Last Years Wishes, Are This Years Apologies

(Jenna's POV)

After my mother had stopped crying in the kitchen she walked up stairs and shut the door behind her. She was quiet and her eyes were dark. She didn't say anything to me, she just walked upstairs.

I grabbed my phone from my side table and dialed Travis's number. It went right to voicemail. I put my phone down and put my head in my hands. The moment when I needed him most, he wasn't there. I picked up my phone again and dialed Gabby's number, I had only talked to her once the whole summer. She was having so much fun in Florida, her family was thinking of moving there. The phone rang about five times before going to her voicemail. I waited until the beep to leave a message.

"Hey Gabb, it's me. Um, things aren't going to well here and I just needed someone to talk to. Trav hasn't called or anything in three weeks and I really miss both of you," I wiped a tear from my cheek and sniffed, "well, call me back when you get this. Love ya."

The only other person I could call was only a town away. I dialed Pete's number and bit down on my lip.

"Hello?" Pete's voice rang through the phone.

"Hey. Thank god you answered. I'm driving to your house, OK?" I sniffed.

"Sure, but are you OK? You don't sound to good," he asked worriedly.

"I'll explain when I get there, see you soon," I hung up the phone and left it on my bed.

I grabbed my keys and made my way downstairs and into the hallway. I slipped on my shoes and opened the front door. I got into my white Jetta and started driving toward Wilmette.

A little while later, I pulled into Pete's driveway. I ran up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Hey," Pete said opening the door and pulling me into a hug.

"Are your parents home?" I asked quietly.

He shook his head, "No, they're in Boston visiting my sister." I nodded as he pulled me down onto the couch, "Are you going to tell me what's wrong now?"

I bit down on my lip as tears started to fall from my eyes. Pete looked concerned and pulled me closer to him. "My dad.. my parents.. they," I said as I began full out sobbing.

I buried my face in Pete's neck as tears fell from my eyes. I was crying for my mother, my family, Travis, Pete, everything. He brushed my bangs away from my eyes and rocked me back and forth, the same way I had done to my mother.

I had cried for a good twenty minutes before my sobs turned to sniffles and tears.

"Do you wanna talk about it yet?" Pete asked.

I nodded, "When you dropped me off, I heard screaming from my kitchen. I wasn't sure what it was, so I stood in the hallway and listened. My parents were screaming at eachother. And I heard them say my father was having an affair and the only reason he stayed with my mother was for my brother and I. Well, they continued to fight until my mother slapped my father in the face. He looked so mad, madder than I'd ever seen him before, and he," I closed my eyes as the scene played in my head again, "he hit my mother and threw her onto the ground."

Pete looked at me in shock, "Ohmygod Jenna, I'm so sorry." He pulled me back into his arms, "From what I've heard your father is a prick. Especially if he made you cry." I nodded and bit down on my lip as tears started to fall again. Pete lifted up my head and looked into my eyes, "I don't wanna see you cry. I hate it." He sounded so sincere, it made me want to cry, again. Travis wasn't here for me, and Pete was.

Pete looked into my eyes as if he was searching for something. He leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips. He pulled away as if asking for permission to continue. I leaned in and kissed him more roughly this time. Maybe this is what I had really wanted all along. Maybe Pete was who I really wanted.