The game | Calum Hood

Bags, Taxis and Goodbyes

"After nineteen years, it's come to an end," my best friend and neighbour Poppy sighed as she wrapped her arms tightly around my chest, "dammit I'm going to miss you." She squeaked, wiping a tear that was falling from her eyes and making it's way down her cheek.

I sniffed back my tears, trying to find the words to say just how much I was going to miss her, "You owe me a fiver!" I joked, pulling her away and holding her at arms length. "The first one to leave has to give the other a fiver. Remember?"

She laughed lightly as she furrowed in her bag for her purse, opening it and pulling out a fiver. "Here. Look Riley, you know it wasn't my idea to move away don't you?"

I nodded, knowing that Poppy was as upset about her move as I was.

"Hey, you can always fly over for a few weeks holiday!' She laughed, knowing that it would make the situation a million times easier.

"Yeah, that would be great. It won't quite be the same though, you won't be in the next room anymore, you'll be half way across the damn planet." I cried, pulling her towards me again.

"Nah Riley, I'll be here." She said, pointing at my heart.

"I don't really want you in my boob to be honest Pops!"

"You know what I mean!" She muttered, looking at her shoes. "Hey, you'll keep me posted won't you?"

"Posted with what?"

"You know, the neighbours. Also, I want to know what Penny's baby is, and who's the daddy!" She laughed, "there's so much I'm going to miss about this crappy place."

I giggled, "I don't know why, I wish I could just pack up and move to America."

"That's what I thought Riley, but when it actually comes to it, it's harder than you think."

"Poppy, you don't have to go, you're nineteen now, you can leave your parents, you can stay here, live with me until you get enough money for an apartment, just please don't go."

By now, she had stopped wiping away the tear that fell from her eyes, and was watching as her parents locked the front door for the last time. With every movement they took towards the taxi which waited for them, I knew that my time with Poppy was slowly slipping away.

"Riley, please, I just have to go. I'll miss you, you idiot!" Her hands slowly detached themselves from mine, as she pulled away and walked towards her parents.

"Goodbye Riley, see you soon?" Her parents smiled as they hugged her then let her in the car.

"Hopefully very soon Mrs Muller. But see you later, not goodbye. Goodbye means it's the end, and there's no way that I won't see you again!" I chuckled lightly, hiding my face so that they couldn't see the waterfall flowing down my cheeks.

They smiled at me as they lowered their heads into the car, before popping back out again.

"Oh and Riley darling, say goodbye to your mother for me." Mrs Muller, or I knew her as Susi, spoke softly to me, before a chorus of 'waits!' Exploded up the road.

"Susi! Wait! I'm, here." Mum panted, dragging the twins up the slight hill towards our house. "They let the kids out late again! That school is a nightmare! Anyway, Susi, Paul, Poppy, have a lovely journey, and keep in touch! I'm sure we will all miss you."

Mrs Muller smiled, "We will all miss you Bethany. You and the kids. Goodbye Minnie, goodbye Logan." The twins waved frantically as the car began to reverse down the road. "Goodbye Riley." I forced a smile as I watched my whole life just turn the corner towards the airport, with a siren of car horns as they proceeded down the road. That family were like my own, sometimes I would wish they were, and now was one of those times.

"Come on little ones, what do you want for tea? Fish fingers or chicken nuggets?" I asked, grabbing onto Minnie and Logan's hands and leading them into the house, where we were met by our dog Harvey.

"Chicken nuggets!" They screamed as mum closed the door behind us.

"Mummy, can we watch a movie tonight, all four of us?" Minnie quizzed, looking at mum who was slowly making her way upstairs. She looked a mess, she was embarrassing and sometimes I even wished she wasn't my mum. Although most of the time, she didn't act like it anyway.

"Mummy can't tonight Min, she's at work. Right mum?" I mumbled, ushering the twins into the kitchen, trying to stop Minnie asking any more questions.

Mum groaned as she continued to walk up the stairs, "Right, work, yeah."

-A/N-
I have so many cute ideas for this fanfic I am so excited I love it already but tbh I say that with all of my fanfics! 😁 I hope you enjoy it, leave your lil votes and comments and have a good day ily 😍💞💕