I immediately regretted the decision I made to open my eyes.
The blinds that were unfortunately left open, allowed the blinding sun to beam through the window and worsen my headache.
Holding a hand over my head, my scrunched up eyes scanned the room. I don't recall coming back here, the last I remember was stumbling into the van after the beach and falling asleep.
I reluctantly stepped out of the blanket that I had somehow became cocooned in and stepped over Larry and Bondy who were passed out on the floor.
My slow journey to the kitchen came to an abrupt stop when I bumped into someone.
"Morning love." He quietly chuckled.
I rubbed my eyes and was finally able to see who was in front of me. It was Van, he didn't look half as hungover as myself which was annoying considering he drank much more.
"Why don't you look like death?" I pouted.
He took a small sip of his tea, "I dunno? Must be able to handle my drink better."
I wasn't a lightweight when it came to drinking, however that wasn't to say I could drink a professional under the table and not feel like hell the next day.
I made myself a cup of tea before returning back into the living room and wrapping myself up in the blanket.
Larry, Harper and Benji were awake at that point. All three were dying, covering their faces with blankets and pillows to block out any sort of contact with the light.
Van was sprawled out on a sofa across the room, his eyes were now closed indicating that he had fallen back to sleep.
"You're warm." Harper grinned sleepily as she slipped under my blanket.
"And you're bloody freezing." I gasped as her cold feet came into contact with my leg.
I was pretty much stuck to the sofa so decided that my only option was to fall back asleep. It would probably lighten up my headache.
Thankfully, when I woke up three hours later, that was exactly the case.
"I like the beach." Ade chimed as she curled up beside Benji. I must've been the only one to notice him blush and it was completely adorable.
"We should go every week, make it a tradition or summat!" Harper suggested with a grin.
It felt so foreign to me, having friends, going out with friends. Back home I was lonely, after the divorce of my parents I hid myself from everyone. It was my fault, I cut myself off but it still hurt having them ignore me.
Since we moved I haven't received one text, nothing.
"Sounds like a plan." Larry agreed.
I quietly unlocked my phone and scrolled through the messages from my mum. They were all pretty similar in the idea of me being rude to Kyle and that she was ashamed of my behaviour. Although the last text had me slightly on edge.
From Mum
Sent at 06:00
'Get home as soon as you see this.'
It had only dawned on me that I had no ride home and I also had no clue where I was.
"Hey Ade, where's the closest bus stop?" I mumbled, trying to slip on my converse.
She looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "the left of the entrance. Are you leaving now?"
As much as I wanted to stay, the text had me worried and curious.
"Yeah, my mam needs help-unpacking or summat." I lied.
"Aw alright, did you 'ave fun? I hope we've been the coolest and most class people you've ever hung out with." Ade winked.
A smile formed on my probably slightly flustered face, " I had a great time and you all most certainly were."
As I was saying my goodbyes to everyone Van threw on his Chelsea boots and stood up.
"Me mam said I gotta get home and tidy my room else she'll ground me. Mind if I get the bus with you El?" He chuckled.
"Nah, at least I'll have a better idea of where I'm actually going." I smirked.
I hugged all the lads and then had a cliche girls hug with Ade and Harper.
Harper being the absolute lifesaver she is, threw me over her black bomber jacket.
"You gotta start wearing coats babe." She chuckled.
"I will, remind me to give you this back!"
Eventually Van and myself got out the door and began to stroll down the driveway and out the way we came in.
I wasn't walking as fast as I usually do considering my black leather duffle bag was weighing me down.
"Here lemme take it, goes with my outfit better." He winked.
A smile crawled on my face but slowly disappeared when the wind picked up. Thank God for Harper's jacket and my last minute decision to swap my black shorts for black skinny jeans.
I followed Van as he took a left and went a tiny bit down the lane before stopping at a bus shelter.
"So what's your mam's name?" He asked, pulling out pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
"Gina." I answered in a small voice.
Talking about any member of my family was a touchy subject, especially when it was my mother. Things concerning her were harder to explain.
"Mine's Mary. She's a right sweetheart but believe me, she's a cheeky git sometimes. No offence to her."
All I could do was stifle out at laugh.
My eyes watched him as he inhaled the smoke from his newly lit cigarette. He looked experienced in a way, from my own guessing he'd probably been doing it for a good while.
"Want a bit?" He offered, noticing my stares.
My mum had asked me that same question many times when she was drunk. I'd always refuse the cancer stick and she'd snap at me for being so boring.
"Why not." I mumbled.
I grabbed the cigarette and inhaled its deadly smoke as best as I possibly could. I didn't choke and splutter as much as I had expected but it didn't make me feel any better about what I was doing.
My hand nervously handed him the cigarette back before playing with the silver necklace around my neck.
It was then that Van started staring.
"Lemme see." He smiled warmly, coming closer to inspect the locker hanging from my neck.
He looked at me as if to ask for permission to open it. For once I wasn't conservative about it and nodded.
Vans blue eyes studied the small photograph inside carefully.
"Who's all in it?" He asked.
I could already feel a lump in my throat form.
"Me, me mam, dad and-sister."
He looked slightly confused but also intrigued.
"Did your sister move here too?" Van asked.
The lump was now bigger than a tennis ball.
"Nope."
Alex, my beautiful older sister, was back in Liverpool. Allerton Cemetery to be exact. Three years ago she got into an awful car accident, it tore my parents apart and that's when they stopped talking and being in love.
Van sensed that I was uneasy with the subject so left it and rambled on about how he would kill for a hot cuppa.
When the bus pulled up we bought our tickets and sat at the back.
Van grabbed his phone and put The Strokes on, passing me an earbud so that I could listen in. He had a similar music taste to me which was a major plus. Any friend that I'd ever had were all into pop music whilst I was belting out The Killers.
The bus came to a halt at our stop so Van and I got off and walked down Abbey Road. His parents b&b stood in all of its glory as my measly house sat across from it. Ade's home put everyone's to shame.
"Well El, this is you." Van chuckled, shoving his phone into his jeans pocket.
"Thanks for carting my bag around." I smirked when he handed it back over to me.
"Nah it was nothing, I'm a strong lad if you 'avent already noticed."
I couldn't help but laugh when he started to flex and pose. However my smiles came to a stop when I saw a figure through the window.
"I best head on in, last night was nice." I grinned, going in confidently for a hug which he thankfully returned.
"No problem love, and it was proper ace. Can't wait to do it again." He winked.
With a smile back on my face I picked up my bag and opened the already unlocked door.
"Bye." I waved for the final time before shutting the front door behind me.
The strong scent of weed filled my nostrils as soon as I entered the house. The place was a complete mess that I knew would end up being my job to tidy.
Annoyed, I dragged my bag to my room and went to look for my mum. She was passed out in bed but I could hear someone in the kitchen.
It was Kyle.
"Why are you still here?" I spat, watching him light something up with his trusty red lighter.
"Why are you here?" He replied, answering my question with a question which I despised.
"This is my home you asshole, so tell me why you were here with my vulnerable mum, supplying her with weed?" I snapped, keeping my voice hushed so that I didn't wake her up.
"She came luking for me sweet thing, I'm jus doing my job."
"Well how about you do your job elsewhere or I'm ringing the police?"
Before I could do anything, Kyle grabbed my wrist.
"You do anything and things get worse doll."
My heart was thumping in my chest and my blood ran cold. I should've been stronger and shown him that I wasn't scared, maybe then he wouldn't have put the burning hot end of his cigarette directly on the inside of my arm.
I wanted to scream, but his dirt covered hand muffled any noise that came out.
"Tell anyone and burns will be the least of your problem." He winked, placing a harsh kiss on my cheek before exiting the kitchen and walking out the front door.
My entire body shook, my entire world shook.
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Goodnight my lovelies💭💭