Holland Road | Mumford & Sons Fan Fiction

Chapter 4

xChapter 4x

Wednesday, January 15, 2003

12:11 P.M.

King's College School, Cafeteria

Ding-ding.

The lunch lady slams the door to the outdated cash register shut after putting in my money. Ouch, harsh. I didn't know I was that much of a bother to other people. Scooping up my lunch tray, I mumble a half-hearted "Thank you" and start walking briskly to my seat.

Like always, I make sure to keep my head down just to avoid eye-contact with any other students, eliminating the chances of me making eye-contact with someone and then feeling awkward. The lunch room is by far one of my least favorite places to be. Contrary to what most people would think, I actually really like people. humans being are great creatures. However, I'm not entirely positive if the people love me back. It's better stay safe and avoid them than to put myself out there and risk rejection.

A burst of laughter explodes from a table right as I'm passing by. My pace quickens and my head lowers even more as I spot my usual seat, all the while telling myself they weren't laughing at me.

I fall down with a humph into the plastic chair and notice a new addition to me and Ben's table.

"Hey, Sophie," I say politely before unscrewing the cap to my bottle of water. Sophie Lovett, Ben's little sister, just started year nine at our school and thinks she is the shit.

"I'm only sitting with you two because none of my friends are at school today," she grumbles and then takes a menacing bite out of her sandwich. "They all got to go on that trip and I didn't."

I choose to ignore her, even though it's rude. I've been noticing I've been very rude to a lot of people lately, but whatever. I have other more important things on my mind.

"So, Ben," I say in a low voice, leaning across the table. "I have a plan for something really sweet but you have to stick with me, here."

"Okay?" he says. The word sounds more like a question than a statement.

"So you know how Christian McBride is coming to the Empire next Monday?" I say, raising my eyebrows, knowing exactly what his response will be. Of course he knows, he's been just as excited about it as me.

"Yeah, spit it out," Ben tells me impatiently. He's probably one of the most impatient people that I know, honestly.

"I got two tick-"

"YOU WHAT!?" Ben yells, cutting me off, and slams both of his hands down on the table, nearly hopping out of his seat. Sophie glances up from the book she has laying in front of her, shakes her head, and looks back down.

"Yeah, but..." I pause and scratch the back of my head. "My mom says I can't go..."

Ben does a face-palm and shakes his head. "Are you serious?" he asks.

"But whatever. I have a plan," I say and lean forward. "I'm sneaking out."

"You would," he says, but he has a grin on his face that mirrors my own. "Do you think Colombo will be there?"

Valerie Colombo is a year older than me and Ben, but also one of the most badass people we have ever met. Her parents own Shephard's Bush Empire and I don't think I've ever met someone with cooler taste in music. Valerie isn't a very badass name, though, so instead we call her Colombo.

The mention of her automatically has Sophie tuned into the conversation. "I don't think Valerie likes it when you two call her Colombo," she says.

I've noticed recently that Sophie has developed some sort of fascination with Colombo. I think she might see her as some sort of role model or something. "Colombo is much better," I tell Sophie and then to Ben I say, "Yeah, I don't think she'd miss it for the world."

x x x x x

Wednesday, January 15, 2003

3:29 P.M.

Mumford Household

I tear open the door to the letter box and grab its contents. After flipping through bills and junk adverts, I find a small envelope with small neat handwriting on the front.

It's addressed to me.

"Marcus?" Mum yells once I enter the house. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, Mum!" I yell back. I toss everything but my letter on the kitchen table and dash up to my room.

For some reason I make sure to shut the door to my room, like I'm about to do something top-secret. While tearing the envelope open I feel a little jump in my stomach. It makes zero sense to me, but then again I have no clue what the contents are. The mystery is making me crazy.

I've been thinking about Carey's letter all day. What she would say to me, if she would care about what I had to say...

Why do I care so much about what this stranger thinks of me?

You know what, I don't care.

Well maybe just a little.

I pull the sheet of white paper out and unfold it slowly.

Dear Marcus,

I'm Carey Mulligan, but I guess you already knew that. I'm just going to be honet and say I don't really know what to say in this, so I think I'm just going to use everything you said to help me figure this out, is that alright? I guess it'll have to be.

First off, I'm 17, turning 18 in the spring! I'm in my last year, which is both great and terrifying. I really like theatre, I guess it's kind of my thing, like music is your thing.

Can you keep a secret? Because I might have applied applied to drama schools rather than universities without my parents knowing. Oops.

Well you seem like a really cool person and I look forward to being your pen pal for the next three months! Is it weird that I'm already trusting you with my secrets? I guess it's easier when I don't actually know you.

Sincerely,

Carey Mulligan

I set the paper down with a stupid smile on my face. I guess this wasn't what I was expecting. Her being so interesting, that is. She seems different, not much like most other girls I know.

And I think I like it.

{A/N} Yeah, a bit late, but I was pretty wrapped up in Love It and then I got the whole Mumford & Daughters idea so I just had to write that and yeah. But now that everything is scotch clear I can now update more often!

I drove to the store and bought myself an iTunes card today because I know if just buy music using my debit card I will blow all of my money in like an hour. Like no kidding I could seriously spend every penny I own on iTunes. But I got some super cool stuff and I'm so so so happy. I just added You've Got Time to my rather large collection of Regina Spektor so WOOHOO!

Thank you bbys for reading! I EL OH VEE EE YOU :) Have a fabulous rest of the weekend, my Lovelies!