replaced. {simon minter}

coming home {01}

"You're sure you have everything?" Sarah questioned as we entered the airport. I rolled my eyes as she continued, not letting me answer. "Oh, Thea I'm going to miss you. I can't believe you're going back to England! Wasn't it just yesterday you moved into my apartment?"

"I know, Sarah. I'm going to miss you too." I stopped her from responding by pulling her into my arms for a hug. She gladly accepted this and hugged me back even tighter, not saying a word.

"I'm going to miss you." She repeated, pulling back to look me in the eye.

"I know." I responded, "Thank you for letting me room with you while I was here."

An announcement interrupted our conversation, "Flight 214 to London, England is boarding now. Flight 214 is boarding now."

"Oh! That's you!" Sarah's eyes filled with tears as she pulled away.

"That's me!" I smiled, eyes welling with tears as well. As annoying as Sarah was right now, she was my best friend and it sucked that I couldn't bring her home with me. I would miss her so much when I finally realized I didn't have her to gossip with anymore.

"Okay, okay." She calmed herself, "Have a safe flight, text me when you land, tell Harry I love him!"

"I will, I love you, Sarah." I smiled sadly as I began to walk toward the gate.

"I love you too, Thea James! Don't forget to text me!"

I giggled, taking one last look at her and waving before turning toward the door to the plane that was taking me far away from the place I'd fallen in love with.

Baltimore had quickly become my home after I'd been offered a spot to study abroad in their marine biology program. My mom quickly jumped on the offer and sent me away. At first, I was terrified, but as soon as I met Sarah and got used to American culture, I felt very safe and happy here. It was so sad that my schooling was finished, and I was moving back to the UK. But if we're being honest, I'd been counting down the days till I'd be able to see my parents again, till I'd be able to see my very first best friend again.

Harry and I grew up in Guernsey together. Our parents were best friends, and we'd spent many days playing in his garden since I lived across the street from him. He was with me when my father passed, and when I was getting bullied for my retainer in grade school. When he moved to London before graduation, it made me so upset. I didn't get to see him as often, but he came home to see me graduate. Then, I moved into his flat in London for a little while with his friends Cal and Cal, until I left for Baltimore. Now, he was going to pick me up from the airport and allow me to stay in his flat again. I was honestly so lucky to have him.

The plane ride was long and boring, I watched all of the Twilight movies and even fell asleep for part of the journey. The stewardess had to wake me up when we landed, and I was amazed that I was even home.

Out the window of the plane, I noticed it was raining. I missed the London rain. Warmth bloomed in my chest, I was finally home.

I almost ran off the plane. I was so excited to see Harry that I didn't even recognize him at first, he had changed so much! Once I realized who he was, I bolted straight to him, and he enveloped me in a hug.

"Thea! I missed you so much!" Harry smiled, squeezing me tightly. I almost couldn't breathe. I laughed.

"Harry, you're killing me! Calm down, I've only been gone for four years."

"Four years is a long ass time!" He pulled away from the hug and reached down to grab the handle of my luggage.

"I see that, considering how much is changed with you." I looked him up and down, gesturing to his newly acquired muscles. He definitely didn't have those before I left.

"Oh, these?" He responded, "We had a football match this year, and I needed to bulk up."

"Sure, makes sense. Who's we?"

"Um, The Sidemen? My YouTube group?" Harry began to walk away from the terminal, leading me to his car. I still had no idea who he was talking about. When I left, it was just him making YouTube videos, on his own.

"Who are 'The Sidemen'?"

He hesitated, "You remember... Simon, right?"

How could I forget Simon Minter...

"It's him, and Ethan! You know Ethan from the flat, and some other guys who invited me to join their group on GTA in 2014. Since then we've been The Sidemen." He explained, closely watching my expression.

"Simon," I whispered under my breath, thinking of all the times we'd spent together before I left.

Simon... Wow, it was like a punch in the chest to hear his name. He was the love of my life for a time, he really still is. I never moved on, I never dated anyone else after we broke up. I couldn't. He loved me and I loved him, it would be like a stab in the back to date anyone else. At least, that's what I thought.

"Simon." I repeated, "How is he? Is he okay?"

Harry paused, looking into my eyes for confirmation on if it was okay to speak about him. I nodded, and he continued, "Simon is doing really great for himself. Um, he has a new girlfriend... Her name is Talia."

A deep breath to calm my nerves, and then an exhale to stir up the long-forgotten feeling of a broken heart. I looked away from Harry, fearing my eyes might betray my less than excited smile. Harry knew, though, that my heart was breaking. He hesitated again before putting his free arm around my shoulder. That's when the tears came, and they didn't stop coming till we got back to Halo tower.

Harry got out of the car first, popping the trunk so that he could collect my bags and throw them over his shoulder before opening my car door for me. He didn't say a word, only smiled sadly as he shut the door behind me. I looked around the parking garage, a million memories flooding back to my mind.

"It hasn't changed," I said with a shaky voice. I reached up to my wet cheek and wiped the remaining tears away.

"What'd you expect, a whole new parking garage?" Harry joked before pressing the call button on the elevator. I followed swiftly behind as the doors opened.

"No. I don't know, I guess I didn't expect as many... memories... to still be here." I responded as the doors shut behind us.

"Good ones I hope." Harry pressed his floor button and looked back at me hopefully.

"Mostly good ones. Some with S-"

"Don't!" Harry interrupted, "Don't think about him, Thea. It only makes you sad. I don't want you to be sad on the day you've come home."

"Too late." A memory of my first kiss with Simon passed through my mind. I sunk further into the corner.

"He's not worth your tears, Thea. He moved on, you deserve to move on too." I could feel Harry's eyes on me.

I thought that I'd gotten over it. I thought I was over Simon, but I wasn't. I deserved to be, but I couldn't. He promised me forever and then he moved on. How did he move on so quickly?

"Four years is a long time." Harry mumbled, "You deserve to be happy."

I don't know how he knew what I was thinking, but his words echoed in my head for the rest of the elevator ride. Four years is a long time. I did deserve to be happy, but I wanted to be happy with him.

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WELCOME TO REPLACED!

It's been so long since I've written a story that I actually like, and after fumbling over two thousand (not an exaggeration) story ideas, I finally wrote this! I am so proud of the road this story has taken and the world that I have managed to create. I hope you enjoy these characters as much as I do right now. Thank you guys so much for sticking around and waiting for this to be finished!

As always, I love you all and I am so thankful for the support along the way. 

-abigailprestonn