New Heights

Chapter 16

Chapter 16 –

I honestly just wanted to curl up a ball, I didn’t care that I was now waiting at the train station for the next train back to London. Luckily I didn’t have to wait long as the next was due to be here and leave in fifteen minutes. I hadn’t even been here in Gloucester for two hours and already I was heading back. I just wanted my mum or dad, or Megan and the girls to tell me everything would be okay and work out, but I’d blown it and now that was it.

I pretty sure Nathan and I weren’t even together anymore, it made me want to cry to think that I wouldn’t call Nathan my boyfriend again. I can’t believe that one football match would have led to this, even though we may be over I don’t think I could ever forget that football match if I tried. I remember how excited he got, the fact that my dad bought us all hotdogs, and we drank cola laughing for most of the time.

I cut my thoughts short as I really couldn’t bare that it was now over. I watched as people past me. Some rushing, some laughing, some holding hands, some with a determined look on their face, but no-one looked how I felt.

Then came the boarding call, I walked into the direction of the platform not caring that I was walking at a snail’s pace. It was like leaving Gloucester was really it, that it was the end and I wasn’t going back. I knew for a fact I wouldn’t be coming back here for a while, I couldn’t bare it.

Slumping on the window seat looking out from the platform I was still in a one track mind that I didn’t pay any attention to anything or anyone else in the carriage. To anyone else I probably looked like a complete mess, and it was true!

I was about to pull out my IPod and headphones, but thought better of it because most songs were about heartbreak and love and I wanted to think about anything but that. I hoped that the train would move soon because I really didn’t want to stay here any longer, goodness knows what I would be like back home once I’ve been and collected my stuff from the flat.

This is a last announcement for National Rail to London, leaving from platform seven very shortly. It’s like it was a warning call specifically for me, it took me a good few minutes but as I looked out the window at the platform my eyes fixed on the platform I was on, I stared at the number like it was a virus or something. Then I scrambled.

Instead of being on platform seven, I was on a train to goodness knows where on platform two. I have no idea how I got it wrong, I think it was because my thoughts were everywhere, but I knew platforms six to eight were on the opposite of the station and I had to run across a bridge to get there.

I grabbed my bag and phone and scrambled out the carriage and onto the platform, a few people looked at me weirdly but I wasn’t too bothered. I had to stop and gather my baring’s but when I did I spotted the bridge and began to run in the direction of the platform I was supposed to be on. I made my way, taking the steps as quickly as I could, though it was quite hard with the bag swinging in every direction (almost hitting people square in the face in the process).

I had to run around one more corner before I reached my destination, when I did my heart sank as I watched the train pull away beside me. So close yet so far! I noticed someone just like me running, though I’m not sure why since there was no way it was stopping. They weren’t running very fast but all I could make out was a tuft of brown hair.

Only then did I notice details, the hair I began to recognise, the navy joggers and hoodie. “Nath?” I shouted, he turned around and ran his eyes around until he found where the voice was coming from. “Lau?” he question blinking a few times just to make sure he was seeing correctly. I dropped my bag as he began to run to me, it was like one of those moments you saw in a cheesy romantic movie, only this time I didn’t care, and it was real – Nathan had come back!

“Nath – you – what?!” I mumbled in shock, I genuinely thought I had lost him, all the hope I’d had earlier had gone when he’d said those words, but now he was really here. “Lauren I’m so sorry I was so stubborn and selfish. It wasn’t you’re fault, like you said it was an accident that no-one could have predicted. I’m sorry about what I said earlier, I have so many emotions in my head that I just didn’t know what to do. We’ve both lost our little baby girl, we’re both hurting like hell, but I know it won’t do us any good if we’re apart. I love you Lau, I always have. We’ve been through so much there’ s no way I’m ever letting you go again” I did the most obvious thing and threw my arms around his neck, tip-toeing slightly before pressing my lips to his. His hands found my waist and I kissed him making up for the time we’d lost together.

I don’t know whether it was because I’d got him back, and half he weight from my shoulders had been lifted, or just for the fact I was kissing Nathan, but I can honestly say it was one of the best kisses of my life. A giggle escaped my lips making us pull apart, he grinned taking my hand and going over to pick up my bag. “You don’t have to go just yet” he whispered and we began walking back to his house. I was now so grateful my clumsy thinking had led me onto the train, would he have come after me if not?

Nathan decided we needed to take a detour on the way back, we ended up at a small row of shops which included a grocery, newsagents, and the shop Nathan stopped outside - the florists. Without telling me what he was doing, only making sure I waited outside for him, he went in to get goodness knows what- I had no idea what he wanted some flowers for.

He only took about five minutes, when he came out smirking with a carrier bag I was still unsure. I gave him a questioning look but he just shook his head and took my hand and we began the journey again back to his house. I was really intrigued by now, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t his mums birthday, or anyone else’s because I would have known about it, so I was stumped.

Back at his house when we had both taken our shoes off, and dumped our coats and bags in the hallway we ventured into the kitchen. He still held the bag with the flowers and only when we were sat down with a cup of tea did he get them out. “First one single red rose to show how much I love you” he handed it to me and I smiled, doing that thing where you smell it even though to be quite honest it didn’t really smell very much. “Thank you it’s beautiful” I gave him a quick kiss on his lips though it was tempting to kiss him for longer.

“I bought this as well” out of the bag he pulled out a plant in a pot, I wasn’t sure what the flower was so I waited for him to elaborate. “A white rose plant, I thought we could plant it in the garden in memory of Ella Rose. The white rose is perfect, not only because of her name, but the white represents her purity and our love for her” I was taken aback, I never even thought about doing anything like this but it was such a good idea. “Nath I don’t know what to say, it’s perfect. A white rose will always be a symbol of Ella” I threw my arms around him, he chuckled and when we pulled away grabbed my hand and the white rose plant and we went out into the garden.

I was kind of glad we were planting it here, Gloucester was so much more peaceful than London so there was no better place to plant it. I took the plant out the pot while Nathan went to grab a spade from his dads shed, when he returned we found a nice patch of empty soil that would get plenty of sun and he began to dig the hole. It didn’t need to be massive so it didn’t take too long, once he’d done it I bent down and put it in. In a weird sort of way it felt like closure, even though I knew I would never forget our Bubba, and the pain – even the thought of being responsible- would always be there, I had Nathan and we would work through it together. Once the rose plant was safely in the ground, Nathan put the soil back around it while I grabbed the watering can and gave it some water.

Once it was done we both stood back and stared at our work, it was kind of like we were replacing life. Even though a plant wouldn’t replace Ella Rose, we would always have the reminder that she was in our lives, even if we never got to physically see her.

A/N – How did you like that ey? They’re finally back together!! And don’t you think Nathan’s idea of the rose was so cute?! Aha anyway, comment, like, and I’ll see you next Friday! S x

P.S. I went to see Lawson last night In Joel’s and mine hometown (Nottingham, Rock City) and OH MY GOSH it was soooooo good!! I was literally right at the front ‘cause I had VIP so I was so close. They are such amazingly talented musicians! And at the end I touched Ryan’s and Adam’s chest when they reached into the crowd, cause they were right in-front of me their chests were right in my face, so of course I had to touch them, I mean what else could I do right?! ;)

Aha anyway I’m going to see The Script tomorrow that’s why my updates are a bit weird this week! x