The Pilot's Lover • Collins (Dunkirk)

Eighteen.

(Collins' POV)

"Are you waking up today? You've hardly been out of your room since you got home."
Mother burst into my room for the one hundredth time this morning.

"I just want to sleep, mum. Sorry"
I covered up my emotions, playing it off as I was just tired.

"What's got you down my boy?"
She walked further into my bedroom, closing the door behind her.

She sat on the end of my bed and looked at me concerned.

I sat up, shaking my head.
"Nothing, just the war. Tired me out; that's all"
I guess it wasn't completely a lie, yet that wasn't the sole reason I didn't want to get up.
The real reason was, Betty.

It seems foolish, yet I'd grew so attached to her.
Even though it had not even been a week, I missed her dearly.

The night I got on that train, I felt my heart break into, more than, one million peaces.
I wasn't sure if she was mad at me, I didn't know if she was happy to be going home either.
All I could see was tears and heartbreak.

I was shook out of my thoughts by my mum repeating my name.

"Collins?"
She repeated again.

I shook my head again, bringing myself back down to planet earth.

"What? Sorry."
I apologised.

"I said, there's something else, I can tell."
She told me

"I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but I can tell that there's something more."
She looked at me, confused expression plastered upon her face.

We both sat there in silence, not an odd silence
Or even an comfortable silence.
It was an odd silence, it felt like she was trying to figure something out.

"Love?"
She questioned.

"W-what?"
I asked, stuttering.

"It's love."
She said simply, a smile crept onto her face.

"What are you on about?"
I laughed hastily.

"The way you keep drifting off, the way you don't want to get out of bed, you're in love!"
She exclaimed, basically jumping as high as the ceiling.

I scratched my neck, embarrassed. My face must've been as red as a tomato!
"Mum really it's not-"
I started

"Who's she? How'd you meet? What's she like?"
She cut me off.

"Woah, mum. Slow down."
I said, laughing slightly.

"Okay, sorry, sorry. At least tell me her name?"
She said, grabbing my hands.

"Okay, her name's Betty."
I said and watched her smile grow wider.

"And no, I'm not telling you any more"
I laughed, getting up out of bed.

"Now, please, if you could leave my bedroom; that'd be great. Thank you."
I said, pretty much pushing out of her room.

Echoes of her laugh could be heard as she made her way down the stairs.

"Oh wait!"
I heard her shout from downstairs.

"What is it?"
I shouted back.

There was no reply

"What is it?"
I shouted louder