Heyyy I'm back!!
Hope yall enjoy this chapter!
With each chapter, we are getting closer to the mileven reunion!!!
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments I love reading them!
Ok bye enjoy xxx

The car shakes as Joyce back the car out of our driveway. I look around and take in the beautiful scenery.

Some areas of Illinois remind me of when I lived in Hop's cabin in the woods, those memories make me sad as well as happy at the same time.

Joyce still drives her 1976 Ford Pinto which she has just gotten restored.

"So..", Joyce starts turning down the 80s hits in the background. " Besides Brady, how's school".

"It's actually going pretty well", I reply. "I feel that I'm improving and learning so much."

"That's great", Joyce says, looking away from the road to smile at me.

"Other than that, have you made any friends in school yet", she asks in a cautious tone, and I hold my breath.

"Mmm...", I start looking down and playing with my hands. "Not really no."

I haven't noticed that yet since I've always been with Will and saw no reason to try and interact with other people.

She looks back at me, her smile quickly fading and replaced with a more concerned face.

"I just-", I start swallowing the pressure that is building in my throat. "I almost feel like I'm betraying my friends back home by trying to, I don't know....replace them." My eyes start to water, and my bottom lip starts shaking.

"Oh sweetie", Joyce says, taking one hand off the wheel and placing in on my arm to comfort me. I look up at her, knowing that she can see the build-up of tears in my eyes.
"I totally understand why you feel that way. They can never be replaced, and they want you to be happy and open to meet new people."

I look as she continues to steer the car with her left hand, looking at the road with her right hand gently holding my arm, which helps calm me down.

"You see the difference between your friends and other people that you will meet in your life..", she starts with certainty in her voice.

"Is that your friends are your family, and no matter what, they always will be."

"Ok?", she asks softly.

I nod."Yes, thank you."

She gave my arm a final squeeze and placed her hand back on the wheel to turn onto the next street.

There are a few moments of silence as she continues to drive. However, they aren't awkward; they are peaceful.

She's right; my friends are my family. I mean, Mike is the first person who ever cared for me, and the first person to ever truly love me. The boys have always protected me even when it meant that they were putting themselves in danger. Max taught me so many things about being a normal teenage girl and helped me become my own person.
They will always be my family. However, I need to be more open. Open to meeting new people, open to embrace my new life.

"Ok", Joyce said, breaking the silence as if she could sense that I was done reflecting.

I look at her; her eyes still on the road as she speaks. "We are almost there."

"Can I now know what the surprise is", I ask carefully making her laugh.

"Well...., obviously in two days is thanksgiving, she smirks looking at me.

"Which means..... that you will be seeing a special someone very soon."

I start to laugh, feeling the heat rise in my face but not afraid to show it.

"Okay...?", I say still perplexed about what the surprise is.

"So I thought it would be nice...", she continues turning another corner as the car starts to come to a stop. " ...if we would find you a special outfit to wear."

She makes eye contact with me and my smile grows wider.

"Really?!", I say in utter disbelief of her niceness.

She nods and stops the car by turning her key.

"Come on, let's go!", she says as she opens the car door. "They're only open for another hour".

As we get out of the car, she reaches down for my hand, and I gladly give her my hand as she leads me into a store with the name "The Gap". Making me smile and remember the times I had gone there with Max last summer.

We walk into the store, our fingers still laced together.

"Hey, Mary!" Joyce says to an older looking woman who is standing behind the cashier table.

"Oh hello Joyce", she says and smiles looking at me.
"And who is this pretty young lady you have with you."
I smile looking down at the floor and then look up at the lady. "Thank you", I say shyly.

I'm not very used to people complimenting me, well other than Mike.

"This is Jane", Joyce says, she looks at me and smiles. "My daughter."

We make eye contact, and both share a smile, for a moment, but it felt as if the moment lasted forever.
She considers me her child. Her daughter.

"She is looking for something special to wear on thanksgiving", Joyce explains to Mary.

"Oh, how exciting!" Mary says, walking out from behind the table and towards us.

"I think I know where to look.", she exclaims signaling us to follow her through the racks of clothing and to the back of the store.

-

Mary started showing me a bunch of different blouses and skirts, and I tried each on, as Max said, the best way to figure out whether you like something or not, is by trying things on until you find something that feels like you.

However, everything I tried on didn't quite feel like me, it was either too big or too small, or I didn't like the way it looked. Joyce sat outside the dressing room on a little red velvet couch as I tried the different outfits on. Every time I walked out, Joyce was trying not to cringe, but I knew that she didn't like them.

I walk out, holding the stack of tried on clothing, my hair is ruffled and messy from the constant taking clothes on and off. I felt a little defeated by now; I was really excited to find something beautiful to wear for this special day. It is going to be my first Thanksgiving with my new family and my first time seeing Mike in over a month. However I don't want to look upset about not finding anything, so I force on a smile and look over at Joyce.

"Dont worry", she says clearly noticing my fake smile and my disappointment. "Let's go look together, okay?"

I nod.
We start walking through the isles of clothing until Joyce stops as she fiddles with a hanger shoved in between a bunch of clothing and pulls out a beautiful dress. It is a marron colored long sleeve dress with a v-shaped neckline and a thin lace lining along the neckline and the bottom of the dress. It also has a very delicate but noticeable detailing along the waistline.

"Wow", I say admiring it, my eyes going wide.

"Pretty right?" she asks.

"Yeah", I laugh with relief and the hope that we might've finally found the right outfit. "Pretty, really pretty.

She smiles, and I smile back at her, and she hands the dress to me.

"Go on now, try it on", she tells me.

I smile in response and run into the dressing room.

-

"Ready?" I yell out, twidling my fingers.

"I sure am.", Joyce replies.

I take a deep breath in and pull the curtain aside, revealing me in my dress to Joyce and Mary.

Joyce's eyes went wide, which left me not knowing whether she liked it or not. However, a short moment later, her eyes went soft, and she smiled. "It's beautiful."

Mary nodded in agreement.

I smile at them and walk towards the mirror, as I see my reflection I smile.

It really is a stunning dress, and it fits me perfectly. The dress ends right above my knees, not too long and not too short. At this moment I do not think about whether Mike would like it or not, it feels like me, and I feel confident in it.

I turn to face Mary and Joyce. "I really like this dress."

"So do we!" Mary says, looking at both Joyce and me.

"I think we found the one!" Joyce says, smiling.

-

We had found a pair of boots that would go well with the dress and are now checking out.

Looking outside, I notice that the sun is setting. I'm surprised as I look down at the watch that Mike gave me, noticing that we've been shopping for three hours.

Mary hands me the bag and wishes Joyce and me a lovely thanksgiving. We wish her the same and wave as we leave the store.

As we head to the car, I stop and look up at Joyce. "Thank you,... Mom"

She looks at me in surprise and smiles as she pulls me in for a hug.

"You're so welcome sweetie", she says sounding as if she might cry.

Our hug felt like it lasted forever, and we cherished every moment of it.
Hiii
I had to cut this chapter in half AGAIN but I'm going to post real soon I promise.
And next chapter you will see some mileven fluff I promise(;
Thanks again for sticking around and reading these chapters.
Stay tuned for the next one love you guys!<3 xxx