Ashley's POV

Before I had a chance to start catching up to Katie her mum stepped outside and called me over to her.

As I walked past the five boys they all seemed so... guilty. I wonder what has happened.

"I'm guessing you don't know yet since she ran off so fast?" Erin, Katie's mum said to me, I shook my head no and she took a deep and long breath.

"Well I am just going to tell you straight forward and fast because I know that you know where Katie is and she really needs you, Okay?" She said quite fast to fit it all in one breath.

"Um okay?" I replied not really sure about what I was about to hear.

"I'm not Katie's biological mother." She said really fast, looking like it killed her to say those words.

My eyes grew so wide I was worried they might fall out.

She sighed. Just as she started to prepare her self to talk again the boys slowly started to make their way over to us still looking at the ground like little kids that had just got in trouble.
"I know it's a lot to drop on you so fast but I need to carry on listening." She said and I nodded so she could continue.

She looked like she was going to cry just talking about this.

"Mr and Mrs Payne are her real parents, and they want her back." She said with finally letting her tears roll down her cheeks.

I gasped at what I had just heard. All five boys gasped at the same time I had.
I guess they didn't know about the wanting Katie back part? But I could tell they knew about her being related to Liam by the way they looked so guilty for Katie's pain and anger earlier.

"Is that why we came to New Zealand? To get Katie back before she turns 18?" Liam questioned Katie's mum or Erin I guess I should call her now. I fucking don't have a clue what to think about this.

Liam looked sort of concerned and happy at the same time. I'm assuming he was concerned about what they were going to do wen Katie came to terms with all this and the happiness behind his eyes that he sucked at hiding was most likely because it was easy to tell he had grown attached to Katie already. Like she was his new little puppy or something.

At first I thought he liked her but now I understand.

"Yes that's why you came so soon, because she turns 18 in less then ten days and tomorrow we find out what the police have decided happens... whether she stays a Dobbs or becomes Katie Payne." Erin's words sounds like it stung her with every syllable. I had to learn more.

"If you adopted her, why can they take her back just like that?" I asked letting my curiosity get the best of me.

Erin turned to look at Liam like she was begging with her eyes for him to tell me so she didn't have too.

"It wasn't an adoption." Liam sighed before continuing almost like he was ashamed to keep telling me.
"It wasn't legal at all, My parents didn't want to have another baby around since I wasn't that old yet. They went to the closet hotel to our house and picked a random room and left her outside the door."

Once he finished talking he looked like he was about to cry and so did Erin, but all four other boys and myself stood there shocked at what we had just listened too.

"Mate how come you never told us that part?" Louis asked, tears starting to cloud over his pretty blue eyes. Louis had more concern about all this right now then Liam had, he was acting like her older brother rather than Liam.

"Because it's horrible to even think about it."

Once I managed to find my voice again I spoke up. "I-I've heard enough" I managed to choke out while backing away.

"I'm going to get Katie, no one is allowed to know our special spot so don't bother following!" I yelled towards the five boys.

~~~~


Once I arrived at the pretty little Meadow and pond only minutes away from Katie's house I saw her sitting with her feet in the water like she always does. this little meadow was amazing and just about no one knows about it except me and Katie but that's how we liked it.

She hadn't noticed me until I sat down next to her and put my toes in the water too. Usually I would squeal at how cold it was then she would laugh at me but now didn't seem like the time for that.

"I know what happened." I said just loud enough to hear.

"You took awhile to get here, do you know more than I do?" she asked looking up at me for the first time since I sat down. Her make up was running all down her cheeks, her cheeks and eyes were red from all the crying. It broke my heart to see her like that.

I nodded not trusting my voice at this point.

"Please d-don't tell me yet, I don't think I can handle it right now" she whispered to me not caring the her voice was cracking and raspy.

I put my arms around her and hugged her as tight as I could. We sat their in silence.
It made me realise that these were the kind of moments where everyone needed a true best friend and lucky for us we had each other. The next thought I had broke me on the inside,

But we won't have each other much longer if she becomes Katie Payne.

Notes

Guys I started a second story! :D
It's called 'Coffee across the world'
Give it a read (:

xoxo