Mutinous

Chapter 5

My right hand ran over my phone stopping at the exact same spot it had around a hundred times prior. It was just 5 simple letters. 4 to be precise as two of them were the identical, yet they held so much more meaning than that.

I could easily just press the screen and call him, yet I did not. I was too afraid of the outcome. Would he laugh at me? Would I stumble over my words? Or would there be an awkward silence that made me cringe just by the thought of it? I would not know what to say anyway so perhaps, it would be better not to call at all.

I was happy he had given me his number, even if he had said to only call him if I needed anything. But it had to mean more than that, however, that didn't mean calling him was any easier. It was nerve wracking, palm sweating and heart pounding. I was nervous, with a pounding heart and sweaty palms.

Harry.

It was weird that a simple word - a name could have such a great impact on me especially when he was just a boy, someone I barely even knew, but who made me feel in a way I never had before.

The front door opened. I knew who it was, but it didn't matter. I used to run to mum and give her a cuddle and thereafter father, but whether they were here or not, didn't really matter anymore. They were gone so often that they might as well just stay away, although I would hope they would decide not to.

My feet dragged me downstairs, but I did not feel like talking to them. I had other things on my mind or more like someone else, but there was no way they could know about that. I walked downstairs making my presence known even if it wasn't with my good will.

Mum smiled at me, and I forced a smile back. "Did you have a good trip?" I asked embracing her.

"The best." Her smile never faltered, which was a good thing. She looked happy, and though I knew how much she loved her work at least she loved spending time with our father even more. 

"Mum, dad!" Maggie's excitement was obvious, and so was the smile on her face. She came running towards us and wrapped her arms around both of them before I could even get to greet our father.

"Hey darling. You missed us?" Father asked, and Maggie was back to being a little girl.

"Uh huh," she said as if she was not able to speak proper words.

He kissed her cheek and gave her a smile, before turning his attention towards me. "Elliot."

"Hello, dad," I said and wrapped my arms around him even though it seemed forced from both parts. I was not sure what it was with the two of us, but we had always been less affectionate with each another than we were with anyone else.

"I hope you didn't do anything you weren't supposed to do while I was gone," he stated, but it sounded more like a question.

"Of course not," I said sending Maggie a glare. We had both been doing things we knew we should not have, but it was not any of his business though he would beg to differ.

"You know what we bought for you?" Father spoke and Maggie's eyes glistened like Christmas lights. Once again she was like a little girl on Christmas Eve eager for dawn to break on Christmas morning.

"What is it?" Her eyes were big and her patience was wearing thin.

He handed us both a big present, but as Maggie's face was glowing mine was frowning instead. My appreciation was nonexistent.

"Can we open?" Maggie didn't wait for a reply. She was already halfway through before I even started with my own. Her excitement took me by surprise. She and I both knew what it was - another handbag. I knew I should be appreciative or thankful, but it was nothing I needed, and I would rather spend time with them than receiving yet another stupid gift. Expensive stuff could not replace time spent with them.