prom date | wroetoshaw

Iris

Maintaining my streak of sad song titles HAHA this one is Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls - literally listening it whilst rereading the last chapter and it's going to make so much sense this chapter. We are now back with Lily's POV for the first half of the chapter. Enjoy.

this isn't a warning but just to make you aware: heavy swearing in the latter part of the chapter, and also physical injuries (ps it's a happyish ending, i promise)

Wheeling my suitcase through the airport, I was overcome with emotions. The familiarity of it all. But there was also something significantly different. Everything looked grey. Miserable. Which was weird, really, because it was awfully sunny out. It was unusual for the time of year, it was mid April, spring had only just started.

Guernsey was never this warm in April.

But then again, I hadn't been here much in recent years. I really wished I had been.

The taxi company I'd booked before boarding my flight earlier were waiting outside of the airport. I walked straight over to them, giving them my name and my details.

"And you're going to Whiteroe Cottage?" The driver asked, the name sending goosebumps down my body.

My family home. The home I'd spent so much time in growing up. The home I'd mourned my Mum in. The home I'd said goodbye to my Nan in.

"Ma'am?" The driver repeated, bringing me out of my daydream.

"Sorry, sorry. Yes please, that's the one," I answer politely, letting him pull my suitcase into the trunk. Climbing into the back of the taxi, I lean against the window, looking out around me. I had made this journey many times. Sometimes alone, but other times with Harry. It made me miss him, miss him so much I thought I'd crumble to the floor in several little pieces.

More than anything, I wanted him here with me, but I knew I needed some alone time. Still, I knew I'd think of him every second of everyday.

I didn't dare check my phone. I knew if I did, there would be messages from everybody, and I would be tempted to go back home. I needed to do this for myself.

The taxi started to pull away, and I continued to look out of the window. It wasn't a long drive to the house, I knew it would go fast. It always did.

I was able to recount the journey by memory now. I knew that we first passed the meadows right next to the airport, and then by the sixth form me and Harry and all of our friends had gone to. Then, we passed the small country lane that took us down to the rugby playing fields. Across the road was the secondary school we'd gone to.

We went through the town centre, and my Nan's house was on the outskirts of town. I knew it was now only a matter of minutes until we'd be pulling into her driveway.

I stopped looking out of the window, instead looking down at my feet, playing with my thumbs. I was getting fidgety. This was a sign that I was getting anxious, which was obvious considering the circumstances.

"We're here," the driver spoke, interrupting my thoughts a few moments later. The vehicle came to a slow stop, the gravel underneath the tyres crunching.

"Thank you," I spoke, gulping down any nerves. I climbed out of the back seat, my suitcase down on the floor waiting for me.

"Have a lovely trip," he said politely, completely unaware of the circumstances in which I'd ended up here.

"Thanks."

He pulled away, leaving me on my own in the driveway. I still hadn't looked up. I didn't want to look up. I didn't want to see the state of the house my Nan had once so carefully looked after.