Broken Youth

Chapter 29

~ Chapter Twenty-Nine ~

<listen to amnesia by 5sos, daylight by 5sos, little things by 1d- it makes you feeeeeeeel>

••Harry••

I looked up from my book, staring out the window at Jess' new house; just down the road from Megan's.

Meg was selling.

After ruffly 2 years there, she was leaving. I think she's a bit upset, given the fact I stayed there for the majority of last year and we called it home. But she's happy with leaving that house for the next; Jess asked her to move in. It made sense, as Meg's was only 8 doors down, so she could still call it home, and write about the same entrance and overgrown garden. However, the big, hilarious problem is that it's a 2 bedroom house. Not funny? Mali's moving in too. I recon she's pretty done with kipping in between Jess' house and the Clark family home. And so after a year of doing so, she finally put her foot down and made Meg sell so the three very close friends could join in. I couldn't help but wonder what would be done if and when Gemma arrived. Chaos; absolute chaos. But then again; we're boys so I guess we couldn't care less. Jade's agreed that she'll take Jessica's old house- just three blocks away from ours (The Styles'), the Tomlinson's and Ashton's. Jess' was closer to her parents but I think she enjoyed that; until Megan came along. Now Jade's taken the burden of checking on her elders (not that it is much of one) and occasionally kipping over at Ash's if it's requested.

Funny how in a year so much can change.

The girls moving in with each other. Jade moving into Jess' old house. Kate and Ross still working high-end jobs, their lives nearly always in danger. (But working with the Judges in court with the President always was going to be). Ashton and the other boys now adapting to life without Luke. Zayn finally sorting his shit out after Georgia left. (Liam and Louis knew it was going to happen, so I guess they're fine). Jade getting closer with the rest of us, her original hatred towards Meg now all gone. Megan attempting at getting over Luke suddenly leaving.

Luke leaving. It's weird saying that. It seems like only yesterday when he gave me the letter explaining everything, his heart and mind in the straight letters on the page. I re-read it when Megan got hers- I needed to remind myself he had told me, and that it wouldn't be long until his time was up and he was needed back here. But Meg still hasn't asked the damn question. And now it's starting to take it's toll on me: I miss him. I miss Luke. Really fucking much and it's foreign to me even thinking it but I've said it aloud several times to Louis and he's agreed. Luke was a big part of our lives, but weren't we all? It's still odd without Georgia. And hell I missed Marley. I still miss Gemma, a shit load, but we learnt to deal with it and we've learnt to deal with Luke's absence. It just took longer.

*

"Feels like it's been years since we were all in here." Ashton smiled to himself, running his hand along the ledge above the fireplace. I shuffled so I was sat more comfortably on the window seat, the dust whirring up into the air, dancing with the shadows. I watched him as his long fingers touched every photo around the room, seemingly re-playing the memories.

"It has been a while. I guess with the girls moving and Mali arriving and Luke leaving, we've never all actually been in here to enjoy each other's company. It's stupid as fuck and it's really damn soft of me to say, but I do miss it." Ash laughed.

"You always say that."

"Say what?"

"'It's really fucking' whatever or 'really damn' whatever. Yes, it might be soppy but you don't need to say it before you say something." I rolled my eyes at him as he finally stopped fingering the damn photos and sat down on the couch opposite me.