Hey There Delilah (Sequel to Not The Same)

Date Night

"So how do you think you did?" My mom asked me. We were out to dinner at a restaurant, a very rare occasion for us but we were celebrating and my mom had begun working here last week. The X Factor pays for her to stay at the hotel across the street from mine but with her working she can obviously pay for food and other stuff. Other stuff including my very first phone! Exciting! We could never afford one before. 

At that moment, my phone buzzed on the table, signaling a call, from Roman. Maybe a little too quickly, I picked it up and slammed it against my ear. 

"Hey!" I said, too enthusiastically. He laughed at me, causing my face to turn red. At least he wasn't there to see it. 

"Hi! So everyone's calling contestants to let them know if they made it or not. Well they film the people who lost and call the people who made it so I thought I might as well call you to tell you that I was right." I could hear the smile in his voice. My mom stared at me questioningly as I smiled as well. 

"I... Made it...?" He laughed again. 

"Of course you did! You're going to bootcamp!" I was over the moon. "Wanna know who your mentor is?"  

My smile fell a bit.  

"Yeah.." I trailed a little. Please don't be Liam. 

"Louis. You should have so much fun." My smile returned to it's original size, I could live with that.  

"Pack your bags and get a song ready because you guys are leaving next week. Maybe we can meet up tomorrow sometime so I can give you your plane ticket?" Everything he said was so smooth and confident. 

"Yeah, sure. How about one? We could go to that ice cream place across the street?" 

"How about 6 and I can take you out for dinner? Dress nice." Then the line was dead, leaving me smiling at my mom as I set my phone back down on the table and our food arrived.  

I began eating right as they set the plate down but my mom just stared at me. I gave her a 'what' look then sighed and put my fork down. 

"I made it to judges houses." I told her. 

"Not even!!" She smiled. "That's amazing!" Sometimes my mom seemed more like my best friend then my mom. "What else? You were on the phone longer than that."  

"Louis is my mentor." I simply stated. We just stared at each other, knowing how grateful we both were to hear that.  

"Good." She just said. 

"And Roman called to tell me. He's taking me out to dinner to give me my plane ticket and what not."  

"Oh.." She smiled creepily at me. "I see." Uncomfortably, I began eating again. It was quiet for a little while as we ate. Until my mom finally spoke again, "it would have been ironic if you guys had ended up getting ice cream instead." She referred to my idea. 

"Why?" 

"That's what Liam and I did for our first date." She smiled and continued eating. I watched her in awe. She had smiled. Smiled. When my mom talked about the past, she never smiled. It was always this glum look, at most, a smirk. She regretted it and I know she did. Maybe that memory was just one she didn't regret. Or maybe, being in L.A. makes her happy. She hasn't seen my dad in person yet but maybe just being in the same city as him was good enough for her. She must have really loved him. Obviously not enough for her to stay though.  

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I sprayed a couple squirts of the perfume Olivia had let me borrow before turning to the girls that were sitting eagerly on mine and Megan's bed. I put my arms out in a gesture telling them I was done.