Once Upon a Road Trip (Jack Harries Fanfiction)

Part Eleven

I had no idea what to do. I’d never been a sappy, chick-flick kind of girl who was desperate for hopeless romance, but it was like I was living out a fan girl’s dream. I had two flawless boys in my life, more then I’d ever hoped for, and they both wanted me. And I wanted both of them. I felt totally and completely lost, one hundred percent stranded, upstream without a paddle, fucked.

I was pulled out of my internal debate when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it with a cup of tea in my hand, and what I saw took my breath away. Sam was standing in a t-shirt, wearing the hat he wore when I first met him, and black skinny jeans. His cheeks were pink from the wind. He looked absolutely perfect. He smiled, making his eyes crinkle up, when I opened the door.

“Hi,” I grinned.

“Hi,” he smiled. I stepped out of the way to give him space to walk in. I leaned in and kissed him. His hand went to my hip and I felt shivers travel up my body.

“Do you want a cuppa?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No, I’m actually in a hurry. I wanted to stop by on the way to work to ask you something.”

I sat down on the couch and looked at him questioningly. “I’m listening,” I smirked.

Sam sat next to me and bumped my shoulder with his. “Do you want to go to a dance with me? The community centre has a Valentine’s Day dance every year, and I wanted to take you.”

“A dance?” I asked. I’d never been to one before.

“Yeah,” he smiled. “It’s on Friday. I know it’s short notice, but I—”

“That’d be awesome,” I cut him off with a grin.

He grinned and kissed me. I whimpered when he pulled away, not wanting him to go. “I’ve got to go. I don’t want to be late, I’ll call you tonight,” he pulled me to my feet and kissed me again, longer this time. He smiled and I watched him walked out the front door. I fell back onto the couch and closed my eyes, thankful to be alone, but also wanting Sam to come back.

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. I grinned wider than I ever have before and bounced to the door. I opened it, expecting Sam, but finding Ellie with a suitcase in her hand. She was crying.

“Ellie,” I said, pulling her into a hug. “Ellie, what’s wrong?”

I pulled her into my flat and sat her down at the table. I poured her a cup of tea and set it in front of her before she spoke. “I can’t take it anymore, Amy. She’s drinking all the time now, she never stops yelling,” she sobbed. My heart broke. I pulled her into a hug.

“You can stay here,” I told her. “I’ll pick up more shifts at the shop and I’ll take care of you, okay?”

She sobbed into my chest.

“I’ll take care of you.” I rubbed her back, urging her to calm down. “Drink your tea. We’ll have girl’s night.”

Ellie sniffled. “I have to work tonight. I got a job at the library.”

“Well, colour me impressed,” I laughed. “Ellie Rose got a job. I never thought I’d see the day.” She laughed and I hugged her one more time. “I’ll drive you there once you’re cleaned up.”

Ellie smiled and sipped at her tea. I walked into the living room and opened the pull-out couch for Ellie to sleep on. I remembered the night Jack slept on it and smiled—and then mentally slapped myself in the face.

Ellie walked out of the bathroom then and sat on the bed. “Sam’s taking me to a dance on Friday,” I told her, grinning.

Her eyebrows shot up her forehead. “How are you supposed to learn how to dance in two days?”