The M&G That Changed It All (a Lauren Jauregui story)

Chapter 14

Anna led Lauren up the path to her house. She opened the door and the two girls entered.

"Heads up." Lucas shouted.

Anna and Lauren ducked as a toy aeroplane flew over their heads and crashed into the closed door.

"Who are you?" Eliza came running up to Lauren and Anna. She pointed up at Lauren.

"I'm Lauren and who are you?"

"I'm Eliza. Why you with Anna?"

"Eliza." Anna warned. "Don't pester her.

"Okay." Eliza ran off.

Suddenly, Anna was knocked onto the floor by her half-brother Jasper.

"Get off, Jasper. You lazy git." Anna yelled at Jasper, her half-brother, who sat on top of her. He was a tall twenty-year-old boy with blue eyes and floppy blonde hair.

Jasper got up off his younger sister and helped her to her feet. "Thank you." Anna thanked him. "When'd you get here?" She asked.

"About twelve." He replied.

At the sound of Anna's voice, Jack ran in from the living room. He barked excitedly, tail wagging wildly.

"Hey buddy." Anna smiled and patted his head. He caught sight of Lauren and turned to face her, growling lowly. Anna grabbed hold of his collar and said, "This is Lauren, she's a friend. Now, be nice and say hi." He inched slowly towards Lauren and sniffed her hand. Deciding that he liked her smell, he rubbed his head against her hand.

"He likes you." Anna smiled.

Suddenly there was yelling from the living room and Lauren, Anna and Jasper moved into the room to find out what was going on.

Of course it was Alison and Kelsey arguing... again.

"You need to grow up, Kelsey." Alison shouted.

The young children in the room ran out and the cat jumped from her position on the counter and ran into the kitchen, followed by Jack and Honey.

"I have grown up. I've grown up a lot since my mum left." Kelsey argued.

"You need to stop all the drinking and the smoking. You need to wake up and realise that what you are doing now will never get you anywhere in life. This is you last year in high school, your last year to sort yourself out."

"I have woken up. I didn't ask to be born. I didn't ask for my mum to be sent away. Naw. I've had enough. I'm leavin. I'm away tae live ma ain life." Kelsey said. She had picked up the Glasgow-slang really well and used it when she was angry.

"Kelsey, how can you say that." Anna stepped further into the room. "Mum didn't ask to be deployed either and Alison and Derek have been nothing but nice to us since then. They took us in, they didn't have to but they did."

Kelsey rolled her eyes. "I don't care what you have to say Anna. You don't know anything." Kelsey moved closer to her little sister and pushed the younger girl to the ground. "Stay out of this."

Jasper and Lauren stepped into the room and helped Anna to her feet.

"Like I said, I'm leavin. I'm aff tae live ma ain life." With that Kelsey stormed out of the room, slamming the front door behind her.

Alison let out a very stressed breath. She turned to Anna and gave the young teenager and sad smile. "Sorry, I had to ask you to come home early, Harley went to her friends house and I couldn't exactly send Kelsey out with the dogs, since I grounded her and Jasper just got here and Jason's who knows where."

"It's okay, Alison. I don't mind." Anna looked as Lauren, who smiled, shyly at her. "Alison, this is Lauren."

"It's very nice to meet you, Lauren. I'm sorry I can't stay and get to know you but I have to go and get Kelsey and try and find Jason." Alison ran her hand through her hair and got up from the couch. She collected her car keys and left the house.

"Well, that was dramatic."Jasper exhaled deeply. "Anna, you take Jack and Honey for a walk and I'll stay here and watch the kids."

Anna nodded, leaving the room. She came back moments later with Jack and Honey trotting by her side on leads. "Come on, Lauren, lets get going."

Lauren followed Anna out of the house and down the path and towards the dog park. Once there, Anna let Jack and Honey off the leads and the two young puppies ran off, jumping onto of each other and chasing each other.

The two girls moved across the park to a nearby bench. They took a seat side-by-side and watched the two young dogs chase each other around the park. Lauren slid her hand into Anna's and rubbed the back of it. Anna flinched at the contact but gave Lauren's hand a loving squeeze.

Lauren turned to look at Anna, they met each others eyes and smiled. Lauren leaned in for a kiss but before the two girls lips could touch they were interrupted.

"ANNA!" Anna turned on the bench to see Jason and Shannon walking towards them. Lauren rolled her eyes before looking in the same direction as Anna.

"Hey sissy." Jason sloppily wrapped his arms around Anna.

Anna pushed him off her. "I'm not your sister. We are not related. Are you drunk, again?" She shook her head.

"Whit's it tae you?" Jason snapped, pushing Anna.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Your mum is looking for you."

"I couldna care whit ma mum's daein, she disnae care and neither dae I." He shrugged, pulling Shannon into his side and kissing her cheek sloppily.

Anna rolled her eyes. "Your mum loves you, just be grateful she's still in the flaming country and not off fighting a war that doesn't involve her." She snapped.

"Ma mum disnae love me, if she did, she wouldnae ground me." He rolled his eyes taking a drink of the beer bottle that was in his hand.

"At least you know your mum's alive." Anna mumbled. She looked at Shannon. "You could do so much better than him, Shannon, and you know it." Anna shook her head.

Shannon sighed and dragged Jason backwards, away from Anna. "It's none of your business." She muttered and with that Jason and Shannon were gone.

Anna shook her head. She turned and watched the two dogs.

Lauren sighed softly and walked over to Anna, wrapping her arms around Anna's waist. She kissed Anna's cheek. They stood there in silence, watching the dogs.