𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 ✹ 𝐠. 𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢 - 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞

Haven

I felt that I could finally breathe properly when I returned to my room. I placed my cereal on my bedside table and immediately reached for my speaker, connecting it to my phone and playing the first Spotify playlist I could reach. It just happened to be my One Direction playlist. Anyone who remotely knew me that my holy grail of life was made up of books, overpriced coffee, my dog and One Direction. Add in milkless cereal if you please.

I fell face down into my pillows and screamed into one of them. I wanted to die.

Sitting up and calling over Atlas to jump up on my bed, my hand went over to the braid Gerard had touched less than 10 minutes ago. I tugged on it slightly. When I realized what I was doing, I stopped. My brain was a jumbled mess of conundrums that kept getting twisted each time I felt like I was figuring stuff out. I genuinely couldn't tell you why my head just hotwired when he looked at me and explained kissing. Sure, I've always had a crush on him and stuff but never in my life had I felt this way around him. I've never felt speechless when in his presence. I've never felt this overtly fuzzy. And the worst part, I wanted him to do those things. He seemed to enjoy the way I went red when he explained things to me I've never done to anyone. Was my mind playing tricks on me? I sure hope it was because I couldn't handle it.

My phone rang from my bedside table. With a tremendous amount of effort I forced my head out of the gutter and leaned over to answer it. My friend Saorise's face appeared, mouth smeared with chocolate and her short brown hair pulled on little buns above her head. She was arguing with her brother I think because the colorful words that left her mouth accompanied by creative insults and even weirder comebacks made me think she was. "Ryan, get out!" She shrieked and with a groan, her little brother left. She finally looked at the phone and her face beamed.

"You have chocolate on your face Saoirse." I stifled a laugh. She wiped her mouth.

"God, I think I went up like 5 pounds babe!" She explains, placing her phone propped up, "I hate the French you know but sweet baby Jesus they make great chocolate." I laugh at her comment.

Saorise was spending two weeks in France and I missed her like crazy. She'd been one of my best friends ever since she came from England to Cork four years ago. Both her parents were Irish but they moved when they were young adults. Soon enough they decided it was time to return to the motherland and raise their kids on the dad's childhood home.
"Give me a sec I'll connect Kaileigh." she said, bringing the phone really close to her face and adding our other best friend Kaileigh to the call. Kaileigh was a Cork native and became my best friend instantly when I entered school after moving from Dublin. She stood up for me when a girl (who actually turned out to be Lizzie Young) was making fun of my Dub accent. We've been inseparable ever since. Kaileigh finally joined the call, looking like she'd just woken up. Saorise beamed, Kaileigh groaned and I laughed.

We talked back and forth for a while, Saoirse explaining all about the French and mostly their food, Saoirse piped in now and then but half of the time she looked on the brink of falling straight back asleep. "Okay Saoirse I think that's enough about France," Kai muttered and Saoirse rolled her eyes. "Haven how have you been, you're awfully quiet."
The three of them shut up, obliging me to speak and take the covers that went up to my nose. "Not much." I informed "I'm going on a date tomorrow." Both of them were quiet and then simultaneously screeched. I had to move the phone away from my face. Different versions of the same question were all thrown at my face "I'm not saying anything until you shut up." I mused. That quieted them.

"Okay it's with this guy called Neal O'Connor." I began but was quickly interrupted by Saorise. "Isn't that Dove's ex boyfriend's friend?" She asked.

"Dove broke up with her boyfriend?" I asked, now puzzled. Both girls said yes. I raised my eyebrows and hummed. "Yeah, Dove's ex's friend. Umm, we're getting set up, the date's tomorrow, dress code casual."

Kaileigh was going to speak but commotion from Saoirse's end of the call shut her up. She was in another screaming match with her brother. "Sorry guys, got to go." She apologized, looking sad.

"No worries, go enjoy France." I reassured with a smile. She closed the call and Kaileigh spoke "What are you gonna wear?" She asked. I sat up on my bed and was quiet for a moment.

"Not sure yet." I hummed out, " I was between the blue dress I wore for that one dinner with Johnny and his friends that was an absolute shit show, the one you went to," that caused Kai to snigger "or the pink one with the little bow on the neckline."
Kaileigh gasped "Oh my God the pink one!" She shrieked "That one's so cute, definitely first date material."

I nodded back and then went quiet. Kaileigh noticed something was off "Haven what's wrong?" She asked, concern etched in her brown eyes. I forced a smile on my lips. "Nothing, I'm great, really."

She raised an eyebrow "Don't bullshit me, I know something's off. Is it that date? Is someone forcing you to go?"

I shook my head. It was the date though and even if I wasn't exactly forced to go, I still felt like I had to. "No, it's not the date, I want to go to it" I said, my voice soft and calming. She narrowed her eyes "Then what, you look awfully distressed."

I turned my face away from my phone and into my mirror near my bed. I looked distressed. I looked red. Stupid braid tugging had gotten to my head. "I think I'm coming down with a cold, that's all." I hoped Kai would buy my excuse.

She seemed to have because she hummed in acknowledgement "Okay then maybe you should sleep it off." She suggested. I nodded.

"Yeah I will," I said "I'll go do that now, nice talking to ya Kai, miss you lots."

She sent me a kiss through the phone "Talk soon."

I sent her one back and closed the call, tossing my phone somewhere in my bed as I curled myself up in a ball and tried to sleep my doubts away.

✹✹✹

author's note;

hey loves! thanks for reading the chapter and in all honesty I feel this one was a bit of a filler one, but it was necessary because I needed to introduce you guys to haven's friend group Kaileigh and Saoirse. Anyways, I'll try my best to stay consistent to everyday/every two day updates but there's a big chance updates will be slow for the rest of this week and the next so sorry in advance for that!
also, what would you guys think about me writing stories for the other boys of tommen characters? I've been considering it a lot lately.
anyways, lmk your thoughts on everything and don't forget to vote and leave a comment with your view on the chapter! thanks so much for the support 🤍

word count; 1125