Beau Babies / h.s

Opportunity

   “Ed!” I called through the flat that I’d renamed ‘home’,

   “Yeah!” He replied with a shout from behind the bathroom door, I could hear the shower water, but he could still hear me clearly enough, so I carried on,

   “Do you want me to put your washing on?” I asked,

   “Please,” He said, nodding to myself, I shoved the washing into the machine and stabbed a few buttons,

   I was eighteen now, yay me. I hadn’t told Ed, I didn’t tell anybody, only wished myself a silent happy birthday before carrying on as if nothing had happened.

   To make that day even worse, it was on Valentine’s Day. The day of love. Harry was in my head, I almost saw him everywhere, in my dreams, mostly in my head. But once or twice, when I went out, I’d see a mound of curls and be tempted to shout his name, but when that person turned around, it was never him.

   Ed was kind to me, from the day he picked me up, he didn’t question me about why I needed to stay with him, nothing about the boys, the babies…Not until I was ready to tell him, which I did, only two days ago,

   He acted as I imagined him to, calm, with respect. He didn’t press me any more after that, or tiptoe around me in case he said the wrong thing, Ed acted like nothing had happened and honestly, I preferred it like that,

   Later, Ed walked out of the bathroom looking like he never went in. His clothes were a crumpled as they always were and hair styled as if he’d just jumped out of bed,

   Ed grinned at me, “What?” He asked,

   “Nothing,” I replied with a smile, one of Ed’s eye brows flickered, “It just amazes me how you look the same every day,”

   “What can I say?” Ed shrugged, “I’m amazing,” I laughed loudly, Ed scowled playfully, “Well that was mean,”

   “What can I say?” I mimicked Ed’s shrug, “I’m amazing,” Grinning, Ed flicked my head and we both laughed,

   “So,” Ed hummed, “What do you want to do today?”

   I shrugged again, “I don’t know, what have you got to do today?”

   Ed hesitated, “I have to go down to the studio for about ten minutes this afternoon, but other than that, I’m a free man,”

   “Glad to hear it,” I smiled,

   “Does that mean you have something planned?”

   I shook my head, “No,” I replied simply, “Although, I should probably start looking for a job,”

   Ed groaned, “Good luck,”

   “What’s that supposed to mean?” I made my voice sound extremely offended,

   Ed smiled, “Nothing, it’s just that it’s hard to find work…Around here…”

   “So it has nothing to do with the fact that I have no school qualifications, at all?”

   “Of course not,” Ed breathed, I laughed as the doorbell rang, “I’ll get it,” Ed ran out of the kitchen eager to get away from the awkward conversation that he’d bought on, “Oh hi,” I heard voices but didn’t move from my spot, “What are you doing here?”

   It was silent for a little while before Ed called my name, “Bobbie,”

   Quickly, I walked through to the hallway. I stopped dead when I saw who was at the door. Zayn.