Every Part of Us

Chapter One

"Stevie, I..." She stuttered, her voice nervous  as she tried to piece together whatever excuse she could come up with.

"What? Is it easier for you if I'm turned around? Or maybe if I go back to the gym, you can talk over the door since you probably feel more comfortable talking behind me when I'm not around?" I smiled. I bent down to grab my bag, which I had dropped in my rush to get out of there earlier.

I looked at her one last time, expecting her to say something—anything—but she just stood there, her eyes filling with tears. I scoffed, shaking my head, as I walked past her. She reached out to grab my arm, but I shrugged it off, I didn't look back.

- current time-

"You know, I think she's finally lost it," Erika mumbled, resting her head against my headrest as we both stared out the window at Mom. She was inside the gas station.

"I wonder how Dad's doing," I said, leaning back but keeping my eyes on Mom. Was she buying scratch tickets?

"He texted me earlier," Erika replied. "Said he's going to a friend's house. So, I guess he's fine." Her gaze flicked back to Mom, who was now browsing the snack aisle, never seen that before.

"Great. Meanwhile, she's completely gone off the rails," Erika muttered, looking genuinely concerned. "She'd never eat junk food. Never, for the past 20 years I known her, Gas station snacks? If she walks out of there with nachos, I'm calling an intervention."

I snorted. "This is new for all of us, but we have to stay optimistic for her sake." I never imagined my parents splitting up. They always seemed happy. Or maybe they were pretending for us.

As weird as it all was, I was more concerned for my mom then my dad. I care for both of them but sticking with mom seemed like the best thing to do.

"And Oregon? Really?" Erika groaned, throwing herself back against the seat dramatically. "It's, like, wet and cloudy there all the time, right? As much as I hate Texas, at least I had fun. What fun are we gonna have in some small-ass town in Oregon? Meet Edward Cullen?" She fiddled with the radio stations, her frustration obvious. "Isn't It Washington?" I chime in.

"It can't be that bad. I was getting tired of Texas anyway," I said, grinning when she groaned at my optimism.

"What about your friends? You won't miss them?"

I cringed. I hadn't told her about what happened before we left. I didn't want to worry her more than she already was about Mom.

"Girls, I brought back some snacks!" Mom's voice cut through the moment as she opened the car door. She tossed a fat bag into the backseat before climbing in.

"Only two more hours, and we're there," she added cheerfully, putting on her sunglasses.

"Can't we just stay in California?" Erika grumbled.

"Sure, we'll drop you off here if you'd like," Mom replied, smiling sarcastically as she pulled the car out of the station.

I grabbed a snack from the overstuffed bag, my brows raising. Weird.

"So... do our grandparents know we're heading there?" I asked hesitantly. The air in the car shifted. For the past few year or, honestly, since my mom left their house without a word things between them had been rocky. I'd only met them once, on my fifth birthday. After that, nothing.

By the look on her face and the awkward silence that followed, it was clear she definitely hadn't told them.

Author note

Yayy!!! This is my first ever story I hope you enjoyed chapter one. Sorry if the pacing or diolgue is a bit weird, I'm really trying :(

-characters- 
I'll add more picture when new characters show up.

Stevie Marlow

Erica Marlow

Sarah Marlow (their mom)

Paige Harris