Then you came along.

Do you remember being 14 and getting ready for the first day of High School? You were so excited but so nervous for everything that it was supposed to be. That’s what I felt like waking up in that hotel room in London. Like, what if this wasn’t enough? What if me being here wasn’t the answer to all of my unsolved questions? What if this wasn’t where I was meant to be?

Hope.

After all that’s all I ever had.

After showering and getting dressed in an appropriate weather outfit I was out the door. When I got to the lobby of the hotel I called for a cab and searched for my sunglasses in my purse. As I found them a cab pulled up in the hotel round about and I hopped in. I gave him the address of where I was meeting Johannah and her son’s girlfriend. Supposedly she’s around my age and we are bound to get a long great. Fingers crossed. My phone buzzed from my bag.

Johannah: Hey love bug. We are here! You almost on your way?

Me: In the cab, should be there in 5 minutes!

We pulled up to the restaurant and it was very nice, at this point I was wishing I would have dressed nicer than my black jeans, riding boots and yellow sweater.

“Marley, over here love” I heard a familiar voice yell at me from a distance in the room. I walked swiftly over to the table for 3 was at, sitting there was Johannah, more beautiful than I had remembered and a slender gorgeous girl with bright eyes and perfect hair and teeth.

“Hi, I’m Eleanor. Marley, is it? Johannah has not stopped talking about you, it’s so perfect to meet you!” she told me before pulling me into a hug.

“Its so nice to meet you too!” I told her as I hugged her back.

“Darling, how did you sleep? How was the hotel room?” Jo asked me as I pulled away from Eleanor.

“It was good, I slept like a baby after that 12 hour flight.” I confessed to her as I then hugged her.

“So, you’re 21 Marley?” Eleanor asked me.

“Yes. I’ll be 22 next month actually.” I told them.

“Oh my goodness, when is your birthday?” Jo asked me.

“December 31st!” I told them.

“NEW YEARS EVE! I am so excited to plan you a birthday party now!” Eleanor said.

My birthday was always a big deal between my mom, sister, and I! We always went to IHOP and had pancakes and watched the ball drop from our booth. This year seems a bit different.Sonny and Brad getting ready for peanut, My mom not here. Hell, I haven’t had a birthday party since I was 11.

“Yeep, pretty exciting” I said in reply to convey my fake excitement!

“So are you going to apartment hunt today?” Jo asked.

“Most likely, just try to find somewhere affordable and nice that’s in the city.” I told them.

“I have somewhere that you want to see before you start shopping around for apartments love.” Eleanor told me and Jo shook her head in agreement.

“Okay, can we go after this?” I asked.

“Of course! That was the plan actually!” Eleanor informed me.

We talked over lunch for about an hour before Jo payed for everyone, we got up from our table and made our way to her SUV outside. It was the 10 seated blacked out escalade and I was rather impressed honestly.

We pulled up to a street of homes, you know those ones that are literally side by side. Johannah parked in front of a cute duplex and I followed them out of the car up to the front door when Eleanor got out her keys and began to open the door.

“This is my house. My sister recently moved out and I need a roommate.” She informed me as she opened the door. “With Louis never here it really sucks being along and bills get expensive when you’re the only one paying them.” She went on as we followed her upstairs. ”I’ll show you the empty room. Usually it’s just a guest room but not anymore, I need an actual roommate. “

She opened the door to a beautiful room with white walls and a king sized bed. The closet was a massive walk in which had always been a dream of mine.The floors were wood and beautifully shiny and the window seal had a bench attached like our first home had when we lived in it as a family. I used to read on that bench.

“What’s the cost, for rent and stuff.” I asked her.

“There is no rent essentially. I’m not looking to make money, just save it really. It would be about 200 a month for bills if we split it and groceries, which we can go in on that together also. All I really ask is that you don’t have a bunch of random people here. Ya know?” she made it all clear.

“Oh of course not. I would never dream of that.” I told her as I nodded along to everything she was saying.

“Look just think about it, I promise I’m not gross or controlling or some obsesseive roommate. I’m actually a really kick ass friend which seems like we both need.” She confessed.

“You’re right. I’m in. I would love to live here.” I told her causing her to jump up and down wildly before pulling me into a hug. I looked out of the corner of my eye to see Jo smiling with a satisfied smile.

“Oh and you can totally do whatever you want to the room!” she told me which actually made this deal that much better.

“Well girls, I’ve gotta go to the grocery to get some things for dinner tonight. Marley, you’ll be there right?” Jo asked.

“I thought dinner was next week?” I asked her.

“It was but Louis thinks he can play a quick one on me; little does he know little El here has the biggest mouth in London” She said to me about Eleanor.

“The excitement just over took me JO! I didn’t have anyone to tell. I just had to get it out!” Eleanor told Jo causing me to laugh.

“Well look now you have Marley, tell her!” Jo said. “So we will see you tonight Marley?”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll be there! “ I confirmed to her.

‘Perfect. See you girls at 7!” Jo said as she left the room and out the door.

“So shall we go get your things from the hotel roomie?” El asked me.

“Sure!” I told her as I grabbed my purse from the bed. “You know Eleanor, I’m really excited about living with you and being friends and all that.” I told her.

“Me too Marley. Me too!” she agreed.

We made our out the duplex to her car and straight to the hotel to get my things. When we got to my room I packed the small things I had out back into my bags. I grabbed my suitcase handle and my duffle strap.

“Wait this is all you have? This is all you brought to live in London?” she asked me in awe.

“uhm. Yes.” I replied.

“You pack light. When I go away with Louis that’s how much I pack for a week.” She confessed causing me to laugh.

“It’s not that much stuff. I was hoping to get some shopping in when I got here.” I told her and then turned my head to her excited face. “What?” I asked her when she said nothing.

“Now you’re talking.” She said inferring shopping was on our list of things to do.

As we got back to her house…well our house now I guess she helped me take my bags upstairs. We sat them down in the closet as I began unloading things.We both sat on the closet floor when her phone began ringing.

“Ello Love.” She shouted through the phone.

“Yes I am at home! OH MY GOSH LOU, I GOT A ROOMMATE…no she’s not creepy. Yes very pretty, mhm kind of short, well very short.” She went on describing me to what I assumed was her boyfriend. I looked at her and laughed to myself causing her to smile.

“Lou I don’t know, let me ask.”…”Are you single Marley?” she asked me.

“yes” I told her as she gave me a thumbs up.

“yes Lou she is available…I will do no such thing…Yes she will be with me tonight to “Surprise” your mum.” She air quoted as she said surprise to him. Classic. “ Alright I can’t wait to see you either.” She said as she hung up the phone.

“That was my boyfriend Louis, you’ll meet him tonight.” She told me.

“How long have you been together?” I asked her.

“Almost 4 years now. Our relationship isn’t like normal couples. He travels a lot and to see him I travel with him often too.” She told me.

“That’s awesome, a really long time! Good for you guys. I’m excited to meet him. “ I told her with a genuine smile.

“Why don’t you have a boyfriend?” she asked me.

“Uhm. Just wasn’t in the cards for me as of now I guess. But I’m good with it. I’m not really the relationship type anyway.Too much hurt in it all.” I admitted.

“So you’ve had your heart broken?” she asked now with a serious face.

“Yeah, way more than I would like to admit.” I told her.

It wasn’t like dating wasn’t an option. I just never saw it as a priority , and honestly I had some serious trust issues. When I was 17 I came home from school one day and my mom was out of town and it was just supposed to be me at home at that time. But my dad’s car was in the drive way but there was also a car I had never seen before. I got to the front door and unlocked the house and walked in to hear moaning coming from the office. It sounded like someone was dying honestly. I peaked through the cracks of the door to see some slut on the office desk where I used to do my homework, and my dad; he was on top of her fucking her. He kept saying “My wife can never know. Jules, this would kill her Sarah.” Then I realized who the woman was, it was Sarah, my mom’s best friend. I ran out of the house as fast as I could that day and went straight to Sonny’s apartment to tell her all about it. So you could say I have trust issues for a few reasons.

“We should probably leave in about an hour if we want to make it to Jo’s on time Marley. “ Eleanor said as she pulled me away from my thoughts.

“Right, ok! Hey El, you can call me MJ if you want. Just so you know.” I informed her.

“Mj, why Mj?” she asked

“My middle name is Jay, Marley Jay. But it’s whatever you prefer!” I told her.

“Oh that’s cute. MJ, okay! I like it. I’m going to get ready.” She said as she got up from my closet floor and went to her room.

After getting refreshed and redoing my hair and make up I made my way down into the kitchen to get some water where I saw Eleanor’s fridge was covered in photos. Photos of her and her sister, photos of her and who I assumed was Louis who looked vaguely familiar to me.

“ready?” I heard El call from behind me.

“yeah, is this your boyfriend? I asked her.

“Yep! That’s him! You ready to go?” she again asked.

“Uh yeah, let’s go.” I followed her out to her car and we drove till we go to Jo’s home where there were a ton of cars. More than I had expected.

“Uhm, why are all these people here? Was Louis away at war or something?” I asked her.

“Okay MJ, let’s have a talk. “ She began now worrying me. “My boyfriend and his 4 best mates are in a boyband.” She told me expecting me to know where she was going with this.

“Wait, what?” I asked confusingly.

“You can stop acting like you had no idea now.” She said with a sarcastic smile.“Oh, you really have no idea where I’m going with this.” She said again.

I shook my head still so lost.

“So you know who One Direction is, right?” she asked.

“I mean I know of them and I know that one song about being beautiful. But that’s it.” I confessed.

“Well okay…Louis, my boyfriend. He’s in One Direction. And in that house is all his family and all of the other boys’ families. It’s a welcome home party. “ she told me.

“Oh…great.” I said now nervous as ever.

“Where have you been at for the past 4 years? Living under a rock?” she asked.

No I’ve been too busy taking care of my Mom who died from cancer.

“Uhm I just don’t really keep in the know with pop culture I guess.” I told her.

“Well, I’m happy to had brought you up to speed. You ready kid? Don’t worry. I’ll introduce you around and everything.” She told me as she checked her make up one last time in the mirror of her car.

“Let’s go” I insisted as I opened my car door.

As we got closer to the front door I could hear the multiple voices from outside and honestly I was hoping my anxiety didn’t get the best of me. As we walked in to the house it smelt of chicken, lemon pepper chicken and I went straight to the kitchen to find Jo.

“My girl, hi! How’s the moving in going?” she asked me as she hugged.

“Is that lemon pepper chicken?” I asked her completely ignoring her prior question.

“It quite is love. Why?” she asked me having no knowledge of my favorite dish that my mom used to make me when she was well enough to cook for my sister and I.

“My mom used to make me Lemon pepper Chicken, it’s my favorite.” I told her now tearing up a bit.

“Oh goodness me, no crying now then I’ll start. Go to the restroom and get yourself cleaned up before you meet everyone.” She told me as she wiped her eyes and I made my way to the direction that she pointed me in.

As I walked into the restroom I broke out in silent slow tears. I missed my Mom and being in this family atmosphere just made me realize all of that. As I grabbed a tissue and began to wipe my eyes a knock was on the door.

“Just a second.” I yelled to the other side.

“No rush love, just gotta take a piss.” The voice from the other side said.

“You came to the right place then.” I said to the mystery person as I opened the door to him. I looked up to make eye contact and he was standing there. The boy from the TV. “Sorry, it’s all yours.” I said as I began to walk away.

“You alright?” he asked me concerned.

“I’m good, thanks.” I looked back and smiled at him.

My brown eyes locked with his green eyes, and I shit you not. Electricity.

Now to face everyone.

Notes

Alright everyone, it's about to get good. What do you think will happen next? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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