out for the next few weeks and every movement feels as though someone is sticking me with thousands of needles.

"Carrie!" Someone shouts and I groan loudly as I recognize the voice.

"Ugh, you still live here?" I say as if annoyed before my face morphs into a huge grin.

"Oh you know you miss me." My cousin says before throwing herself in the seat neat me and hugging me awkwardly. "Jeez girl, you're all bandaged up and sick looking."

"Can you be more obvious?" I reply and roll my eyes.

"Can you not?"

"Can you-"

"Girls!" My aunt Justine Scolds as she comes into the room with my dad.

Aunt Justine is my dad's twin sister and they're as close as Jane and me. Although, I haven't seen her in a while. She goes to college in the next city over and we hardly ever see each other. She only took the week off to come see me and I'm sure she has tons of homework here with her. She's studying to be a project manager and interior designer; something that is totally rare but she doesn't care. In the meantime, she works at an animal clinic to pay for everything her mom wouldn't.

"Hey aunt Justine."

"Hey sweetheart, how ya feeling?"

"Like I'm literally dying to breathe."

"Well that's surgery for ya." She laughs and sips whatever is in her cup.

My aunt is a nurse at the hospital and she also had surgery as a teenager but I don't know why. Dad never talks about it and neither does she.

"So how long am I allowed to stay here?" I tease.

"Only today, I can't stand to be around you." Jane jokes and rolls her eyes.

"Oh you know you can't survive without me."

Jane rolls her eyes again before we both start laughing.

"So, who're you?" She asks and I finally realized that Roni is just sitting over the next couch by herself and completely out of her element.

"I'm Veronica Wilson." She says softly before making eye contact with me.

"She's my girlfriend." I blurt out and then freeze when my brain registered what I just said.

I look around the room and everyone is stark quiet. My dad is staring daggers at me, my aunt is looking from my dad to me to Roni and Jane just looks like she's in a really bad stand up comedy.

"Oh... Really?" Aunt Justine says before burying her head in her cup.

"How long have you guys been together?" Jane asks and I gave her the 'what the hell are you doing' look. She shrugs before looking expectantly at Roni.

Roni just stammers before looking over at me and I knew I had to rescue her before she bolted.

"We've been friends for nearly five years but we recently started dating." I clarify.

"So how long have you been gay?" Jane asks and both my dad and his sister choke.

"Jane! Can you be any less inquisitive?"

"What I just-"

"That's rude! Go get everyone something to drink."

"But mom-" Jane stops short as her mom narrows her eyes. Grumbling, she gets up and stomps into the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry about my daughter, she's mentally unstable." Aunt Justine gets up and grabs my dad before they both head towards the kitchen.

Seconds later Jane was coming out with a pitcher of lemonade and three cups.

"Look." She starts as she hands us a glass. "I'm sorry for prying but I just never thought my cousin would act on her feelings."

"Jane!" I warn but she ignores me.

"What?! I always knew you liked girls but you told me it was wrong and you'd grow out of it... Did you change your mind?"

"Can we not talk about this now?" I plead as I see Roni extremely uncomfortable.

"Fine, we can talk about it tonight. It's not like you can run away from me or anything."

I roll my eyes at her back as she walks over to her seat. Roni gets up and takes the seat next to me and I roll my eyes as I notice Jane's unwavering stare.

"I think I should go." Roni says softly and my eyes snap to hers.

"What? No-"

"This has nothing to do with you... Or your family... I just... I just think, you should spend time with them."

"Will I see you tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure, I have classes all week... Maybe this weekend?"

"Roni..."

"I'm sorry. I'll call." She quickly kiss me on my cheek before saying something to Jane and scurrying out of the door.

"Jeez Jane, can you be any more of a pest?"

"What? I was just trying to make her feel at home."

"Well gee, thanks. You just scared away my girlfriend!" I narrow my eyes at her, wanting nothing more than to stomp my way to my room and hating the fact that I couldn't.

Jane just rolls her eyes before picking up the remote and flipping through the channels. The nerve of this girl!

My dad comes out with his sister and they both look around the room. Before they got the chance to talk Jane jumped in and said Roni left. They each exchanged a look before my dad announced he was turning in for the day and aunt Justine headed upstairs to get ready for work.

I closed my eyes as I tried to clear my thoughts. This was going to be one of the longest weeks of my life.