Little Irwin

Chapter 18

OK THANK YOI TO THE AMAZINGLY NICE COMMENTS I WILL COMTINUE THIS AND STILL EDIT AND ALL THAT SHIT I LOve you all (@rachael_the_penguin you now have a real reason to fangirl)

Have you ever been reading, yet your mind is somewhere else? Your eyes still scan the pages, creating words and phrases that would normally bring some type of emotion yet you aren't even paying attention? Like the saying, 'in one ear, out the other'. Anyone who passes by you would think you were reading by the constant page turning, eyes trailing along the words. Yet, here I am, mind elsewhere while all thoughts of the fictional universe that lies inside my book slip completely. I love reading, so why can't I focus?

Worry, anxiety, fear.

I was fretting over the same thing: my dad finding me. I know he will, because happy endings don't really exist. Yet, I can't help but obsess over the details, like what his emotion towards me will be. Angered? Upset? Disappointed? If there's one thing I hate in this world, it's disappointing people. Amd it seems that's all I can do lately.

With a sigh, I gently close my book with something to keep my place as I move from my position. It was morning time, nearly noon, and I was still in bed. I sat my book on the nightstand, no interest in doing really anything, before grudgingly pulling my lathargic body out of the soft, cotton confines. The house was oddly silent, yet it was my first morning here so maybe it was normally like this. "Dan? Phil?" I yelled out from the living room.

"What do you want, tiny human?" Dan's voice gradually got louder as he walked into the room I had sprawled across the couch in. Phil trailed behind him, staring at a camera facing himself. He was off in his own world, talking to it.

"Tiny human needs to eat." I said. He nodded and lead me to the kitchen, getting ingredients out for brunch. I hopped on the counter with my legs dangling in front of me, heels softly hitting the wooden cabinets. "What are you making?"

"Freaking Delia Smith pancakes." He said, grinning.

"You're so domestic." I laughed. "I meant you and Phil, but pancakes are cool too." I said.

"Oh, that. We're making a 'Day in the Life' video today. Wanna come with?"

"Me?" I asked in awe. "But it's usually a you and Phil thing." I said.

"Because we're the only ones that live here but now you're staying so, welcome to a life of YouTube!"

-

"Okay so we're on another mission; we need to get tiny human," Dan spoke to the camera, quickly pointing it at me. "Some running shoes."

"Say what?" I asked.

"Tiny human is very sassy." Phil said from my other side as Dan switched the camera to him.

"Tiny human is right here." I grumbled, crossing my arms over the tank top I had on.

"Anyways," Dan said. "We're gonna get her running shoes and go grab a cheeky nando's-"

"Really?" Phil said with a mix of sarcasm and exasperation. "Stop talking like that, we all know you're secretly Winnie the Pooh." Dan's face heated and he put his hand over the lense before smacking Phil with an audible noise.

"Well then..." I said. I took the camera from Dan's hand as they started smacking each other in the middle of the sidewalk. In public. I pointed it at myself as they fought in the background. "While those two do whatever that is, I'm gonna go exploring." I grinned before calling behind me to yell, "Hey dweebs! Get a move on." They snapped up and stared at me. I sighed and started walking as they followed behind me. "Why are they following me? I literally have no idea where anything is." I laughed slightly.

They eventually caught up and Phil took the camera to start complaining to Dan about his stomach that was going to eat itself if he didn't get food soon. Dan obviously replied with an eye roll while I just laughed. We ended up stopping at for food somewhere and quickly got back to the task at hand. "So what do you want your shoes to say?" Phil asked, focusing the camera on me from across the table.

"They'll say 'kill Phil' and on the side ',because he made me run'." I grinned. Phil pointed the camera back to his face, holding a look of terror.

"Oh..." Dan laughed from his corner of the booth next to Phil.

"Calm down Phil. She's too tiny to hurt you." I opened my mouth to protest when he continued with, "She can't even reach your neck." I pouted and grumbled to myself about how I wasn't that short.

-

Two hours later and we had gotten the shoes and were now making our way through London. Phil suddenly called me over. "Elizabeth? Come with me to look at this."

I walked over to where he was standing, looking at some street art. "That's really cool." I said in awe.

"Very. But anyways, tomorrow is Dan's birthday and I really want to do something special. Can you help?"

I pondered over it. "I thought he hated birthdays."

"He does, but I still wanna do this for him. So, will you?" I thought over it for another few seconds before agreeing to whatever he has planned. He grinned. "It's gonna be brilliant! First though, we need to..." I zoned out and stared around me. Everyone seemed so happy and carefree. I miss the days I didn't have to worry about a secret mother or my das coming after me for running away. I inwardly sighed. All the families of happy parents with their kids passed by the park across the street and I felt a pang in my heart. "Elizabeth? Are you lis- why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying." I said. Yet my voice was scratchy and I felt a sudden wetness on my cheeks. "Shit." I muttered quietly. "It's nothing important." I dismissed, wiping my eyes roughly with the back of my hand.

"If it's got you this upset it obviously isn't nothing." Phil said.

"I just," I choked. "I miss everyone. I miss my uncles and my cousins and my dad. Oh god I'm such a horrible child for leaving like that. I find out I actually have a mother and I leave when that's all I've wanted my entire life." I'm sobbing by the end, hands covering my face and bloodshot eyes. I feel two pairs of arms wrap around me as I shake with each cry, putting my hand over my mouth to silence them.

And as I stand in the middle of a sidewalk in a place I don't even know surrounded by people I just met, I realize just how strange life can be.