Freeze

Chapter Ten

Holly stared at the scarf still sat on her dressing table, serving as a reminder that she'd hadn't seen him yesterday. It shouldn't matter, and although Holly told herself she just wanted to return his scarf, deep down she knew it was something more.

Holly had spent most of the previous day in her pyjamas. She'd reluctantly said goodbye to her sister stood on the doorstep in a grey hoodie and festive red pyjama bottoms which were covered in a white snowflake pattern.

"Don't be so hard on yourself" Jess said as she pulled out of Holly's embrace.

She was talking about Holly's feelings for Gary. Holly nodded slowly, as the feeling of guilt pulsed through her.

"Text me when you're back" Holly called as Jess headed to the waiting car, Scott already in the drivers seat with the two kids strapped in in the back.

Gary hummed to himself as he made a cup of tea. He'd barely been able to get the tune out of his head since he'd written it yesterday. The song still felt unfinished. Much like whatever had passed between him and Holly.

He doubted it would ever go on an album, even in it's current unfinished state it felt far too personal to share. It was about his feelings, about a moment in his life where everything had changed, and whilst he'd inevitably draw on his own experiences for songwriting he'd rarely write anything quite so personal. Even at sixteen, when he'd written A Million Love Songs, he hadn't written that for anyone; it hadn't been about him putting his heart on the line.

The house was so much quieter now Ella and Josh had gone home. Holly could hear the indistinct murmurings of the radio from the kitchen. Holly's fingers drummed on the upholstered arm of the sofa. A thought was forming in her mind.

"Mum?" Holly asked, her drumming fingers immediately ceasing. "What number do the Barlow's live at?"

Holly's mother tried to suppress her smile as she answered. "Number 33."

Holly nodded calmly, an impatient index finger tapping on the arm of the chair at a furious rate.

Suddenly Holly jumped up startling her father, who had paid no attention to their conversation, his newspaper crumpling as he looked over the top of it to see the commotion.

"Everything alright?" He questioned as his daughter bolted out of the living room.

"Yep!" Holly shouted over her shoulder as she ran upstairs.

Holly grabbed Gary's scarf in her hand and checked her reflection in the landing mirror. She smoothed down her hair and darted back in to her room to apply a coat of lip gloss before bounding down the stairs.

"I'm popping out" Holly shouted over her shoulder as she threw on her coat, grabbed a set of keys and stepped out on to Bedford Drive.

Holly walked the short distance to number Thirty-Three quickly. She didn't want to give herself time to decide this was a bad idea. She was just going to drop in unannounced on a pop star she'd fallen for during his Christmas holidays. No big deal.

Holly took a deep breath as she rang the door bell of number Thirty-Three and rocked back on her heels.

Gary was in the garden with his father collecting eggs from the dozen or so chickens he kept. The weak sun hung low in the sky and the winter wind whistled around him, rustling the chickens feathers.

Gary heard the trill of the doorbell and his mothers footfalls heading to open the door. The chickens clucked and scurried from him as he reached in and wrapped his hand around the freezing cold egg shell.