The Story of Us // L.S

Fifteen.

Songs for this chapter are:

*+1 // Tom Mann

*Star Girl // McFly

*Another World // One Direction

*

Isobel dived forward instantly and wrapped her arms around my waist while nuzzling her head into my shoulder. She sobbed loudly as I hugged her and stroked one hand through her hair. Her voice cracked as she tried to talk and she mumbled into my chest, barely audibly: "I'm still mad at you." I replied with a gentle "I know" and she pulled herself away from my grip, looking up at me. Just looking into her eyes gave away how hurt she felt and it was a sight that made my heart fall into my stomach. 

I swiped my thumbs under her eyes as I cupped her face causing her cheeks to squish together and making her look like an innocent 8 year old all over again. This thought caused the depth of my betrayal to sting more. "I know sweetheart, and I'm so sorry." She sniffed and pushed my hands away by grabbing me by the wrists. Her eyes filled with tears again but she stepped round me and walked towards the kitchen. I shut the door behind her and followed her seeing her freeze when she spotted Louis. 

"WHAT. IS. HE. DOING. HERE?" I sidestepped round her and looked between Louis' awkward pale expression and Isobel's reddening mad one. "Belle, sweetheart, I think we need to talk, all of us...together..." She started to shake her head aggressively and squeezed her eyes shut. "Nope, no way, not happening. Please get him to leave." I let out a breath I didn't even know I had been holding and looked back over to Louis. His jaw was hanging open and he was stuttering with the right words to say. Slowly, he started to stand up but I held my hand out to him, signalling for him to stop. He looked at me bewildered and paused midway, not really standing but not really sitting either. In any other situation I would have laughed at him, but I just couldn't right now. 

"Belle, no-one is going anywhere." My voice was gentle but stern as I tried to please both parties. "Pfft, I thought he liked to leave people hanging." She opened her eyes again but crossed her arms to prove she wasn't budging on the matter. "Okay fine. We'll talk, just you and me and away from Louis?" She looked at me, her gaze softening, before rolling her eyes and untangling her arms. "Okay." 

I lead her into my bedroom and we both perched awkwardly on the edge of my bed. Her thumbs started to do a little dance with each other out of nerves and I could feel myself starting to sweat. We were about to have the one conversation I had dreaded for 18 years. It was worse than the birds and the bees. 

The silence around us was starting to be suffocating so I cleared my throat. "I don't really know where to start Belle." 

"From the beginning."

"There isn't really a beginning and I'm so scared you're going to hate me. I've tried so hard to protect you for the last 18, nearly 19 years, and I'm scared you're going to walk out on me now because I've failed at my job." She looked up at me and her eyes were glistening with tears again. "I can't promise that I won't be mad Dad, this is so much to take in but I'll always come back to you. I just want to know the truth" 

I reached out and placed my hand over hers. "But the truth hurts and might tear us apart." She looked down to our hands and licked her lips slowly before carrying on. 

"I want to know."