Yours (Louis Tomlinson)

36

Phoebe's POV

I'm standing in my flat getting ready to carry my bags out to the car. Rebecca is watching me as I get the last of my things to throw in my travel bag. I was putting things like my toothbrush and makeup in the bag. I've been shaking all morning. This is like my moment of crisis.

"I, uh, have to go to work, but you're going to be alright, okay? I know you can do this." Rebecca says before hugging me.

"I know. I'm just nervous." I tell her.

"And you should be. Thomas may be angry with you, as well as your parents, but they are family. They do love you and always will." She says.

"Alright, go to work. I'll see you when I get back." I say. She gives me a tight squeeze before she's out the door and someone else is walking in. It's Louis.

"Bye Rebecca. So how are you doing? Freaking out?" He asks.

"Obviously." I tell him making him shake his head.

"Come here." He says. I walk up and hug him tightly.

"You'll be fine. What time are you leaving anyway?" He asks me.

"Not sure. I think I want to see my parents first now. Then I can find out if they're okay with me picking up Thomas." I say.

"Alright. Can I expect a message or a call tonight?" He asks.

"I can't promise anything, but I'll try to remember." I say and he gives me a funny look.

"I do have other things on my mind." I tell him.

"Right, I know. Don't worry about it, okay?" He says.

"Okay. Well, do you want to walk me down?" I ask.

"No." He says with a straight face. I grab my bags and walk out anyway.

"Not without a kiss!" He says as I walk to his place.

"Bye Harry." I say quickly, but leave him enough time to wave and wish me luck.

"Phoebe..." Louis whines my name. I turn to face him.

"Yes?" I ask. He comes up to me to peck my lips as he snatches my bag.

"Thank you." I tell him.

"Well, I could kiss you more once we get downstairs." He says.

"Oh I think I could manage that." I tell him. We get down to the car and he tosses the bags in.

"You look nice." He says and I laugh at the comment. I'm wearing black skinny jeans and a grey sweatshirt with black Keds.

"Thank you for that." I tell him. He kisses me and I kiss back, enjoying the moment.

"Alright, I've got to go. I will try to get to you tonight." I tell him.

"Good luck." He says leaving me one last peck. I nod before hopping in my car, waving as he started to disappear. It's weird, but I was actually going to miss him.

*

I pulled into the driveway of my former home around eleven in the morning. I knew my mum would be home. She worked nights at the local hospital. She would be just waking up from her nap. I turned the car off and stared at my hands. My phone went off saying I've arrived. This was going to be hard. I can't even get out of the car at the moment. I look up at the house and see my mom in the kitchen inside, going about her business, making tea it seems. I can see her through the picture window where a Christmas tree is clearly in sight. I open the car door and slowly make my way to the front door. I had taken the time to make myself more presentable at a pit stop on the way. My hand finds the bell and my ears hear the woman inside telling me she'll be right there. The door opens and her smile fades. I can't do this. I open my mouth, but I can't do anything and I'm angry at myself. Why can't I move?

"Phoebe." She says quietly. My eyes brim with tears. The woman in front of me steps closer, scaring me at first. She pulls me into a hug. I choke on air and hold her back.

"Oh my god Phoebe!" She says and hugs me closer.

"Mum." I whisper. I can feel my body shaking and gripping onto her for support.

"Oh I miss you, I miss you, I miss you..." She uttered over and over.

"Come in, come in. We have to catch up on everything." She says while wiping her eyes. I nod and follow her. I take a seat on the couch next to her.

"Where-how?" She mutters.

"I got here just a few minutes ago." I tell her.

"Let me get my tea." She says and I laugh.

"So, what have you been doing? Where have you been? Are you on the street? Do you have a job?-"

"Do you want me to start from when I first left?" I ask her, trying to avoid the fact that I cut her off. She nods. That would be easier than having to answer all of this.

"Well, I found a job at this Bookstore in London and the owner is this really sweet old man named Dean. He let me stay in the back of the shop the first few months I was there. Then, I had started Uni, and it wasn't the easiest thing to pay for, I'm going to be completely honest about that, but I've been paying and managing. I met my now best friend Rebecca in Uni and we ended up getting a small place, letting me leave the book store, but I still worked there for a few hours every day and on the weekends. Now I work there full time and run the store. Anyways, last year Rebecca and I decided we could afford to get a nicer apartment seeing she's the assistant tech teacher at a high school. So we moved. Funny thing, our neighbor ended up being Harry Styles from that band that was on the X Factor, that show that dad used to make fun of all the time. A few months ago his friend Louis moved back in. Now, Louis and I are dating. He's taken me out a few times and he's very sweet. He's really funny, too. And I guess that's about it. There was a guy I went out with as Louis and I were becoming friends, but he ended up being engaged, which was awful to go through. Yet, here I am." I say. She nods, taking it all in.

"I'm honestly proud of you. You went from what seemed to be ruining it all, to building yourself up. I can't believe it!" She says and hugs me tightly.

"How have you guys been, Thomas and Dad?" I ask.

"Well, Thomas talks about you all of the time, always wondering how you've been. I tell him that I still haven't heard anything, but now I have! Dad is good. He's as goofy as usual, but loving the auto shop life." She says.

"Oh! There's also some other news. We have an exchange student staying with us from Italy. She's lovely, she really is and a complete sweetheart. She's a senior and she's asked about you before when she's seen your picture." Mum says.

"What's her name?" I ask.

"Dahlia." She answers. I nod.

"Do you have any pictures of this boy of yours?" She asks and I laugh.

"I didn't expect that. I might." I tell her. I go onto my phone and scan through my camera roll. There don't seem to be any to be found. I then head to the web app and check. I search up Phoebe and Louis and there are pictures that show up from the movie premiere. Oddly enough, there are other pictures on there as well, like us walking down the street. I pull up one from the movie premiere and show her.

"Well, you look lovely! And look at that handsome boy. You two are adorable in this picture. Can you get it?" She asks me.

"Well, it's online, but I can see if I can get it printed." I tell her.

"Oh Thomas is going to be so happy when he gets home from school." She says.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could pick up Thomas from school today, if you're okay with that?" I ask.

"Of course! Oh and you can take home Dahlia, too, if you don't mind." She says.

"I'd love to meet her. When do they get out today?" I ask.

"Well, they have a half day because it's the day for winter break. You've already been here for half an hour I can't wait for your father to see you and Thomas is going to be thrilled. Oh and Dahlia would love to see you." She says and the nervousness from before is gone. Pure excitement takes over.