Gatehouse Lane

chapter sixteen

I sat there on the floor in the middle of the hallway, tears pouring down my face, ruining my make up, as I held the object in my hand twirling it around my fingers. My head fell to my hands as my knees were brought up to my chest. Loud footsteps came down the hall as I looked up to see Louis, awkwardly standing a few steps away from me. My mascara had run down my cheeks, making me a mess as Louis just stared at me.

“Urhhhhhh, Elly help?” he slowly backed up like I was a lion about to eat him or something, disappearing and soon enough Elly was walking up to me, sitting beside me on the floor. Her arm wrapped around my shoulder as she softly comforted me.

“What’s wrong sweetie?” she tilted her head so it was leaning on mine, her lavender hair mixing with my dirty blonde. I didn’t say anything, instead I just held up the object, sniffing as she took it from my hands. “This is beautiful Liv,” she twiddled the object through her fingers, me just nodding, leaning into her as she held me close in a friendly hug. She dropped it back into my hands; I just stared at it, memories once again flooding into my mind. “So, how about we skip work today and go do something fun?” she screamed, clearly excited about her idea. I just shook my head.

"No, I haven’t been to work in a while, I should really go,” I didn’t meet her gaze; I just stared at the object still in my hand. “Do ya mind helpin me with this?” I gave her the object and she wrapped it around my wrist.

“Fine, be a goody, goody, in fact you can be my cover, tell them I’m sick alright? I’ll still drive ya don’t worry,” she winked and stood up, walking back down the hall. I sat there for a while longer, staring at the silver object hanging onto my wrist, a smile creeping onto my lips as I remembered how I got it, how I got this beautiful bracelet from my sister.

FLASHBACK TO WHEN SHE WAS SEVEN

“Wake up sleepy head, wake up,” I was jumping on my sister’s bed early in the morning; I was way to excited to wait for her to wake up. “Wake up, it’s my birthday, it’s my birthday hurry up and wake up,” I scream, still jumping on her. She groaned, rolling off her side and onto her back as she looked up at me, her blue eyes filled with humour, as I was so eager to get my presents and her blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun, reveling her beautiful face. I always look up to her, wanting to be as pretty as her.

“Alright, alright if you stop jumping I’ll get you you’re presents,” I stopped straight away, staying on her bed as she went into her wardrobe returning with two small gifts. “Now,” she began, “this one is from me, you can open it now,” she hands me the smaller box, wrapped perfectly with a bow on top, “wait,” she squealed as I started to tear apart the decorated paper covering the small box, “this one you have to wake mummy up for because it’s from both of us,” her smile was the biggest as she watched me viciously rip apart the paper. A small white box with a pink bow is under the paper. I struggle to untie the ribbon so Katie snatches it, opening it herself, clearly excited for me to see her gift. My jaw drops at the beautiful silver chain bracelet, one small heart and one big heart over lapping the smaller one dangling over the edge.

“Katie,” I squeal, wrapping my arms around her neck, “it’s beautiful Katie thank you, thank you, thank you,” I squealed more, jumping up and down before running out of the room and doing the same to my parents; Katie slowly following behind me and sitting at the end of our parent’s bed, a huge grin spread across her face as she held the other present. My brother joined her, wrapping his arms around her as they sat together at the end. After I opened my other presents from my family, my brother and dad, fled to go have breakfast, leaving my mum, my sister and I.

“Alright Livy, now you can open this one,” my mother handed me a box as Katie sat next to her, snuggling into her side, me sitting in front of them. I slowly opened the box, a small teacup sitting inside. I pull it out, a white cup with baby pink flowers on it. I recognize it quickly.