Nathan’s POV
“Kelsey says she’s on her way to the airport right now. She’s in the car.” Tom wiped the screen of his blackberry before looking up at us all excitedly.
“That is sweet of her.” Jayne yawned, pulling her curls up into a top knot as she attempted to get comfortable in the aeroplane chair.
“But mind and tell her that she shouldn’t be texting whilst driving.” Siva muttered concernedly, his head falling onto Tom’s shoulders. Tom pushed him away.
“Actually, neither should you!” Jayne snapped her eyes open and reached over the aisle to grab the phone away. “Tom, shame on you! Texting on an aeroplane.”
“Oh, come on, Jayne. I want to talk to Kelsey!” Tom whined.
“I know, pet. But we’re only an hour or two away now.”
We were on the plan home, finally. We were all physically and mentally drained. The heavy snoring and eerily unusual silence that surrounded our area in the plan was only testament to that. But now, as we were approaching the airport and our homes, I was getting more and more excited. Tom’s outburst had me itching for my own phone. I wanted to see Ev so badly. I took my phone out and drummed my fingers on the screen, wanting more than anything to text her.
“Nath,” Tom kicked my shoulder with the tip of his trainer. I turned around amusedly to see him sliding back upright somewhat awkwardly.
“What’s up, man?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Kels says Ev’s coming to the airport too.” Tom said kindly.
“Ah, cool. Thanks for telling me.” I smiled to myself. I hadn’t been able to speak to Ev, excluding a few short emails, since our phone conversation a couple 2 weeks ago.
“No problem, mate. Kels wanted me to tell you. Apparently Ev’s been cramming in as much work as possible so she can spend some more time with you. Kelsey says she’s been rushed off her feet and that you’d better appreciate it.” Tom stretched his arms above his head as he yawned. My stomach squirmed with excitement.
“Don’t worry, I will.” I turned to face the front again, letting Tom fall asleep. I smiled at the seat in front of me, hoping no one noticed. I was getting very excitable as I realised that in only a couple of hours I would be able to see Ev again after the longest 3 and a half months of my life.
Evanna’s POV
“Just stop here for a second Ev and I’ll read the notice.” Briony wound down the window and stuck her head out squinting at the sign. We had just arrived at the Gatwick Airport and were currently circling the car park, trying to work out the cheapest play to park. “Okay, short term stay, maximum 3 hours…that’s structure A, level 4.” Briony withdrew her head and redid her seatbelt, turning proudly to me.
“Okay, let’s go then.” I flicked off Capital which was currently blaring out some Aiden Grimshaw, and stepped on the accelerator. We pulled up into an empty space by the stairwell and I rushed out to pay.
Agitatedly I tapped my nails on the machine as it processed the coins I had just fed it. I cast a look at Briony was pulling the rear mirror towards her as she rimmed her eyes with yet more kohl.
“Briony hurry up!” I yelled, pulling out the parking ticket and slapping it on the windscreen making her startle.
“Sorry, I just…” she trailed off awkwardly, hopping out of the car and shutting the door.
“Yes? You just what?” I pushed, with a beam, teasing her.
I knew the reason why Briony had been so keen to come with me to meet Nathan at the airport at 2am in the morning. She still had her little crush on Jay. Albeit, she wasn’t quite screaming in his face and throwing her arms around him every time she saw him. But she still liked him. And now at 17 and 23, the age gap was finally beginning to close.
“I’ll let you off this time, because you’re so excited.” Briony eyed me heavily as I jumped spritely past her on to the pavement and yanked open the door to the stairs. I laughed airily and pressed the lock button on my key, making the car bleep behind me. I had bought a 3rd hand Volkswagen Polo in light blue for £3,750 with a fair mileage. I had enrolled Charlie to help me vacuum, clean and service it. I’d got an early commission for a song, which gave me the last £500. I’d pretty much been handed the check before catching the tube straight to the car dealership.
Once inside the building, the bright light and buzz of activity startled me at 2am.
“What terminal is it?” Even wearing my heeled ankle boots I couldn’t see.
“I’ll hazard a guess at that one.” I followed where Briony was pointing and saw in the distance a crowd of maybe 20 or 30 people, complete with banners surrounding the door to terminal 2. “Crazy fan girls.” She muttered but I was already speeding towards the crowd. Considering the time, they were all very excitable, even more so than me. I lingered behind them wondering when the boys were due to arrive.
“Evanna!” I turned to see a pretty blonde girl, struggling the crowd to greed me. Some fans were tugging on the ends of her hair and the arm of her leather jacket which she politely ripped away from them. “There you are!” She arrived by my side, obviously exhausted.
“Hey there Kelsey.” I smiled hugging her. “When are they due?”
“I think a while still. Air traffic’s pretty busy and they had to circle for a while.” Kelsey fiddled her hoop earrings, trying to detach them from her thick woollen scarf.
“Well, in that case,” Briony who had been politely letting us talk got my attention “I’m on the verge of collapse. I’m going to relapse.” She gripped my shoulder with a wink “and get coffee. Want anything?” she glanced from me to Kelsey. We shook our heads and she smiled and walked off to Starbucks.
“I FRIGGING LOVE YOU BOYS! GET OUT HERE NOW!” one fan exploded just in front of us. She eyed us accusingly. She was a beefy sort of girl and I felt a bit frightened for the boys when they did arrive.
“If you don’t mind, I think I have to get some shut eye, if I’m going to survive the drive home.” I turned to Kelsey.
“Of course. Off you go. I’ll wake you when it’s time!” She laughed at how serious she sounded.
I smothered a yawn as I shuffled off to a quiet area of the waiting room. I found an empty row of seats which I lay down on, using my scarf as a pillow and letting my hair fall from bun and cover my eyes. A family sat in the row in front of me.
“What’s that group of people, mum?” the little boy asked.
“I don’t know, sweetheart.”
“When is the plane coming to take us to holidays?” he pressed importantly.
“I’m not sure. Hush now, so I can hear the announcement, Nathan.” I grinned at the coincidence, wondering if I was asleep. I snuggled up in my heavy coat and felt myself slip away.
+++
My glasses had fallen from my nose and as I opened my eyes, everything was blurry. The family next to me was gone. Little Nathan must be off on his holidays. The announcement over the speaker finished only to be replaced by a roar from a crowd by the door. In my sleepiness I couldn’t figure out what was going on over there or what on earth was making them scream quite so loudly. Folding my scarf over my face, I tried to fall back asleep.
+++
“Em, Evanna? Ev?” Someone’s warm hand was on my face, pushing my glasses back onto my nose. I pushed the hand away and groaned. “Evanna? Wake up!” It was a male voice. It was coming from right next to my head; they must be crouching down on the ground. I could feel the heat from their breath on my cheek. I could make out a note of amusement in their voice.
“Maybe just leave her Jay, she was exhausted earlier on.” I made out Briony’s whisper.
Hang on, Jay? My eyes shot open and I sprang into a sitting position, my legs curling underneath me as I swivelled around to meet the piercing blue eyes of Jay McGuiness.
“You’re back!” I shrieked at him making him chuckle. He straightened up as I leapt to my feet and hugged him.
“Ta da!” He laughed in a sing-song voice, roughly my hair as we split. “You’re looking fit.” He noticed, winking at me slightly.
“Thanks you too.” I smiled but I was already becoming distracted.
Jay and I were standing in amongst the empty waiting area. Briony was standing maybe a metre behind, cupping her polystyrene coffee cup between her hands and smiling at my reaction. But it was only now in my consciousness that I realised what was going on in the rowdy group by the door. Through the crowd of screaming fan girls, homemade banners and much security, I made out the reassuring faces of Siva, Tom, Max and there was Nathan, with his arm around a little girl, no older than 10 who was standing holding onto her mother’s hand and beaming at the camera held by her father.
I smiled adoringly at Nathan as he kissed the little girl’s cheek and reached to sign her copy of ‘Our Story, Our Way’. I felt Jay watching me and smiled at him in embarrassment.
“So, how come you escaped through the fans?” I asked him, noticing how the fans were oblivious to the fact Jay was standing completely unprotected, right behind them.
“I needed to use the facilities. Plane toilets give me the heeby geebies. So Big Kev bundled me through the crowd. I guess the fans haven’t noticed.” His bottom lip jutted out “I wonder if I should feel offended.”
“Of course you shouldn’t!” I prodded him playfully in the chest.
“Hey Girls!” Briony suddenly shrieked, cupping her hand around her mouth to help her voice carry. The group of fan girls didn’t move. “Hey fan girls!” she tried; when still nothing happened she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Jay’s right here!” No one moved. Tumble weed could have rolled through the no-man’s land between us. “Oh my Christ on a bike, it’s Sexy time with the Bird!”
30 bodies whipped around.
“It’s Jay!”
“Oh my Christ on a bike it’s sex on legs!”
“IT’S JAY MCGUINESS, OUT MA WAY!” yelled the scary looking fan from earlier as she hurtled towards us.
Briony doubled over with laughter and she and Jay exchanged a grin before we were swamped with fans, the rest of the boys getting dragged along with them. Kelsey appeared from the toilet doors, her face lighting up when she spotted our boys. I watched Jayne, Kev and Martin trail along behind the crowd, carrying their luggage between them.
Nathan’s POV
“Thank you for coming, what with it being so late!” I said to the mum of the little girl, her name was Sarah, while I signed her copy of our book.
“We didn’t really have a choice.” The mum laughed, looking a little flustered.
“You’re kind to have brought her.”
“You’re kind to have met her.” She smiled at me warmly whilst Sarah grinned at me toothlessly, making me blush.
“Oh my Christ on a bike, it’s sexy time with the Bird!” My head whipped up to see it was Briony who had yelled and was pointing at Jay, hooking her arm through his own. The crowd of fans surged towards them and I let them carry me along with them. If Briony was here, that must mean Evanna was too.
She was wearing a simple blue dress with thick black tights, her brown leather boots and a muddy green trench coat two sizes too big for her. Her hair was in a lopsided bun and her plastic black framed glasses were falling off her nose. Her shining eyes met my own for just a moment, before slipping away again. But then she realised it was me and her lips parted in shock.
“Hi,” she mouthed, fluttering her hand in my direction. I glanced sideways, wondering if anyone would mind if I elbowed my way out of the crowd, before deciding I didn’t care.
“Over there,” I mouthed at her, nodding my head to the side of the crowd. She nodded once before pushing determinedly through the group.
Grabbing an errant hat from some kind fan, I yanked it onto my head before stumbling out of the crowd. Looking sideways, I saw Evanna emerge too, a few metres away. She glanced at me, her face expressionless before she started running. She leapt up, securing her legs tightly around my middle and throwing her arms around my neck. Her face was millimetres away from my own, her pupils swivelling between each of my own.
“You need to shave.” She whispered her voice so delicate it was barely audible. I grinned and closed the tiny distance that existed between us.
Evanna’s POV
His soft, fluffy brown hair brushed my forehead as he leant in, his nose touching my own. His sparkling, light green eyes were so bright and clear I felt as though I was looking right through them. Even as he kissed me, I could sense he was smiling and I felt myself smiling too. We broke apart quickly as we began to laugh even though nothing was funny. It was almost ridiculous how happy I felt that he was home. I jumped down but still kept my arms around him.
“You look beautiful.” Nathan tucked some curls behind my ear and kissed my face again quickly, making me giggle.
“I doubt that! It’s 3am and I’m knackered.” I mumbled, the way Nathan treated me, you would think I was used to compliments by now “I’m so glad you’re home. You’re looking tanned though!”
“No work without play!” he laughed, linking his fingers through my own.
“Hey, it’s Evie!” Max yelled, grinning mischievously at me. I turned to look at him.
“Maxie!” I imitated him, stepping forward for a hug.
The fans were beginning to dissipate now; Big Kev was politely leading one of the more hard core fans away which left just us.
“Granddad!” I laughed, extending my arms out to Siva.
“Evanna, you look healthy!”
“As a horse, Seev.” I winked at him but noticed the bags in his hands. “Heading somewhere?”
“Dublin!” he said excitedly, his dark eyes shining “To see Nareesha and my brother and sisters and mother.”
“But mainly, Nareesha. He’s suffering withdrawal symptoms. They include excessive weeping, stroking of his screen saver and petting of a cat he thought looked like her.” Tom laughed boyishly, standing with his arms around a positively glowing Kelsey.
“Well everyone,” Jayne stood before us, hands on hips, a satisfied glow in her eyes. “Successful trip as was expected. Now for a well-deserved break: home time, I think.” She beamed. I slipped my hand into Nathan’s and saw him smile from the corner of my eye. And with that, Siva marched off to book in for his flight home and Jayne snapped open her phone to call for the taxi.
“I’ve actually got my car, Tom, so we can go.” Kelsey shrugged.
“Oh, cool. Well see you lads, Jayne, Briony, Ev.” He grinned before walking off hand in hand with Kelsey.
“I actually have my car too!” I remembered, flipping around.
“Get out! You bought a car!” Max’s eyes flew open in surprise.
“Yeah! Last minute commission on a song. It’s a Volkswagen Polo.” I added proudly.
“Aw, man!” Nathan looked impressed “That’s so cool, Evie. Can we see it now?” he sounded like an excitable child, but it was adorable.
“Of course,” I pulled on his hand when Briony stopped me.
“But wait, what about me? You gave me a lift here?”
“You could ride with us?” Jay shrugged, innocently, tugging his beanie roughly over his curls.
“No, it’s cool, I can drop you off.” I nodded at her, but I might have been better off speaking to her in Japanese, through a brick wall, for all the notice she took.
“That would be lovely, Jay!” She exclaimed, suddenly appearing right by his side, taking him by surprise.
I met Nathan’s eye and we struggled not to laugh.
“Well, we’re off.” He saluted everyone, stooping for his bag, and then throwing an arm over my shoulders.
“Bye boys, bye Jayne, Bye Briony!” I called, waving. They waved back, well, all but Briony whose eyes were fixed to the side of Jay’s head.
As Nathan and I strolled out through the building, we didn’t say much. We were both exhausted; it was ridiculous I had work in the morning.
“Where to Nath?” I asked as we reached the car.
“She’s a beauty.” Nathan admired my new car, she was beautiful. “Erm, I don’t know. Same place as you?” he raised his eyebrows suggestively. I raised one eyebrow in return.
“Back to mine then.” I laughed.
Once inside the car, I felt him watching me.
“What?” I asked, self-consciously touching my face.
“I’ve missed you loads. Like painful amounts.” He admitted, his cheeks glowing even in the darkness.
“I know. Me too.” I said quietly.
Suddenly he leaned over, his fingertips lightly touching my neck and my cheek, making me shiver, before he kissed me.
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I'm sorry it's not proof read! I'll get round to it at some point:L Also, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter - but I wrote it 3 times and this version is my favourite! As always, thanks for reading and supporting this new story! xx
>>>> Nathan as he would look in the story ( a bit older looking! ) xx