Haroline (Larry)

.01

Dreaming wasn't something I do often.

Most people have dreams everyday or at least once every now and then, but I haven't had a dream in 5 years.

So when I abruptly woke up from having my first dream in last 5 years, which only lasted 10 minutes, I was pretty pissed.

It was all because my mom had "innocently" decided to hit the brakes, which sent my body to jerk forward and hit the front seat. She turned and looked back at me as I rubbed my head with a scowl on my face. Then, she had the audacity to laugh at me.

"We are here. By the way, wear a seatbelt next time." She said with a laugh as she got out the truck.

I groaned and rubbed my now aching head as I looked out the window.

My jaw dropped to the floor, literally.

My first thoughts were how hideous our new apartment looked. As dull as the rest of the land looked around here, the pink-tinted apartment building stood out the most. It was divided into three flats. There was one at the top, being the smallest of all the other flats. The biggest flat was ours. The last one was hidden away at the bottom, sort of like a cellar. In the front yard of the apartment was a large-wooden sign that said "Pink Palace Apartments".

God, even the name was cheesy.

I got out of the truck as soon as we parked to get a better look at things. The cold foggy wind made me shudder instantly. As I moved closer, I could see the chipped pink paint on the entire apartment. I began to mentally cringe at it. I couldn't believe I had to stay in this apartment for the next year and 5 months...not that I'm counting or anything.

Mum said I'd have to finish Uni before I'd be able to move and live somewhere else on my own. But that's so far in the future that I shouldn't even be thinking about it.

I looked back to see my mum chatting heavily with one of the U-haul movers. She barked out in laughter and swayed her hips as if their conversation about the flat was the most interesting thing in the world. I shook my head in disgrace.

Waiting in boredom and slight curiosity, I walked up closer to our flat and up the white wooden stairs that were in front of me. Each step I took made a whiny creaking sound which made me wince. I passed by the welcome mat and walked inside.

It was officially the ugliest flat I've ever walked into.

The wallpaper on the walls were a yellowish-pink color with brown stains on the corners, the living room had ancient-looking furniture surrounded by dust, and from what I've seen so far, I couldn't even bare the walk into the kitchen. I was just about to take the courage to walk upstairs, when a hard force made me clumsily fall on the floor.

"Sorry son, didn't even see ya' there. We gotta move this couch outta here so we can bring the new one in, ya mind helpin' us?", said one of the movers as he stood holding the front end of the old, dusty couch that was in the living room.

I nodded and got up on my feet to help him.

After several minutes of adjusting, pushing, and sweating, we had gotten the old couch out of the house-which was now tossed in the dumpster-and managed to bring in our new bright red couch. The two men chatted and walked back out to get more things while I sat on the couch.

I pulled out my phone and noticed three new texts from louis, my boyfriend of 5 months now. I instantly read them.

9:46 AM
"Goodmornin babe, lmk when you get to your new apt. Im gonna come visit you sometime today ;)"

11:55 AM
"Babeeee?"

1:34 pm
"you better be pretty busy not to text me back! just wanna know if you made it >:( Ill be there at 2"

Shit.

I definitely hadn't paid attention at all to my phone during the whole trip at all. I looked at the time and saw 1:57pm on my phone.

Shit.

I definitely didn't expect him to actually come by today to help us move in so soon. Don't get me wrong though, I definitely miss him and I wanna do nothing more but be in each other's arms...but my mom isn't the biggest fan of Louis and I definitely don't wanna put up with pleasing both of them at the same time just to get them to be cordial towards each other.

I sighed and texted him back.

"sorry lou. had my phone on DND and just now seeing your texts. we just made it and okay, just call me when you're here. xo"

I clicked the lock button on the side of my phone.

I couldn't help but notice the two old pictures in front of me. The first picture was of two young girls, who looked to be 11 to 12 years old. The girl on the left was holding a creepy doll with button eyes that looked exactly like her. They both looked normal and happy. I looked over at the other picture, which was just a picture of a boy who looked around 11-12 and he, too, was holding a doll whom had button eyes and looked like a replica of him. I glanced back and forth at the pictures, noticing something off about them but not knowing exactly what.

I got off the couch and walked up closer to the picture frames. There I noticed in the back behind the two girls, was a shadow figure. It looked to be a woman. She had two button eyes and a wicked smile. It was like a demon trapped was trapped inside the mother figure.

I jolted up from my seat when I felt a hand on my back. I turned around to see my boyfriend, Louis, smiling at me.

"You're so easy to scare, Haz."

"God Lou, you scared the shit outta me. I thought I told you to call when you got here?"
I stood up from my seat to hug him.

Louis and I have been dating for a year now and he's 20, while I'm 17.

"Well I wanted to surprise you babe. I would say that the flat looks nice but...right now it looks like hell" I chuckled and hit him playfully on the shoulder.

"I'd call you a dick, but it's true." I sighed. "I hate that I have to live here for the next year and a half". He looked at me sincerely.

"Babe...you know I told you could live with me. If you just-"

"Lou my mum will never let me. She barely lets me out on dates with you". He frowned.

"Is it because I'm older than you? I thought we were over this."

"No, no. Its not that. Its just my mum is still adjusting to me going out on dates with, guys, I guess. You know she didn't take the whole 'coming-out' thing well. I mean, she claims she doesn't care who I prefer but.. I know she does.." I said looking down at my feet.

"Hey, babe, look at me. That's not gonna stop what's between us. She has no right to judge you. Or us." He said as he leant closer, planting a soft kiss on my lips.

I hesitated, but then immediately melted into the kiss, forgetting every worry I had and that I was in a fucked-up looking flat. I imagined being able to spend countless time with Lou and living in a new flat together. Just us.

The kiss began to get hotter and somehow in a swift of the moment, Lou had me pinned against the couch marking up my neck. I leaned my head back more and slowly opened my eyes to look straight ahead of me.

The feeling of louis' soft lips on my neck began to feel numb, as my eyes were glued on the evil looking mother in the picture frame-which somehow- was now more visible on the picture than ever before, staring back me with her black eyes.

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