My best friend... h.s

7

Sticks 'n' Stones - Jamie T

*

3 months later...

I was walking home from college in the early October evening, feeling the wind sweeping my hair from behind me and blowing it across my face covering my eyes. As I reached up to pull it back and allow me to see again I felt my head knock against something hard. I stepped back, presuming I had just had an encounter with a lamppost, but to my surprise the lamppost reached out his arms and held me up, stopping me from falling flat on my arse. I heard a soft recognisable chuckle before the mysterious object was revealed to me.

"Why is it every-time I meet you, I help you from falling over?" The lamppost questioned. I finally pulled the hair from my eyes to see a cute smirking face looking down at me. "Actually, that's a lie. The first time I met you I was helping you to stand up. But you were so plastered that you probably don't remember me, do you, darling?"

"Actually, Luke, I remember you perfectly. Although I don't think we've had the best start to this relationship." I smirked back up at him, surprised where this confidence had come from. "First you leave me stranded at a party with no one to walk me home and then you lie to me just now. Hopefully first impressions aren't everything." I winked at him, seeing him smile as well, before he abruptly turned his back to me.

A couple of seconds past before he turned back around, a mischievous look in his eye.

"Sorry, darling, I don't believe we've met. I'm Luke. And you are?" He said, trying to remain serious.

"I'm Florence, but I'm also late so I'm very sorry but I have to cut this introduction short." I said before turning on my heel to walk away. I took a couple of steps before looking back over my shoulder. "I'll see you round, Luke." I said with a wink before walking back home, only turning around once to find him gone as well.

***

I opened my door to be met with my dog, Luna. She licked my knee to say hello and let me stroke her head and ears before letting me through to the kitchen.

"Mum? I'm home!" I walked through the kitchen, throwing my keys on the side before opening the door to the hallway. I went up the stairs before knocking on her door to see if she was home. I got no reply so proceeded to go along to the end of the landing and up the next staircase into the attic room.

I had always wanted an attic bedroom, so when my parents converted our house to what it is now, they made the attic into my bedroom, with a cupboard against one of the walls to store all of the Christmas decorations and excess things people keep in their attics for no apparent reason. At one end, I had a large window, rounded at the top, with light, voile curtains edging the window. It had a small window seat underneath and was one of my favourite places to sit. The window looked over the houses opposite and the hills beyond them. The window let in a load of light in the evenings, given my room a soft, comforting glow. My vintage metal bed was underneath, with fairy lights strung around the headboard. I had two bedside tables, both with loads of pictures above them on the walls. They both had two little lamps that gave a yellow glow when turned on. It was magic.

The rest of my room was more plain. I had a simple desk in the corner opposite and an old wooden wardrobe that was about to break on the other side. It had been my grandparents though, so I was very reluctant to replace it. This room was my save haven. The only place I could truly relax and wind down. I sat down on the bed, looking over to one of my bedside tables. I looked at the pictures, the pictures of me, Abi and Ches smiling and laughing. I saw the photos taken on the last day, people I had never been friends with wanting a photo to 'remember me by'. I saw baby photos of me, photos of my with my family. The numerous photos of me with Harry. God, Harry. I missed him. He was always too busy at the moment. He had just finished the X factor about a month ago, and of course I had been there when him and 'One Direction' had not won. But now, they were becoming successful. Busy recording and doing press releases and a load of other stuff Harry had told me about but I had never realised would make him so busy.