It's been just over three weeks. The boys are finally back home, my house is packed up and I have two days left at home. I had to send some of my stuff overseas to Noah's house and he told me when it finally gets there he'll let me know.
In three weeks nothings changed but everything has at the same time. Cassidy still won't talk to me. Neither will Sadie, Delilah and Aria. Folio told me to still keep off of twitter. Apparently photos of Noah and I in the airport made it online, along with photos of us in Chinatown, another picture of all of us leaving one of the hotels. Nick has messaged me almost everyday to tell me Noah has a crush on me and Jolly always sends me photos of the city the guys are in.
Noah FaceTimes everyday. Every night we fall asleep to a movie. Every morning I have a message from him. He sends me photos of things that remind him of me and I do the same. Everyday I send him a song that reminds me of him and he sends me one back. Everyday I miss him more than the day before.
*
I pull up to my grandparents farm, the girls are playing outside trying to build what I assume is supposed to be a snowman.
"Hey babies!" I say to them and make my way over to where they are. "Your snowman's looking great."
"It's a snow lady actually." Isla tells me with her matter of fact attitude.
"Ah, I see that now. Silly Me, do you need help to put her head on?" I ask and Isla nods.
"Yes please, Rose isn't tall enough to help apparently." She huffs as she pats the ball of snow that I assume is the head. We lift it together and place it on the snow lady's body. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, she needs some arms and a face. Want to come into the kitchen and pick out her nose?" I ask and Isla nods taking my hand, Rose takes the other.
We make our way into the house and walk through the back to where the kitchen is. My grandparents are sitting at the kitchen table, Rowan bouncing on my grandmas knee. The girls head straight for the fridge and examine carrots that look "good enough to be a nose."
"Hello, how are we?" I ask my grandparents and boil the kettle.
"Good thank you love, I'll take a tea, your grandad will have the same." I make our drinks and take a seat at the table taking Rowan from my grandma. The girls have scampered back outside to finish their snow lady. "Not long now." My grandma tells me and I nod.
"I know, it's scary. I hope it all works out."
"Oh it will love, it always does. Now, will you be sorting this mess out with Cassidy before you leave?" My grandma asks and I shake my head.
"Probably not, she won't answer. I have sent her texts, I've called and I've even been to her house. I can't force her to talk to me but it's a shame. It would have been nice for it to be sorted before I left."
"I know darling, I think she's upset. It's hard for her you know. You've been her best friend since you were children, it's hard for her to let you go."
"Well now she's completely gone." I reply and take a sip of my tea. Rowan starts to babble and I bounce him gently on my knee.
"She'll come back, she always does and you'll be right again. Now, is this boy of yours going to meet you when you get to L.A?"
When I first told my grandparents that Noah and I were together my grandma laughed and told me she could see that coming from a mile away, although when I told her I was going to be staying with him until I found my own place she was skeptical. She told me not let what happened last time happen again.
"Yes grandma, he's going to meet me at the airport. I have a meeting with my publisher tomorrow morning, then I just need to make sure I've got everything and head down the road. My flights early in the morning so just going to stay in a hotel overnight. I'll miss you guys."
"Oh I know love, we'll miss you too but you've got to go and do this for yourself." She tells me and pats my hand, my grandad nods.
"You can't keep yourself here. You need to go and see the world pet, we'll still be here when you get back." My grandad chimes in. He's a man of few words but when he talks it's always reassuring.
"We'll FaceTime too." I had shown my grandparents the other week how to use FaceTime and they thought it was great, especially for the kids.
"Ofcourse we will." My grandad replies just as the girls come running back into the kitchen.
"Ask her Rose ask her." Isla says all giddy.
"Ask me what Rosie?"
"When will the boy come see us?" Rose whispers her cheeks begin to redden.
"Oh, I don't know baby, probably not for a while." I tell her and she looks sheepishly at the floor.
"Oh..." she says and takes a seat at the table next to me. I hand Rowan back to my grandma and wink at her as I open my phone and FaceTime Noah. He answers on the third ring and looks totally bewildered.
"Hey baby, everything okay?" Noah looks concerned and I feel bad for waking him.
"Hey, yeah, sorry I know it's stupid early where you are but I have someone who wants to talk to you."
"Sure." He replies with a smile.
"My friend!" Rose squeals. "Peas can I talk to my friend Gogo?" I can hear Noah laughing through the phone and I can't help but laugh too.
"Ofcourse baby." She takes my phone from me and wanders off yapping away to Noah.
"That boys lucky there's going to be an ocean between him and Rose." My grandma laughs.
"Oh, I know. All calls from Rose will be for Noah, not her sister."
"Mine will be for you." Isla tells me and comes over for a cuddle.
"I know, I'll miss you."
"Ew... I'll miss you too I guess."
I spend the rest of my afternoon at my grandparents. I help them to cook dinner, the girls show us a new dance routine that they've made up which includes a lot of jumping and twirling about. Then we watch a movie together in front of the fire both girls snuggle into me Rowan already tucked away in bed. Rose falls asleep halfway through the movie gently snoring on my lap.
"Rosie baby, it's bed time." I say as the movie credits roll.
"Nu-uh." She mumbles as I wriggle myself out from in between the girls.
"Come on baby girl, it's sleep time." I tell her as I pick her up, her arms wrap around my neck and Isla follows me up to their bedroom.
"Will you really miss me when you go to American?" Isla asks as I put Rose in her bed and tuck her in.
"Ofcourse I will."
"Promise?" She asks me and holds out her pinky, I can't help but think back to the other week when I did the same with Noah.
"I promise honey." I wrap my pinky around hers and she smiles. "I love you lots and lots."
"Like Jellytots."
YOU ARE READING
Just Pretend
FanfictionMargo Brown, twenty five year old writer is desperate to pave her own path and to get out of her small town in Scotland. A month before she is due to put down new roots in a new city her best friend Cassidy invites her along to a concert playing it...
