Cornerstone

Home Sweet Home?

Charlotte's Pov:

It had been around eight months since I had left Sheffield. London wasn't perfect but I definitely enjoyed it there more than Sheffield. I obviously missed mum and Claire but dad and I got a long way better. He had a new girlfriend who treated me like her own daughter and I loved it. I had finished my final year of school and was going to visit mum and Claire as a surprise. The thing I was most excited for, or person I should say, was Alex. I felt terrible about leaving on such short notice and not even being able to say proper goodbyes but it seemed like there was nothing else I could do at the moment.

There wasn't a day where I didn't think about our final words before I left. He had promised to wait for me and it warmed me up inside.

It was a long, almost three-hour, train ride, and my legs felt numb when I got up. I didn't bring much, only a small suitcase and a backpack. I was going to stay for around a month and was nervous but excited, nonetheless. I was smiling at the thought of being reunited with Alex but was scared that he didn't miss me as much. I was nervous that mum was still upset with me for leaving her so abruptly. I tried calling her but she wouldn't pick up most times. The times that she did were around fifteen minutes of awkward conversations about nothing.

The cab ride to 505 crescent was around fourty minutes, but time passed quickly. I didn't know why, but I wished that there was a way to slow my ride there. Maybe I just needed more time to think of how I was going to introduce myself. What if they weren't home? What if they didn't want to see me? I tried to push those thoughts away, blaming it on how nervous I was, but a part of me was scared that they might be true.

I stood outside my door, taking in every detail on our porch. I hadn't even been gone for a year but it felt as if I hadn't stood here in ages. It didn't even feel like my house. Like I was standing in front of a stranger's home. It took everything in me to summon up the courage to knock. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. The weather was nicer now in Sheffield now that it was August, except for the occasional rainy days that we were never really able to escape in England.

The door opened to reveal a small blonde figure standing in the door frame.

"Surprise," I grinned, holding my arms out.

"OH MY FUCKING GOD," Claire basically jumped into my arms, nearly knocking both of us over. "WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME I WOULD'VE COOKED SOMETHING NICE," She yelled into my neck, still holding onto me.

"Because that wouldn't really make it a surprise, would it?" I giggled.

"Suppose you're right," She finally let go, revealing the biggest grin on her face.

"Claire, who are you talking to?" A familiar voice called from the top of the stairs.

"You'll never believe who decided to finally join us again," Claire had the biggest grin on her face.

"Surprise," I awkwardly smiled and waved my hand.

"Oh, Charlotte. I wasn't expecting you," Mum replied, wrapping her cardigan around herself.

Well that was slightly underwhelming I thought to myself.