February 7, 2006
This was the last week the boys had in the band house before moving out, so we were spending a lot of time there.
I had seen all of the boys houses, except Dougie's so that was the plan today, and after Dougie would be coming over mine. The boys were told Dougie would be dropping me off at my flat and then staying at a 'friend's' house for the night, but in reality, Dougie was parking in the back lot.
It was a risky game, but then again, what wasn't?
"Alright. Here we are." Dougie announced, as he pulled his car into the driveway. It was just nearing dinner time, so the sky was half blue, half orange. It made the large house look even more exquisite.
Dougie and I exited the car and I couldn't take my eyes off the house in front of me.
I barely remembered my house in Bolton. All I remember was that there was a swing in the garden and the walls of my bedroom were pink.
All I've ever really known is my small, dark, London flat.
I wish with every ounce of my being that one day I'll have a house like this. Maybe one of the bedrooms will be pink and there will be a swing in the garden. All I know for sure is it won't have wonky cabinets and creepy landlords.
"You're staring." I hear Dougie say behind me. I turn and look at him and feel my face sink into a smile.
"Sorry." I laugh lightly. He smiles and walks past me towards the door. He puts the key in the lock and opens the door.
"Come on." He says, holding the door open and I walk over to him.
The house is really big. Probably not that big, but only knowing my small apartment, it was big. The house was cute, and, though it was big, it wasn't what you would expect a celebrity's house to look like.
It was cozy and small with a little winding staircase tucked off into a corner. I made my way into the living room. It had big windows and was brighter than any home I'd ever come to know, even at 5:00 on a winter night.
I made my way into the office and the dinning room and kitchen, not even paying attention to Dougie, until I heard his voice behind me.
"What do you think?" He asks. I turn my attention from the gas stove to him, standing in the doorway.
"It's amazing." I smile.
"Amazing? It's just a house. Although, compared to the band house, I reckon it is quite amazing." He laughs. "Let's go upstairs." He says.
I follow him through the upstairs through all the rooms.
"And this is the master suite." He says, leading me into a beautiful room with a big bed and painted with warm and welcoming colours.
"I love it." I say, almost speechless. That was the biggest bed I've ever seen.
"Good. I'm happy." He says. But in reality, I couldn't help but be a tad bit jealous of Dougie. In all honesty, I wanted this house, or, I guess, a house like it.
It didn't take Dougie and I long to finish up at the house, lock the door, and make our way back in his car to go to my flat.
When we make our way from the back parking lot into the building I grab Dougie's hand as we walk in feeling unthreatened by the old security cameras.
"Well, well, well." I hear a familiar voice proclaim from behind me.
Spoke too soon. I sigh and turn to the front desk to see Steven.
"Well. If it isn't Dougie McFly." Steven smiles at Dougie, whose hand is still in mine.
"Actually it's Poy-" Dougie begins.
"Save it." Steven says. "So...you really are with doll face here, aren't you?"
"Uhh...Lilly, do you know this guy?" Dougie asks timidly.
"Of course she does." Steven says. "I'm the guy she slapped a couple of days ago." Dougie looks at me, but I have my eye on Steven as if in any second he'll make an attack. He moves from behind the desk and stands in front of me. "She acts like she hates me, but that pretty little face could never-" He begins to move his hand to tuck a hair behind my hair. Dougie puts his hands on my shoulders, trying to be a protective boyfriend, but I beat him too it.
"Do not touch me." I say, slapping his hand away. "I'm not afraid of you, Steven. I told you. I don't care." I quickly lead Dougie towards the lift.
"I don't want to expose you to Top of the Pops." Steven says, and Dougie looks utterly confused. "I want to expose you to him."
My age. Shit. Shit, he's gonna tell Dougie my age.
"He knows everything about me." I say, trying to trick Steven. The lift opens, and just as I'm about to yank Dougie in, Steven speaks again.
"I figured you'd say that." He says. "So I thought, If I can't take away your happiness, and I can't take away your apartment as long as you're paying rent, then I might as well take away your job."
"Oh? You and what army?" I ask, turning to him. My ears were getting hot.
"No army." He smiles. "Just my universal key."
I freeze.
He went in my flat?
"What?" I ask, going from angry to terrified.
"As building manager, I have a universal key and the right to go in any flat at anytime." Steven says.
"I don't-"
"Look familiar?" Steven said, holding up a small piece of paper that read 'Fletch' in all caps next to Fletch's new phone number.
The one I pinned to my fridge a few weeks ago.
"I told you, Doll Face." Steven laughs. "I always get my way." I look over at Dougie, who looks concerned and confused.
"So now," Steven begins, "You do exactly as I want, or you lose your job...and then your money...and then your home."
I slowly untwined my hand with Dougie's and turned to him.
"Press the lift button when I walk." I whisper, barely audible, and keeping my eyes on Steven, I slowly walk over to him behind the desk.
"Maybe you're right." I begin.
"Lilly-" I hear Dougie say.
"Maybe...you've always been right, Steven." I say, looking straight in his eyes.
"What do you mean?" He asks.
Quickly, I stomp down on his foot as hard as possible. He screeches, I grab the piece of paper from his hand, run from behind the desk, grabbing Dougie hand and pulling him into the lift. Dougie quickly hits the button to my floor and repeatedly presses the close door button, even though it is clear to both of us that Steven isn't chasing us.
"See you later Doll!" I call, waving the paper in my hand as the lift closes.
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"Lilly!" Dougie says, as I quickly jam the key into my door with shaky hands. "Lilly-" I quickly push the door open, turn the lights on and stuff the paper in the drawer table next to the door.
"Lilly-" Dougie starts. Without listening, I make my way to the kitchen, fill the kettle with water and put it on the stove. "Lil-" He starts again, still standing by the door.
I open my tea cupboard to get out the kind I want and when I close it, the hinge comes free again.
"Mother-" I begin, climbing onto my counter to fix it.
"Lilly, slow down-" But just as Dougie says that, I reach to fix my cupboard, and just as I do, I wobble and place my foot on the hot burner.
I skreik, losing my balance and falling to the floor, hitting my head on the counter on the way down.
"Lilly!" Dougie yells, and I hear his footsteps make their way over. I open my eyes and see his face over me.
"Ow." I mumble.
"Are you okay?" He asks. I sit up, leaning against my counter and he puts his hand on my head where I hit it.
"Yeah. My sock took most of the burn." I say.
"Come on." He says, grabbing my hand, helping me stand up, as he grabs a bag of ice out of my freezer, turns the stove off and leads me to my couch.
I sit with my head resting on his shoulder as he holds the ice on my head.
"What just happened?" He asks me.
"Steven is my annoying landlord who is always trying to kick me out." I explain.
"Why?" He asks.
"I don't know. He's always treated me like that." I say.
"That's terrible. That's no way to treat a person." Dougie says. He wasn't angry, more concerned. "I don't want to sound like Liam, but I don't want you around him anymore." I laugh at his comment.
"Trust me Doug, if it was up to me, I wouldn't be spending time around him. But what choice do I have? I live here." I say, closing my eyes. There's a moment of silence.
"Move in with me." Dougie says quietly. My eyes shoot open. Surely I had him wrong.
"Come again?" I asks him.
"Move in with me." He says again.
"Wh-...you...have you actually lost your mind?" I ask.
"Yes." Dougie smiles.
"Dougie......no. Just...no. I can't." I say.
"Why?" He asks.
"I think it would be faster to tell you why not." I say. "You live smack in the middle of Tom and Harry and you want me to live with you?" I ask. My concerns probably should have been set on the fact that Dougie and I had only been dating for not even two months, but to be honest that was the least of my concerns.
"You need somewhere to live Lil." He says. "And not a place with wonky cabinets and creeps."
"Dougie!" I say.
"It's true!" He says. "I'll let you pay for stuff. I'm fine with sharing. I'm not one of those people who isn't, but come on...you loved the house and you need somewhere to go. Where better than with the man you love?" He said goofily.
"You're cringe." I laugh, putting my head back down on his shoulder.
"I know."
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