Strong • W2S

XXV

Chapter Twenty- Five

The journey to Glasgow was absolutely horrendous, we stopped almost every hour meaning that the journey took way longer than what it should've. Layla and Cal were bickering the entire time about the most stupidest of things whilst Harry and I considered driving to the nearest train station and getting on the first train to Glasgow. By the time we reached my parents house I was surprised that we'd actually made it in one piece considering the explosive argument that happened in the back seat between Layla and Cal. I'd came to the conclusion that I'd never travel this long of a distance in a car with them two ever again, especially when Layla was hormonal... if you thought she was bad before, you'd fucking hate pregnant Layla.
Harry was so nervous when we parked in my parents driveway bless him. The second my mum noticed a car pulling in she ran outside to greet us.
"Erin! Oh Layla! I've missed you girls so much."
"Hiya mum, oh mum this is Harry." Harry emerged from the driver's seat and closed the door behind him slowly making his way over to the three of us while Cal got the bags and suitcases from the boot of the car.
"Harry! It's so nice to finally meet you. GARY! Come out here." Mum yelled for my dad who was already stood at the door with his arms crossed. "Jesus Ellie I'm here. Who's this." I opened my mouth to speak but Harry bet me to it. "Hello Mr Barnes I'm Harry, Erin's boyfriend." Boyfriend? Since bloody when! He held his hand out to shake my dad's which THANKFULLY he shook.
The six of us headed into the house after a few minutes of speaking to one another, mum led us through to the kitchen but dad stayed put in the hallway with the boys.
"Ellie, I have some news for you." I expected Layla to announce her pregnancy to my mum but I didn't expect for her to do it straight away, we'd literally just walked through the door but then again Layla waits around for nothing.
She passed my mum the scan picture she had taken last week and the second my mum clicked on her eyes filled up with tears. "Oh! OH Layla! Sweetheart, I'm so happy for you!" Layla was practically my mother's third daughter, she loved her like one anyway even though she had no relation to us or our family whatsoever.
"Ellie are you crying again?" My dad was used to my mother crying, sometimes it felt as though that's all she ever did— she was a very emotional woman. "Ah shut up, Layla's having a baby I'm allowed to cry."
"A baby! Aw Layla hen I'm so happy for you!" Dad gushed pulling her in for the biggest cuddle.
"Holy fuck Er, you were right he is hot! Hi I'm Ella." My younger sister entered the room and greeted Harry by holding her hand out for him to shake. Within the few minutes we'd been in the house I saw a different side of Harry, he seemed so relaxed around new people and that was so strange considering he was usually such an awkward person.
"Shut up, where's Ronnie?" I asked pulling her in for a hug. "Upstairs as always, he hasn't left his room in days." I nodded and began making my way upstairs leaving everyone in the kitchen. I knocked on the door once before letting myself in the room, Ronnie was sat on his bed scrolling through his phone smoking a joint.

"Shit I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow." He sat up the second he realised it was me who entered the room and locked his phone so I wouldn't see what was on it... strange. "I told Angie I'd give her a hand with the funeral, how you holding up?" Sitting on the edge of his bed I picked up the packet of cigarettes that lay half open and took one from it. Ronnie passed me a lighter and an ashtray as he answered me. "Shit, fucking absolutely shit. I miss him man"
"I know, I do too. What happened with the Jacksons then?"
"I gave them the money and told them that the business was done. I'm done with that life for good, to be honest I'm thinking about moving away from here." My eyes widened I never once expected to hear those words come from my brothers mouth, he'd always said that he'd stay close to mum and dad and would never move within a two mile distance.
"Move away? Where too?" He shrugged his shoulders.
"Well I was gonna ask if I could move in with you for a bit? Just until I get on my feet."
"I would say yes but there's no room Ron, Layla's pregnant amd there's already basically four of us in the flat. I'm sure I can sort you out somehow though but why London and why now?"
"I don't know man— this shit with Dylan's just made me realise it's not worth it. You did the right thing getting out of here, I should've listened to you Erin." I nodded my head slowly as Ronnie put his head in his hands and sighed.
"Listen Ron, if you're really sure about moving away then you can come back to London with us. I'll speak to my boss when I get back to work and see if I can sort you a flat close to me. Until then you can sleep in my room, I'm sure I can stay with Harry for a while." His head shot up and he instantly pulled me in for a hug with a huge smile on his face, I genuinely couldn't remember the last time I'd actually saw Ronnie smiling so that in itself made me grin.