MARIGOLD |H.S. AU|

CHAPTER SIX*

THIS IS PART OF A DOUBLE UPDATE SO MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ CHAPTER FIVE FIRST :)

Enjoy you filthy animals, I couldn't help myself lol <3

Song is VERY important to the story.

We step through the archway of the Italian bistro I've missed so much, and Meredith gasps,

"B! This is so pretty."

"Yeah, it's fucking sick to be fair." Louis agrees with her.

I know he's just made a mental note to take her on a date here. Although they can't, Lou still plans dates for them for the day that he can finally take her out. They'll be out every night once this contract ends.

Liam met us outside as we got here, I don't really know him very well but he's really funny, really good mates with Lou too. Liam and Zayn are some of the only people that know the truth about M and Lou, Zayn having walked in on them about to have sex, and Liam overhearing him talk about it later on.

Let's just say that I had a huge rush of second-hand embarrassment that day, thank God I was at a shoot and only caught the end of it.

We are escorted over to our table by Louis' nightguard, who will go and wait outside in the car until we're done but has to make sure he's safe before he leaves. Martin is so fucking dramatic.

We walk over to the table where My Dad, and his assistant and her boyfriend are sat.

My Dad stands up to hug me,

"Hey Pumpkin, you look great."

Zoe, my Dad's assistant stands up to hug me and says,

"I'm so proud of you." She whispers in my ear.

Zoe has helped me so much over the past few years. She's been my Dad's assistant for almost 15 years, so I've known her most of my life. She lost her Mum when she was young, so she has understood every single thing I've felt these past four years, I owe so much to her.

Her boyfriend Adam stays seated and just smiles up at me. He is a man of very few words, but we have always had this mutual respect for each other, we both love Zoe, so we automatically understood each other.

We all sit down, saying our hellos to everyone already here, my Dad shaking hands with all the boys, being familiar with their faces from the many parties I held at the house, when I was younger.

He also smiles at Meredith and rubs her arm with a warm and welcoming smile.

"Hey Mr. Melburn." She says sweetly.

"Lovely to see you again Meredith." He smiles.

We go to sit down, and we are all poured some wine by the waiter.

Not long after, Rosie and her daughter Lola walk in, both in matching burgundy outfits. Rosie has been a single Mum for six years now, and Lola's Dad left on her second birthday.

Rosie has raised Lola to understand that he left because of his own problems, and that it had nothing to do with Lola. I have so much respect for Rosie and how she made sure Lola knew this. It sucks when children with absent parents blame it on themselves, when realistically, if a parent is absent, it's because of their own issues and has absolutely nothing to do with the child.

Everyone welcomes Rosie and Lola, and they sit down together, and although I've met Lola a few times now, she is still extremely shy.

There is lots of laughing and drinking, and my Dad goes to order us some starters, but as he begins talking to the waiter, Harry and two other people I don't recognise, walk in.