Different 37 (Patreon)

Author's note: Hello everyone! 🫶🏻 Here is a new chapter! 

I hate asking but I’m still $1,000 short on my medical tuition, and the deadline is January 13. With 2,800 followers on Tumblr, even $1 from some of you could make a huge difference. If you’ve enjoyed my writing, please consider donating or sharing. I'M DESPERATE. PLEASE HELP ME! HELP ME HELP MY MOM! I don't know what else I can do. 

⭐️ Please consider donating here --> Ko-Fi 

Y/N stood frozen in the doorway, staring at her parents as if they were ghosts. She blinked hard, trying to reconcile the figures in front of her with the memory she’d held onto for months.

Her dad looked mostly the same—same salt-and-pepper hair, same gentle yet commanding presence. But her mom…

“Mom?” Y/N asked hesitantly, taking a step closer.

Her mother smiled, a little too wide, as she set her designer bag down on the counter. “Surprised, darling?”

Y/N’s eyes darted to her hair, now cut short into a sleek bob and dyed a shade lighter than before. Her mom had never been one for short hair. And then there was her face—smooth, almost too smooth. It took a moment for Y/N to realize why it looked so different.

“You—you cut your hair?” Y/N finally said, her voice still tinged with disbelief.

Her mom touched her chin-length hair with a satisfied grin. “You noticed! Do you like it? Your father hated it at first, but I think it makes me look younger. Oh, and I got a bit of work done.” She motioned to her forehead and cheeks. “Barely hurts anymore. Isn’t modern medicine amazing?”

Y/N blinked again, her mind still struggling to keep up. The last time she’d seen her mother, she looked like…well, her mother. Now, with the botox and the haircut, she looked like someone else entirely.

“I—yeah,” Y/N stammered. “It’s…different.”

Her dad chuckled softly as he passed by, ruffling Y/N’s hair like she was still a little girl. “She’s been obsessed with it the whole trip. Couldn’t wait to show it off.” He made his way to the kitchen, pulling out the coffee machine. “How about we catch up over some coffee? You look like you could use a cup, pumpkin.”

Y/N managed a small smile, watching him move about the kitchen with the ease of someone who hadn’t been gone for months. Her mom gestured to one of the bar stools at the counter.

“Come sit with me, sweetheart,” she said, her voice softer now.

Y/N hesitated before walking over and sitting down. Her mom perched on the stool next to her, reaching out to squeeze her left hand. Her touch was light but steady, the manicured nails cool against Y/N’s skin.

“You look tired,” her mom said, her tone equal parts concern and criticism. Her eyes swept over Y/N’s face, her slightly puffy eyes, the damp towel still wrapped around her hair. “Have you been getting any sleep?”

Y/N looked down at their joined hands, her throat tightening. “Not really,” she admitted.

Her mom squeezed her hand a little tighter, her expression softening despite her botox-stiff forehead. “Oh, my darling girl. What’s going on?”

Before Y/N could respond, her dad placed three steaming mugs of coffee in front of them. He leaned against the counter, his warm, familiar presence grounding her in the moment.

“We’re here now,” he said gently, giving her a reassuring look. “Whatever’s going on, you don’t have to go through it alone.”

Y/N took a shaky breath, the familiar scents of home—coffee and her dad’s cologne—filling her lungs. For the first time in hours, she felt like she could finally let some of the weight off her shoulders.

Y/N fiddled with her shirt, her eyes fixed on the steaming cup of coffee in front of her. She wasn’t sure how to start. The words felt tangled, heavy on her tongue.

“I…I have a boyfriend,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her dad raised an eyebrow, his coffee cup pausing mid-air. “A boyfriend, huh?” He leaned back against the counter, his expression shifting to playful curiosity. “What happened to Brian?”

The mention of the name made Y/N’s stomach twist, and her head snapped up. “Dad,” she said sharply, her voice firm. “Brian is out of the picture. Completely. And I’d appreciate it if we didn’t bring him up. Ever.”

Her dad held up his hands in mock surrender, a sheepish grin on his face. “Alright, alright. Message received.”

Her mom tilted her head slightly, her perfectly arched eyebrows rising. “Well, this is news. Who’s the lucky guy?”

Y/N took a deep breath, her fingers tightening around her mug. “His name is Harry,” she began, her voice soft but steady. “He goes to Chicago University, just like me. He’s doing premed.”

Her dad’s eyebrows shot up. “Premed? Smart kid, then.”

Y/N nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “He’s amazing, Dad. He’s kind and thoughtful. And he’s…” Her voice trailed off as her mind drifted back to the hospital, to Harry lying there so pale and still. She swallowed hard, her smile fading. “He’s at the hospital right now.”

Her mom’s hand shot out, resting on Y/N’s arm. “At the hospital? Why? What happened?”

Y/N hesitated, her throat tightening as the memories of the past day surged forward. “Something happened at a party. Someone spiked his drink, and he…” She shook her head, her voice breaking. “He’s stable now, but it was bad. Really bad.”

Her dad’s face darkened, his playful demeanor evaporating. “Someone drugged him?”

Y/N nodded, her hands trembling as she held the mug. “Yeah. I don’t know who, but it was…He was barely conscious when we got him to the hospital.”

Her mom’s grip on her arm tightened, her voice trembling with concern. “Sweetheart, that’s awful. Are you okay? Have you been at the hospital this whole time?”

Y/N nodded again, her eyes welling up. “I didn’t want him to wake up alone.”

Her dad sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “This Harry…He’s lucky to have you, kiddo.”

Y/N looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “I just want him to be okay, Dad. That’s all I care about.”

Her mom exchanged a glance with her dad before pulling Y/N into a gentle hug. “You’ve been so strong, darling. But you can’t carry this all on your own. We’re here now. Whatever you need, we’ll figure it out together.”

Y/N let herself relax in her mother’s embrace, the weight on her chest easing just a little. For the first time in what felt like days, she didn’t feel so alone.

Y/N sat between her parents, cradling her coffee cup in her hands as she observed them. There was something…off. Not in a bad way, but different. Her mom, who used to be all sharp words and hurried advice, now sat with a soft smile on her lips. Her dad, who had always been too busy with work to sit still for long, looked relaxed, almost serene.

It was strange. Too strange. These weren’t the same people who had left ten months ago.

The silence stretched, and Y/N didn’t know how to ask what had happened. She opened her mouth to say something, but her dad beat her to it.

“I know what you are thinking,” he said, his voice low and warm.

Y/N froze, her eyes darting between them. “I mean…yeah,” she admitted. “You’re…different. Calmer.”

Her dad chuckled softly, setting his mug down and folding his hands on the counter. “We are. And it’s because of where we’ve been.”

Y/N tilted her head, curiosity prickling at her. “Where did you go?”

Her mom leaned in, her expression softer than Y/N had ever seen it. “We went to Bhutan. It started as a spiritual trip, something to get away from everything. But it turned into something so much more.”

“Bhutan?” Y/N repeated, blinking in surprise. “Why there?”

Her dad smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “We found this incredible retreat—a place where we could meditate, reflect, and take therapy. We spent months there, learning to let go of everything that didn’t matter.”

Her mom reached for Y/N’s hand, holding it gently. “And the more we reflected, the more we realized how much we’d been neglecting you, sweetheart. We were so caught up in our own lives, our work, our social circles. We put everything else first, and we’re so sorry for that.”

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the sudden wave of emotion that swept through her. “Mom…”

Her mom’s grip on her hand tightened, her voice trembling. “We’ve been wrong, Y/N. We’ve made so many mistakes. And we can’t undo the past, but we want to make it right. We want to be better—for you.”

Her dad nodded, his voice steady but full of regret. “You’ve been dealing with so much on your own, and we weren’t there for you. That’s going to change. From now on, you’re our priority.”

Y/N stared at them, her chest tight. She didn’t know what to say. She’d spent so long feeling like an afterthought in their lives, and now…this. She wanted to believe them, but a part of her was still wary.

“I…” she started, her voice shaking. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” her mom said, her thumb brushing over Y/N’s knuckles. “Just give us a chance to prove it to you.”

Her dad nodded, his gaze steady. “We’re here. For real this time.”

Y/N swallowed hard, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. For the first time in years, she felt like maybe—just maybe—things could be different.

Y/N offered a faint smile, though her chest was heavy with conflicting emotions. She wanted to believe them, wanted to let their words sink in and offer her the comfort she had been longing for. But it wasn’t that simple. Not after years of promises that faded as quickly as they were made.

She set her coffee cup down, her fingers lingering on the smooth surface before she finally spoke.

“I’m glad you had that experience,” she said softly, her voice carefully measured. “And I really hope it’s something that lasts. But you’ve said things like this before, and…” She hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s hard to put my guard down, you know?”

Her mom’s face fell slightly, a flicker of guilt crossing her features. “We understand, sweetheart. But we’re going to prove it this time. We mean it.”

Y/N nodded, not trusting herself to say anything more. She didn’t want to argue, didn’t want to dampen the fragile hope they seemed to carry. But the wall she had built over the years wasn’t going to crumble overnight.

“I should really get some sleep,” she said, standing up and gathering her mug. “I want to head back to the hospital tonight and check on Harry.”

Her dad furrowed his brow. “You’re not staying there the whole time, are you? You need to rest too, Y/N.”

“I know,” she said, forcing a small smile as she rinsed out her mug. “That’s why I’m going to nap now.”

Her mom reached out and squeezed her hand again. “We’re proud of you, for handling all of it on your own. You’re so strong.”

Y/N swallowed the lump in her throat and gave a small nod. “Thanks, Mom.”

She excused herself and headed to her room, the weight of their words settling uneasily in her chest. As she curled up in bed, her damp hair still wrapped in the towel, she tried to let herself rest. But sleep didn’t come easily. Their promises lingered in her mind, mingling with her worry for Harry.

She wanted to believe things could change, but experience had taught her otherwise.

Y/N woke up to the dim glow of her phone screen, the soft buzz of notifications pulling her from sleep. She rubbed her eyes and reached for it, squinting as she saw several missed calls from Anne and Gemma. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly unlocked the screen to find a text from Anne:

"Harry’s awake."

The words jolted her fully awake. Disoriented and groggy, she sat up, her body aching from the tension of the last couple of days. Her hair was a tangled mess from falling asleep with it still damp, and her muscles protested as she stretched. But none of that mattered now. Harry was awake.

Her feet hit the floor before she even finished processing her next steps. She hurried to throw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, pulling her hair into a quick bun as she searched for her sneakers. Just as she was slipping on her jacket, her mom’s voice called out from the kitchen.

“Y/N, where are you going?”

Y/N paused, turning toward the kitchen doorway. Her mom stood there with a plate of food in her hands, her expression warm but questioning.

“Harry’s awake,” Y/N said quickly, her voice tinged with urgency. “I need to get back to the hospital.”

Her mom’s brows knit together, concern flashing in her eyes. “You haven’t eaten anything since this morning. I made some food; you should at least take something with you.”

Y/N hesitated, glancing at the clock on the wall. She didn’t want to waste a single second, but the sincerity in her mom’s voice gave her pause.

“I’ll grab something when I’m back,” she promised, stepping toward the door. “I just… I really need to go see him, Mom.”

Her mom set the plate down and walked over, stopping Y/N with a gentle hand on her arm. “Drive safe please! No speeding! ” she said softly, her eyes searching Y/N’s face.

Y/N nodded, offering a small smile. “I will. Promise.”

Her mom let her go, and Y/N darted out of the apartment, her heart pounding as she rushed to get to Harry. She couldn’t wait to see him, to know he was truly okay. Every step felt like it took her closer to some semblance of relief.

Y/N stepped into the hospital room, her heart racing with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. The sound of laughter greeted her ears, warm and familiar. Harry was sitting up in bed, his green eyes sparkling as he exchanged playful banter with Anne and Gemma.

For a moment, she just stood there, taking it all in. The sight of him smiling, looking more like himself, was such a profound relief that her chest tightened. The weight she’d been carrying for days began to lift, piece by piece.

Then, his gaze shifted, and their eyes met. The room seemed to go quiet, the world narrowing down to just the two of them. His laughter faded, replaced by something softer, something unspoken.

“Hi, love,” he said, his voice gentle, the nickname slipping out like it was second nature.

Y/N’s breath hitched, her throat tightening as her emotions swirled. She took a hesitant step closer, her lips curving into a small, tentative smile.