Dear Lottie

Chapter 4

Mufasa had just died when Mum, Steve and Laya came home. "We're home!" Laya called loudly. I ran to the top of the stairs and shouted back to them "Declan is staying over tonight!" I eagerly waited for a response "Right, do you two want something to eat?"

"Nah, it's alright, we've already had pizza!" I yelled back. I waited two minutes longer to see if she had a reply, but she seemingly didn't, so I ran back to my room to finish singing "Hakuna Matata" with Declan.

We came to the end of Lion King 1, 2 and 1 ½ . I had set up Declan's air bed when Zira died, because I was still struggling to accept that she did, in fact, die and she didn't come back. Ever. Unless Disney make Lion King 3, in that case I will send a strong worded, heart to heart, fully honest letter explaining how I think Zira should come back. Declan left as soon as Lion King 1 ½ finished to put on his 'pyjamas' which usually consisted of boxers and a hoodie. He popped his head round the door, absent of the hoodie. "Lottie, could I borrow a hoodie?" It was such a cliche between couples; to sleep in each other's clothes and I was unbelievably relieved that Leo wasn't there as it took me two years to shake 'Checlan' off. "Aww, that's cute...you want to sleep in my clothes!" I teased, pulling myself up to retrieve a Slytherin hoodie. I passed him the hoodie, but he didn't take it. "No. I will not wear a Slytherin hoodie!" I laughed and tucked it back into my messy wardrobe and swapped it for a pink Hollister hoodie. He took it from my grasp and did not think twice to pull it over his head. "What's so bad about Slytherin? I always found Draco Malfoy somewhat sexy." Declan looked at me like I was so stupid then sat on my bed, preparing himself for a lecture. "I'm Gryffindor, you're Slytherin. We are common enemies." I sat down next to Declan an absorbed the irony of what he had just said. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer...is that why you're wearing my hoodie?" We both laughed at my understandable epiphany and I tentatively listened to Declan flop onto the bed and tease his covers to get under them.

I handed him an earphone and retrieved my phone from under my pillows. "Here, listen to this." I let him force the earphone into his ear and hit play on my phone, letting Coldplay's "Us Against The World" ring softly through our ears.

Once the song finished, I looked straight to Declan. A pensive look had been slapped across his face. I waited seconds and eventually brought myself to playfully slap his arm, to which he jumped and looked straight at me. "That was deep." He exclaimed, with hidden laughter in his voice. "Really?!" I asked him, clearly annoyed "I show this song, with all the meaning in the world, hoping you would atleast take note of the title and realise how much I really care about you, but all you can say is 'That was deep'?" He looked at me, ready to laugh, but I'm guessing how much he really ticked me off got to him as he pulled 'The face'. Dammit, he did it again. He pulled the most cutest, puppy like face ever and believe me, no normal person could ever say no to it!

"Declan, stop it! Stop pulling that pathetic puppy face at me!" My words did not thaw his puppy-dog eyes. My words did not take a crane to his bottom lip and they did not lower his eyebrows. "Dammit." I gave into him and I immediately shot him a look of utter disapproval, just to show him I was still annoyed. "You won this time, but as a punishment, you have to listen to the song on repeat until you fall asleep!" He took the ear phone, wedged it in and nodded. "Night Lottie." He said, rolling over to face me. "Night Declan." I replied. I turned the lights out and hit play.