The Fatal Flaw | LT

XXXIV

CHAPTER XXXIV

January (three weeks later)

"Mom, I'm sorry but I can't come. I'm really bummed about it but I have the internship at the hospital starting on the day of my birthday. I can't come home. You can continue celebrating Harry's birthday without me." I said stopping my work sheets and putting a hand on my forehead.

"We understand love; we're just a bit upset." She said over the phone. "Well, I have to go. I'm on call for the hospital tonight. I love you!"

"I love you too, mom." I said before hanging up the phone.

I let out a huge sigh and rubbed my face. As I was starting to write again, I felt a pair of hands on my shoulder, slowly massaging it. I didn't have to look up to know who it was.

"What's wrong, love?" Louis asked, taking off his shirt and throwing it across his room.

He just got off school and I went to his house, after he insisted that he wants to go home to me.

"I can't make it down to Holmes Chapel for our birthday." I bit my lip. "I think my mom planned a huge birthday party for us, since she sounded so upset over the phone. I think she's looking forward to meeting Niall and the rest of the gang. Harry's bringing his new girlfriend, I think."

"Girlfriend? Oh yes, he told me about a girl he's been courting." He said, still massaging my shoulders. "Wait, why can't you come?"

"I have the internship at the hospital for a few weeks and it starts right at the day of my birthday." I said with probably the twenty-eighth sigh this evening. "It's a week away and I feel bad for bailing on my own birthday party. My mom's been talking a lot about how she wants you to be there."

"I'm sure they understand, love." He kissed my forehead. "We can always come down there or your mom can postpone your birthday."

"I know but it still upsets me." I sighed again. "I don't want to postpone it; I want to be with them on my birthday. I'm turning twenty and I have never spent a birthday without them, not one. Even Gemma takes time off, for our birthdays when she started working."

"I am not good at comforting people, love. But, we can figure something out. It's just one of the many birthdays that are still yet to come. We can go down there as soon as you finish your internship."

"You're right." I said dropping my pen.

"Wait, what time is your internship?"

"It's 8am to 5pm on weekends and 5pm to 9pm on weekdays." I said, gathering my books and shoving it in my bag.

"My future doctor." Louis chuckled as he ruffled my hair.

"My future Manchester United player." I giggled.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

-

The first of February.

I think I was thankful that my stupid alarm didn't wake me up today but instead the ringing of my phone, the sound of marimba echoed in my dorm room.

"Happy Birthday!" Me and Harry said in unison before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"You're old." I giggled as I pressed my phone between my ear and my shoulder as I went to fix myself a coffee.

"Hey, mind you we're just the same age!" I can hear his pout through the phone.

"Yeah but you're older!"

"By seven minutes!"

"Now you recognize that." I laughed before biting my lip and leaning against my counter, a wave of sadness sweeping over me. "First birthday that we're apart."