Days turned to weeks and these weeks turned to a month. It had been a month since I had told my parents about Leo and I. It had also been a month since I had seen Leo and a month since I had spoken to either of my parents.
After my birthday, my parents stopped talking to me. They didn’t call me down to meals and they didn’t ask me if I wanted to go out with them. Sometimes they would go out for a meal with Mel and George but wouldn’t tell me. They didn’t even leave a note. I’d often come home to see no-one around.
I would stay in my room as soon as I got home and I would only leave for the bathroom and I’d come down if I was hungry and would occasionally run into Melissa. She would give me a sorry glance before leaving me alone.
My life was out of my hands and it made me feel numb and hollow inside.
Everyday I’d get a text from Leo which would make me feel warm for about two seconds. I never replied to the messages. Instead, I cried in response.
It was about a month and I couple of weeks after my birthday and I had finally given up. I went to Leo’s house.
No-one was at home when I left and Mom had left a note which said:
Dad’s on a business trip. I had to go New York for a week. Melissa and George are staying with Aunt Annabelle. You need to look after the house.
There was no ‘love from Mom’ at the end, which only made me feel like crying.
I felt sick and lonely. I wanted nothing more than to just curl up and cry. But instead, I went to my room and packed up my clothes and a couple of other things like my phone and laptop and some other essentials. Altogether, I had three, kind of heavy, bags to carry. I wrote a note and put it under Mom’s note on the fridge.
I’ve gone to stay with Leo. I’m tired of the silence and the pain. I know I’m being selfish but I need to be happy too. I love you lots and tell George that I love him.
Love, Lily x
I locked up the house and made sure that everything was firmly closed so that no-one could rob it while it was empty.
Rather than walking to Leo’s house like I usually did, I took the bus. I got off at the right stop and walked up to Leo’s small house. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door.
I shifted the weight of be bags and fiddled with my hair.
The door opened, catching me off guard, making me squeal.
“Lily?” Leo asked, even though he was right in front of me.
I bit my lip, still recovering from the shock of seeing him. I dropped all of my bags and flung myself into his arms.
“Oh god, I’ve missed you.” I whispered.
It was only until know that I had realized just how much I had needed him. I felt as though I would ever let go of him.
“Come inside, Lils. I’ll get all of your stuff.” He told me before pulling away.
I resisted the urge to protest and walked into the house. It felt good to be here. It smelt like he did.
He walked in, carrying all three of my bags.
“Are you going somewhere?” He asked me, sounding concerned.
He shut the door behind him and pulled down all of the bags in the living room.
I bit my lip again and followed him.
“I’m not going anywhere, exactly…” I muttered.
“Then what are all of these for?” He asked me, pointing to the bags.
“Um… Well, I was hoping to… Um… I was hoping to move in with you.” I told him, looking up at him nervously.
His eyes widened for a second as my words sunk in. His face broke into a massive smile, showing of his dimples.
“Are you serious?” He asked me.
I nodded.
He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me. “I missed you too.”
I started to cry all over again. “It was horrible without you. I’m sorry that I didn’t reply or call. I just thought it was going to make things worse with my Dad and stuff.”
“Don’t be sorry, Lils. It’s not like any of this was your fault.” He whispered, kissing my hair.
“Why are you so good to me?” I whispered, feeling like crap. “All I do is get us trouble and you’re always brushing it off, always telling me that it’ll be okay.”
“Because I love you, Lils. More than anything.” He whispered.
I pulled on his collar and pulled him into a kiss. I had been dreaming for this moment for weeks.
“Now, come on, let’s get you unpacking.” He told me, pulling on my hand.
***
Days had passed since I had moved in with Leo. Things were going amazingly well. I loved living with him. I love to wake up to see him snoring next to me. I loved making him lunch before he left for work and I left for school.
He seemed to like it too. He never forgot to remind me that he loved me before he left and after we both got home, we’d sit around and talk or watch a movie, just like we used to.
I had just gotten home from school and I was so tired. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out to find a text.
Lily, you have to come home. M + D found ur note + they’re freaking out. They called Aunt Lindsey + she’s calming them dwn but you have 2 cum ova. Plz come, Mel.
I sighed at the text messaged from Macy and I called Leo.
“Where are you?” I asked him.
“Hi to you too.” He teased. “I’m just parking in front of the house.”
“Don’t bother; we’re going to my parents’ house.” I told him, grabbing a jacket.
“Okay, see you about too seconds.” He told me, chuckled.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”
I locked the door with the key that Leo had given me and hurried down to the car.
“So what’s the emergency?” He asked me as I buckled myself in.
I reached over and pecked his lips.
“Hi.” I said.
He laughed and rolled his eyes.
“Um, well my parents are freaking out over the fact that I’m not home and your Mom’s over there for some reason.” I told him.
He pulled out of the drive way and the drive to my parents’ house took about three minutes. He parked up and we got out of the car. We reached the door and I knocked.
Melissa opened the door and pulled me into a hug.
“Brace yourself.” She warned me. “Dad’s furious.”
I sighed. “Okay, I’ll deal with it. Do me a favour and keep an eye on George while we’re… talking.”
She nodded and let us both in. Leo grabbed my hand and I led him over to the living room where I could hear my dad’s angry voice.
“…how can she just walk off? We’re her parents!” He shouted.
“She’s eighteen. It’s perfectly legal. You don’t need to baby her anymore.” Aunt Lindsey told him calmly. “When Lyn moved out to go and live with her boyfriend, I didn’t say anything. I felt so angry and I was upset because she’d grown up but it would have been wrong to have mad her stay at home because look at her now.”
“That might be how your family works, but not mine!” Dad yelled.
We had reached the door of the living but I stopped there. I wanted to hear where this conversation was going.
I turned to Leo and pressed a finger to my lips. He nodded and squeezed my hand.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Uncle Chris shouted.
“Chris, just leave it. He’s just angry.” Aunt Lindsey said to him.
“I just don’t want her to leave.” Dad said, sounding defeated. “I remember her first day of school. I was so worried about her hurting herself and her being upset about missing me. But she went in and came back that afternoon perfectly happy. She didn’t need me worrying about her.
“I’ve watched her grow up, not needing anyone. She looked after herself and she looked after Melissa, George… even Jamie. And once Jamie had died, she looked after us all even though she felt that pain herself. She didn’t need me anymore. She didn’t anyone.”
He said it in a hushed voice as though he didn’t want anyone to hear. His voice was thick with emotion and I could tell that he was crying.
“Now, all of a sudden, she can’t go two days without seeing this guy. She depends on him for everything and that guy… isn’t me. I don’t want her to leave this house. She’s still that little girl that hadn’t started school yet. She’s still that girl that told me not to worry about her. She’s still the same girl but she doesn’t need me.”
I could feel the tears running down my cheeks. Instinctively, I dropped Leo’s hand and stepped into the room.
“Of course I need you, Daddy.” I whispered. “Because of you, I went to school and made sure that I didn’t get hurt. Because you’re so busy making sure that we’re getting everything we want I look after Mel, George and even Jamie. It’s you who made me strong enough to stand on my two feet. That’s not a bad thing, Dad. It hurt me so bad when you stopped talking to me and for once I needed some-one to lean on and that person was Leo. Is that so bad, Dad? That I needed some-one else to comfort me when you’re not around?”
Tears were still running down my cheeks but I ignored them. I stared at Dad.
“I need both of you and you’ve got to understand that Leo’s not replacing you, Daddy.” I told him. “You’re so worried about me growing up but you don’t need to be because I’ll be alright. Just like when I went to school. I’ll be alright because of you.”
Dad got out of his seat and pulled me into a hug. “I just want what’s best for you, Sweetheart.”
“I know but I’m happy with Leo.” I told him.
He kissed me forehead. “Then you go with him. If that’s what makes me happy.”
“It does, more than anything.” I answered.
Leo stepped into the room, looking slightly apprehensive. I let go of my dad and walked over to Leo and took his hand.
Dad had a slightly pained expression on his face but he smiled. Everyone was smiling, including Mom. She looked slightly surprised but she seemed happy.
“Lily, what’s that on you hand?” Mom asked me suddenly.
I frowned and looked down at my hand. I noticed the ostentatious ring on my hand.
“Uh, Leo gave it to me for my birthday.” I told her.
“But it’s on your ring finger.” She said, sharply.
“Yeah, it’s a pre-engagement ring. A promise that I’ll marry Leo someday.” I answered, looking up at him.
Leo wasn’t looking at me, though; he was looking at my father, watching him intently.
“That’s wonderful.” Mom gushed.
“Yeah, it is.” I replied, squeezing Leo’s hand.
He looked down at me and smiled gently before pulling me into a kiss.
“I love you, Lils.” He whispered.
“Well, that’s good, considering that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.” I teased, pecking his lips.