Damaged Goods. (A Harry Styles Fanic)

Chapter Seven

*Two weeks later*

The calming melody of Ed Sheeran travelled through Lola’s pink earphones as she sat arms crossed in the front seat of the car. Her lips were set in a firm straight line, upset and annoyance coursing through her veins. She never imagined she’d come to this, but despite Lola’s true beliefs in her Mother, she had actually gone through with it.

She’d had a while to mentally prepare herself, knowing this Saturday was ‘final moving day’. It had all come far too quickly, far too rushed and far too foolish. She couldn’t believe they were actually doing this, moving into his house after this short space of time.

The car began to slow down as Christina pulled into a small grove, only about three of four houses on it. The car came to a gradual halt outside a large house, with a black rangerover parked on the driveway. Lola yanked her earphones out, the beat of ‘You Need Me’ being cut off suddenly. She eyed the house up for a few seconds, getting a general feel of the neighbourhood as whole.

“Seems……alright, I suppose” she muttered, squinting slightly as the evening sun beamed hazily into the car window. Jake jumped out the back of the car, his red Nintendo DS clutched in one hand. The front door to the house opened and John stepped out with a pleased smile on his face.

Christina dropped the bag in either hand and scurried over to him in her black heels, wrapping her arms around his neck in a passionate embrace. Lola rolled her eyes and began unpacking the boot of the car. A van had bought over their larger funiture and belongings yesterday, and all that had been left to bring was smaller valuable items and clothes.

Jake had been upset to leave their house, as had Lola but Christina insisted on how much they’d enjoy living at Johns. Although she’d previously told Jake to shut up with his whining and that she was the one who made the decisions in this family. All in all, the move was a selfish idea on her part, and she didn’t really care what her children thought. She needed a new change in life, something to spice it up a bit. The same old motherly lifestyle was getting a bit too boring for her, and finding John made her feel spontaneous.

“Glad you’re all here, finally” John said, clasping his hands together before looking down to Jake “How you doin kiddo?”

“Is my room big?!” Jake diverted the question, causing John to chuckle.

“Why don’t you go up and see?” he gave him a gentle nudge, and Jake ran off down the driveway into the house. Lola slung her bag over her shoulder, wheeling her suitcase down too. She made sure her facial expression was set like stone, so they knew how reluctant and unhappy she was about this. Christina and John followed. Christina’s belongings were already packed into the house, it was just Lola and Jake that needed to bring their stuff over.

Lola heaved herself up the staircase, noticing Jake had located his bedroom, happily jumping on his mattress. She found a room with an empty bed, wardrobes and boxes off her things, blank cornflower blue walls and a window overlooking the back yard.

‘This must be mine’ she thought to herself, letting the heavy bag slump off her shoulder and onto the carpet. She looked around aimlessly for a few seconds, too tired to unpack yet. John had already set up the wardrobes for her and positioned her bed, she just needed to unpack her boxes and customise the place more to her liking.

Lola still couldn’t comprehend how ridiculous this was. That she had actually been forced to move into her Mum’s new boyfriends house after a couple of months together. But when did it ever go right for her?

Lola heard the sound of a door shutting downstairs and a new voice. She recognised it to be Gemma’s and decided she’d unpack later on. She went downstairs and entered the kithchen, seeing Christina and John already having made a round of tea. Gemma was sitting quietly at the kitchen table, head down as her thumbs moved rapidly over the keypad of her phone.