Sanctuary (A Dan Smith/ Bastille fanfic)

78. Jake (The End)

18 years later.

I stroll down the road with one hand in my pocket and the other clasped around a cigarette, occasionally lifting it up to meet my mouth. I check the time and decide to quicken my pace, not wanting to miss my dad's departure.

When I get back it seems that I'm too late and no one is home. I check the time and know that my dad's not due to leave for at least another half an hour, so I'm unsure as to where they are. I knock on the door for a whole minute before I give up, accepting the fact that I'll have to wait on the doorstop until someone arrives home, which with any luck will be any minute now. I sit down with another cigarette and lean my back and head against the door. My eyes close and I enjoy sitting in the mid-afternoon sun. I smile as I think of the approaching summer and spending time with a drink in my hand in the garden or by the river.

Before long, a large truck appears in front of the house and I notice the family inside eying up the house next door to mine. I glance at the 'sold' sign stood in front of the house and assume that these are the people who have bought my grandparents' house. I never really saw my grandparents much anyway, mostly because my Dad never really got on with his parents too well, but I'm still sad that they've both gone now. I've heard countless stories about his teenage rebellion against them. He's always spoken about how his family used to be, which is my Dad's casual way of reminding me that he's not such a horrendous parent and that I should count myself lucky, which I definitely do.

I sit up slightly, paying attention to the family who are now climbing out of the van. The couple seem a similar age to my parents, but not the sort of people who would get on with my parents. Not that they look like bad people, they don't at all, just that they look like the sort of people who would look down on our life, similarly to my grandparents. The woman straightens her dress and turns her nose up at her surroundings. I almost feel like shouting "you're in South London now, this is luxury compared to some of the places around here." They don't look like their totally prepared for what they're moving into. Then I notice their son who hops out of the van, he looks about 12 or 13 I would say, and he fits the beautiful family perfectly.

But then something else catches my eye. An old Peugeot appears and a girl climbs out of it. She's dressed in a black dress with a grey hoodie over the top, which bizarrely mirrors my outfit of black jeans, a black t-shirt and a grey hoodie. She eyes me up strangely before returning her focus to the house next door and following the family inside. It makes me smile, how clear it is that she doesn't fit into her family. She even came in a different car to them, that's how much she probably resents them for whatever they've done to her. I can't ever imagine feeling that way.

I think about the girl for a while until my mum's car pulls up on the road and she parks it next to the van that the new family have just arrived in. "You're a fucking liability." She calls to my dad as she slams the car door shut and shakes her head at him.

"Thanks." He laughs and grabs her hand on the way over to the front door. Even though they're my parents I don't mind when they're affectionate towards each other. It just reminds me that there is hope out there for all of us.

"Oh hi. Forgotten your keys again?" My mum stops slightly as she sees me sitting on the doorstep and I stand up with a questioning look on my face. "Your dad forgot to buy pretty much everything he needed for tour." She lifts the bag up and passes it to my dad whilst she puts the keys in the door. "Nothing like a bit of last minute packing."

"It's been like this forever, why do you expect any different?" My dad runs up the stairs to get his suitcase to put all of his last-minute items inside.

"You okay Jay?" My mum smiles at me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just saw the new family move in next door." I follow my mum through to the kitchen and put the kettle on for the 3 of us.