selfish | salia

Chapter 25

thanks for 6k! you guys are the best

We were now in the taxi, roughly around five minutes away from pulling up outside my parents' house. The rest of the journey had been relatively peaceful, basically meaning that Simon and I hadn't butted heads again. Mostly because we had been too tired too, but it was still a win. 

I looked over at Simon, and by his body language I could tell he was nervous. I reached out over to him, my hand resting on the top of his, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

"There really is nothing to worry about, I promise," I reassured him. "Mum loves you, Dad will too. Trust me."

He seemed to soften up once again at my words, and I smiled, looking back out of the windows. We were nearly there, I recognised this road. I used to walk up and down it every day on the way to school. Further up the road there was a park, I remember having my first kiss there at age thirteen, with a boy whose name was now long forgotten. 

And then just round this corner - "Look! There's the house," I said proudly, a three storey house coming into view, with ivy crawling up the side of the building. Mum's trees out front had grown a lot since I had last been here, which was over a year ago now. 

"That's a nice house," Simon commented, letting go of my hand now as the taxi came to a halt. 

I mumbled a quick thank you to the driver, we had already prepaid, before exiting the car and hauling my suitcase out of the boot, dumping it onto the stones in the driveway, 

The front door opened, and the first person to come out was my Dad. I forgot about everything else, sprinting over to engulf him in a tight hug. I had missed his hugs terribly, they always made me feel so secure. 

From behind him I heard my Mum's voice welcoming Simon, I'd leave those two to bond for a little while. 

"I've missed you kiddo," my Dad said, looking at me fondly. 

"I missed you too...I'm sorry for not visiting, I was just so busy with everything back down in London and never found the time..."

"Stop rambling, Talia, it's alright, you're here now! Me and Mum listened to the music you released...Angele had to help us find it on Spotty - Fry," He scratched his head, whilst pronouncing Spotify completely wrong. I didn't have it in me to correct him. 

"I'm glad you liked it! It wasn't meant to come out when you did, and I'm sorry for not warning you about it, something came up and I just had to release it," I admitted. I wasn't going to tell him or my Mum about Owen's threats, they had been worried about me enough after our breakup. 

"So," He spoke, changing the subject. "I take it that's the boyfriend over there?" He asked, eyeing him up. 

"Yep, that's him, that's Simon," I said happily, smiling over at my boyfriend and my Mum. "Promise me you'll be nice to him...no silly threats or anything, I told him you're a softie...don't make me regret it."

"I am a softie! But okay, I won't terrorise the lad. I will, however, take him out for a chat in the back garden...if that's alright with you, Mrs Haddock...or should I say Mrs Mar now?" He teased. 

My actual name was Natalia Haddock, but after starting YouTube I went by Talia Mar. Only my family and school friends knew my real name, not because I was actively hiding it but just because it had never come up in conversation.

I rolled my eyes at him, calling out Simon's name. Him and my Mum walked over, I quickly whispered a good luck to him before he was led off by my Dad. 

Now I was alone with my Mum, and she took me in her arms. "Oh, I've missed you! And you surprised us with your music! We loved it, and we're so proud of you Talia!" She told me, and I could see tears brimming in her eyes.