The Journey - The College Years [One Direction Fanfic]

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When we get to Niall's house Louis opens the door. "Oh god, what happened?" he asks when he sees me. I hug him and step inside without saying anything. The living room is empty and two cups of tea are placed on the table. "Take a seat" Niall says and I do as he says. Niall sits down next to me and Louis joins us. He grabs Niall's hand and gives me a concerned look. I take a deep breath because I know if I don't I will start crying again. I start to tell them about the letter and my conversation with Harry. My voice is shaking and my heart is beating faster than ever. When I'm done talking Niall puts his arm around me and pulls me closer to himself. "Linds, Harry loves you. And just like you can't be without him, he can't be without you. He just needs time to realize that" Louis tells me. "But why did he break up with me in the first place?" I ask. "He is a sad person. He probably always will be. When you stepped into his life, everything got better for him. And now that you're away from him, he thinks that you're gone" Niall says. After calming down I wash my face and fix my makeup before joining Louis and Niall back in the living room. "I should probably go home" I say because I don't want to annoy them. "Okay, well your car is at Harry's house. Do you want me to go get it for you?" Louis asks and I nod. I can't go back to that house right now. I wait in the backyard with Niall and remember the party where Harry and I jumped into the neighbors pool. My eyes tear up again. I cry too much. 

"Oh god" my mother gasps when she sees me standing in front of her with my eyes swollen and bloodshot. "What happened?" I step inside and fall into her arms. And that's where I stay for the next twenty minutes. After calming down I tell her about everything. Telling the same story over and over again hurts so much. "Oh honey, I had no clue. Just stay here for a while and figure things out, I am here for you, you know that, don't you?" she tells me and I nod. When I look at the clock it's only nine but I feel like I've been awake for more than a day. So much happened in the past few hours and I am exhausted so I decide to go to bed. It feels weird to be in my old room again. 

When I wake up the next morning my mother is off to work so I eat breakfast alone before showering and getting ready to visit Lucy and Emma. I also text Spencer telling her I am staying here for a few days. "Alright, good luck with everything" she answers. I think about texting Harry but I don't because he made clear he doesn't want to see me. 

When I get to Lucy's house she doesn't even ask why I'm here, I guess Niall and Louis already told her. When I step inside her room Emma is standing in front of the mirror curling her hair. She already has a little baby bump and looks very happy. I am glad she is, I really wish her the best. None of the girls ask questions about Harry which I am truly glad for. We keep the conversation light but it feels good to be around my friends again. "What is Vanessa doing?" "Oh, she said she wanted to come around today, too" Emma answers. Just a few minutes later the door bell rings and Vanessa joins us. She has a new nose ring and some new tattoos, she looks incredibly good. "I am so happy these days!" she tells me when I tell her how good she looks. "I don't need a guy to be happy, especially not one like Andy." I see Emma cringe at the mention of his name. "Besides, I got a new job" Vanessa tells us. "Really? Where?" Lucy asks. "At a strip club" she answers laughing. We all shoot her confused looks. "I know what you're thinking, it's a slutty job, blabla. Who cares? It's fun and I'm being paid very good." We all burst out in laughter because this is only something Vanessa would do. "You can't be serious!" I say. She nods. "I don't have to sleep with anyone, it's just dancing and I'm not gonna lie, I look pretty hot. You guys should come watch me some time." "We definitely will" Emma promises. "So what are we doing tonight?" Lucy asks. "Why don't we go out for dinner?" I suggest. I'm in the mood for a girls night out, I need distraction from everything that is going on right now. "Sounds lovely" Vanessa says and we decide to meet up at my house in the evening. 

I have to make up my mind, I think to myself whilst sitting on my bed trying to do the perfect eyeliner. I've only been here for a day and a half but I feel better than I have in the past few months at university. I feel like this is where I belong, this is where I am happy. But what about Spencer and Liam? And Joey? I might even miss Cole. And I can't just drop out of college, I want to become a lawyer, don't I? No, I don't. I have changed in the past year and I should start to admit that. I don't want to be a lawyer. In fact, the only thing I really want to be is happy. I hear steps coming up the stairs. I don't know why but for a moment I think it's Harry. "Hey honey, how was your day?" I hear my mothers voice as she steps inside. Of course it's her, Harry doesn't want to see me. I die a little inside every time I think of his words from the other day. "Mom, I am dropping out of university" I smatter. "Dear god in heaven, that wasn't the answer I was expecting" she says. "What are you talking about, Lindsay?" "I can't stay there, mom. I'm not happy at the Stevens university." "This is a serious decision" she starts talking but I interrupt her. "I know, I really do. But I can't stand that place. I need to be here, I want to be around you and Jeremy and Niall and Louis and.." "Harry" she interrupts my talking. I nod. "Well, as I said. I am here for you. And I won't stop you from being happy. Go ahead, do what you need to do." I give her the biggest smile I pulled off in weeks and hug her. "I love you, mom." "I love you, too, hun."