Beachwood [H. STYLES]

Chapter Five

song: mad at you by noah cyrus ft. gallant (play it when i say so in the chapter! and imagine that it is only a female voice throughout)

CHAPTER FIVE

Mark is a pain in the ass. There's a dozen other staff in the café yet he still managed to find some way to pick on me – for something that wasn't even my fault. As per usual, I ignored his comments and snide remarks and keep to myself. I need to go back to Seattle. I can't afford to stay here and make my life more miserable than it already is by chasing something that isn't going to happen.

I love music, I really do. Half of me tells me to wait, wait for the right moment. That one day I will be heard, and people will love my songs – because it's mine, not sun my someone else. The other half convinces me that there's been enough waiting around. I'm an adult who is more than capable of making my own decisions, yet I never make the right ones. Just like moving to Los Angeles.

I walk into my apartment, greeting Oscar with a kiss and plop myself down on the couch. I'm so exhausted but I know I don't deserve to be since all I do is make coffee. I pick up my phone and decide to call Dana, my sister.

"Rory?"

"Hey ..." To be truthful, Dana and I never got along too well. Growing up, it was rare that we found common ground. We fought almost all the time over the smallest things. There was this one instance where I found out my found out that my boyfriend, at the time only dated me to pursue her. Instead of getting angry with him, I blamed her. For being too beautiful and charming when it was something out of her control.

"Don't mean to sound rude, but is there any reason you're calling me? Is dad okay? Is he-" before she could begin to panic, I calm her down.

"No, Dana. Dad is fine. Can't I call you out of my own will?" I question, although I shouldn't be as appalled, we hardly talk.

"Find it hard to believe, is all" she mumbles. She isn't completely wrong. We only ever talk when I needed help or vice versa, so I get why she's suspicious.

"I just wanted to catch up, know how you've been," I mutter, knowing that she doesn't want to tolerate her little sister, but I try anyway.

"I've been fine" she bluntly says.

"That's, um, that's good. The weather in San Fran doing alright?" I know how the weathers been, but I actually don't even know why I called her. Dana moved to the golden state way before I did, for college. She decided that it was more her vibe than Seattle, so she moved there for good.

"Rory, you don't need to ask such stupid questions. I've got to go now. Bye," she quickly says just before she hangs up. I'm a little hurt, but it isn't anything new. I should've expected it since it's Dana.

I sigh and pick Oscar up onto my lap, squishing his adorable little face.

"Your auntie doesn't like me too much does she, Oscar?"

Although Oscar couldn't ever talk back, I confide so much in him. He knows more than I'll ever tell anybody else, even Cameron. I got him a little after breaking up with Noah and I can say that Oscar has seen me at my worst but he's always there for my bests.

Hungry, I waltz to the kitchen and begin making a simple dinner for myself. I can make a good coffee, but I honestly cannot cook. I just don't have the patience for any of it, so I stick with making mac and cheese from a Kraft box. Mama used to drag me into the kitchen and force me to watch her cook but all I ever did was lose focus by belting out songs. She gave up in the end but it's fun to keep her company and force her to sing too.