nina woke up blankly the next morning. after she came to terms that what had happened in the previous day was real, and not some nightmare she couldn't wake up from, she mindlessly stared at the ceiling of her room

it was real. they really came. they really ruined my best life in only a matter of seconds.

flashback:

"mamas?"

"nina, get your stuff, we're leaving," carol hurriedly said.

"what?"

"i told you not to interact with these people anymore, we're going home."

"what- home? as in la?"

"yes nina, you being here has caused enough damage between you and elijah. we need to go back so you can fix everything."

nina was taken aback, of course she's blaming me.

"nina, why don't we just talk about this, okay?" dana said.

"what is there to talk about?" she started, not being about to keep up an act and pretend that everything was okay. "how after 16 years i finally get to see my real family and after what, a week? you come here and tell me i need to go back home?"

"nina, we're your real family. not these strangers."

"mama c, they aren't strangers!"

"i'm really sorry about-"

"no dana, do not apologize to the people who are taking our daughter. they need to apologize to us."

"carol-"

"mamas, stop!"

"do not use that tone with me nina salazar-roberts," carol scolded.

"then don't come into my life and pretend you know what's best for me. control my life all you want in la, but i just want to be free in salt lake mama c, what's so bad about that?"

"you're letting these strangers into your life nina, they're the ones controlling you. not us."

"we're doing no such thing," charles said.

"you have no right to speak," carol pointed her finger at the man. "nina, let's go."

"fine, i'll go. but i'm not going back to la."

"nina-"

"i'm not leaving this house until you say i can stay in salt lake."

carol let out a breath before she turned around and headed back to the car, clearly angry.

"i'm really sorry to interrupt your dinner, we just wanted to surprise nina and when carol saw her instagram post, she went ballistic and insisted we drive down here," dana explained to the cruz family as nina went to grab her stuff.

the cruz's stayed quiet as they glared at dana. nina came through with all her stuff and stopped to stare at dana who pointed to the car with her head, a sad smile on her face.

nina gave them all hugs and thanked them for everything before she headed out and stood next to her mom, facing back at the family.

"i'm really sorry this was how we had to meet, you all seem like lovely people, a trait nina inherited, thankfully," dana smiled. "thank you for taking care of her."

the mother and daughter slowly made their way to the car so they could drive nina back to the caswell house. she sat quietly for the whole ride as stared out the window and the tears fell.

end of flashback

"nini?" ashlyn said quietly as she knocked on her door.

she didn't answer and instead, just stared at where the sound was coming from.

ashlyn knocked again and slowly peaked her head in and saw that the brunette was awake, "hey, wanna talk?"

nina turned her head back from the door to the ceiling as ashlyn came in, closing the door behind her, and laid down next to the small teenager.

"when does this nightmare end?" nina spoke.

ashlyn let out a huff of air, "to be honest, i don't know if it ever does."

nina turned her head to face her, and ashlyn did the same.

"i don't like that answer," she replied.

"i know, but it's the only one i could give you without letting your expectations get the better of you."

"i don't like that either."

"i know," ashlyn chuckled.

they stayed quiet for a minute as the two stared at the white ceiling like it was the millions of stars that were seen in the night sky.

"why did this have to happen, ash?"

the red head let out another breath, "everything happens for a reason."

"i don't like this reason."

"you don't even know what it is yet," ashlyn replied, "maybe it's a good reason."

"then that good reason, just came crashing down on my good life."

ashlyn stayed quiet for a bit, not knowing what to say to the girl.

"nini, you know i'm always here, right?" ashlyn asked, earning a head turn from nina, "you don't have to keep all of this to yourself or call ej when he might be busy. you can talk to me whenever you feel down. you're like my sister."

nina softened her look when ashlyn said that last word. sister.

all her life she's wanted a sister, then she finally got one. but it all went downhill so quickly and so soon. she lost her, again.

but she was so blinded in her own little world, thinking she was on this journey alone, that she forgot she already had one living next door.

nina didn't say any words and instead went in for a hug, relaxing in her arms and soaking up the warm embrace.

"thank you ash."

ashlyn smiled as they pulled apart and laid back down to look at the ceiling.

"so what happens now?" the red head asked.

"we hide out in my room forever and we use richard as a private delivery man for food and board games."

ashlyn let out a laugh, "what a lucky boy."

"he mentally already signed the contract by agreeing to go out with me."

"he agreed? i thought he asked you to be his girlfriend."

"please, you think he's that bold?"

"oh nini, you're my idol."

the two girls laughed and for a second, forgot about reality, but was taken out of their fantasy by a yell from ashlyn's mom.

"ashlyn! nina! can you come down?" she yelled. "nina, your moms are here."

the brunette let out a groan, "nooo! i'm calling ricky to bring some eggs to throw at them."

"neens you egg houses not people," ashlyn laughed as she got up from nina's bed.

"mama c sure stands her ground, so i think that counts."

ashlyn stifles a laugh before extending her arms out to help nina out of bed, "let's go."

"no i don't want to look at those fire breathing dragons," she said, turning her body to face away from the red head.

"girls!" mrs caswell yelled, "what's taking so long?"

"get up you bitch," ashlyn said, hitting her with a pillow.

"no, i'll get up when they leave."

"nini-"

"or when ricky comes with the eggs."

"holy shit," ashlyn said, shocked.

"what?" nina asked, flinging her head to face her.

she was looking at something on her phone before looking back at the girl.

"ricky's here. your moms are gonna see him."

nina's eyes widened and she quickly got up and ran downstairs so she could tell him to leave before it was too late.

"good morning, nina," carol said as she walked into the kitchen.

"are you okay honey? you look like you've seen a ghost," dana said.

"what? no i-" nina turned her head to face the screen that was sitting on the corner of the kitchen counter that showed the cameras around the outside of the house.

she furrowed her brows, not seeing the boy there. she turned to ashlyn who mouthed a, "sorry," and sat down in the kitchen table next to her moms.

"nina?" dana said, grabbing her attention.

"huh?"

"are you okay?"

"oh, uh yea."

"nina, why didn't you brush your hair? you barely look presentable enough with those pajamas," carol said.

"why do you care?" she mumbled.

"excuse me?"

"sorry, of course you care. you care about every single thing i do in my stupid life, don't you?" she started to yell.

"nina salazar-roberts, do not raise your voice at me."

"can we just enjoy this breakfast that mrs caswell made for us. please." dana interjected.

carol turned her head to the plate in front of her and nina sat down next to ashlyn with her eyes avoiding her moms.

this is gonna be a long next couple days.