Near to You
01
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Travelling the road, last known, is where I want to be.
Travelling – Paper Lions
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I hated it here.
Tucking my hands into my pockets I shuffled across the street before the light turned again, trapping me in the bitterly cold wind for another five minutes. Once I was on the opposite side of the street I allowed my pace to slow slightly as I wandered on, uncertain of where I was going, but not really caring either.
It had been two weeks now, two long weeks and the heartache that had consumed my chest had yet to leave. I missed home. I missed the sporadic weather and the food that was too salty for my own good. I needed to be here, however, and no matter how much I wished I could be in Toronto, curled up under a blanket reading, I was stuck halfway across the world for a few more months.
My phone began to ring but I ignored it. I had been ignoring it for days now. Every time a friend called I would have to rush myself to the nearest bathroom and lock myself away so the entirety of London wouldn’t see me burst into an inconsolable mess. I was tired of crying, and with that mentality, I had set out to discover the city on my final day off before I began schooling here.
As the final bars played and the caller went to voicemail—another thing I refused to check—I paused in front of a stationary store. My fingers began to itch in my pocket. I had a bad habit of buying too many journals, as well as pens. I especially loved the gel ones; they flew easily under my grasp.
Finally I decided to duck inside, just for a moment, but I wouldn’t buy anything. I couldn’t anyway; I was surprisingly poor with all my money in the wretched savings account my father insisted upon years ago. I barely had enough pocket money week by week, let enough to actually spend some of it on frivolous things like a new notebook.
The smell of fresh paper greeted me as the door swung shut, emitting a cheery jingling sound. I felt more relaxed here than I had the past fortnight. Pulling my hands from my pockets, I ran my fingers over the stacks of books. They were everywhere, some the generic college-ruled paper, others with old and yellowing leaves. Those were my favourite kind.
“May I help you?”
I glanced up at the elderly man who stood behind the counter who smiled warmly back at me.
“Just looking,” I lied. I would be buying something now; there was no doubt about it. It was my one weakness.
There were also paperback books, some recent, some older classics. I was tempted to buy some, to replenish my severely lacking library in the dormitory, but I placed each one back where I found it with a heavy heart.
Behind Closed Doors stared up at me from one shelf and I couldn’t help but frown a little. It would be made into a movie soon—or rather it had been filmed and would soon be released. I wasn’t certain how I felt about it yet.
I became entranced by one particular book. It had a velvety dark cover, and the pages were a lineless, pristine white.
“Two pounds.”
“Only?” I was surprised. Everything here was so much more expensive than back home.
“A special deal for a pretty girl.” The man winked and I couldn’t help but grin. Two pounds I could do. Pulling my purse from the satchel that was slung around my shoulders I passed the money to him, silently promising myself that I would continue to come here.
BẠN ĐANG ĐỌC
Near To You (One Direction Fan Fiction)
FanfictionIt was a chance meeting and now he's become a permanent part of Michelle's life. She doesn't know how to separate his crazy career from the boy she comes know, but all she wants is to be near to him. (One Direction, Zayn Malik x Original Character)