When We Were Younger (you me at six)

We Were Young, We Were Blind, We Ignored The Warning Signs

"Five months? Please tell me you're joking." I asked. I shook my head in disbelief.

"I'm sorry Hayley, I know it's a long time."

"A long time? It's more than a fucking long time. It's almost half a year!" I shouted. "Mum, I'm so sorry but I can't do it, it's too long. I can't leave my life. What about school? What about the guys and the band? What about Josh?"

I felt bad for shouting but I couldn't help myself. She nodded slowly and smiled sadly. "I thought you would say that. I'll call my boss and tell him in the morning."

My heart broke as I saw the look of disappointment on her face. She had wanted to do this since she was a teenager, who was I to stop her? I took a deep breath, I couldn't believe what I was about to say.

"Just because I can't go, doesn't mean you can't."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion clouding her tone.

"I mean that you have to do this. You've wanted to for so long, I can't stop you. You have to go without me."

"Hayley, I can't do that. I can't expect you to live on your own for five months, you're just a child." She reached over and grasped my hand with her own.

"I won't be on my own, I'll be with the guys constantly. And I'm not a child, I can look after myself. I have for the past week and a half on tour. I'm not some wild teenager, you know you can trust me Mum." The thought of living alone for five months absolutely terrified me but I put on a brave face to hide my fear. She was silent for a while. I could tell from the look on her face that she was thinking very deeply and not just ignoring me.

We had reached our house. She pulled into the driveway and cut off the engine but remained seated in the car. "I'll be in a remote village on a different continent. There'll be no way to get in contact with me for almost the entire time I'm gone. You can't just ring me up whenever you fancy a chat. If we spoke maybe two or three times in the whole five months, we'd be lucky," she said thoughtfully. She was really considering leaving.

"I know," I said. "And I'll miss you like crazy but the time will fly by. I'll still be here when you get back. Mum please, you almost made this trip once before but you had to cancel it because you were pregnant with me. I can't be the reason you don't get to do this again."

"Okay, I'll do it. I'll go."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. She nodded and I beamed at her. "I'm so happy for you!"

"I can't believe I'm really going to do this, I must be mad," she giggled. I jumped out of the car and sprinted round to the other side to hug her.

"You're going to have an amazing time. Oh my god, I have to tell Josh. I'll call him later on, I guess." I thought aloud, nibbling on my bottom lip.

"Oh go round to his now, I know you want to. I'm not going to be much fun anyway. I've got a lot of packing to do if I'm leaving in a week," she said. The smile on her face couldn't be any wider.

"Bye mum," I said as I kissed her cheek. I turned and sprinted in the direction of Josh's house.

In just a few short minutes, I turned on to his street. I could see him standing outside his house, bringing a few things from tour in from the car. He heard the pounding of my feet against the pavement and his head shot up in my direction.

"Hayley, what are you going here? Couldn't wait until tomorrow to see me, could you?" he grinned and winked cheekily. I was panting but I could still find the breath to scoff at him.

"No, you arsehole," I said as I slapped him playfully. "I have news."

"And what might that be?" His arms snaked around my waist, pulling me closer. My hands pressed against his chest and I looked up in to his eyes.

"It's about my mum. She's going to Africa for five months. She leaves next week," I said bluntly. His eyes widened and he looked like he was going to be sick.

"Are you joking?" he managed to choke out. I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak again but he cut me off. "Fuck! I can't believe it. You're leaving me." He stormed off in to his house, slamming the front door shut. I hadn't exactly been invited but I followed him anyway, the Franceschi's were like my second family. I opened the door and stormed over to the foot of the stairs. Elissa emerged from the living room and looked at me curiously.

"Why did Josh just storm in here, cursing his head off?" she asked. Her expression appeared slightly amused.

"Because I told him my mum's going to Africa for five months but your idiot brother didn't give me a chance to tell him I'm not going with her."

"Africa? Wow, that's amazing. So he thinks you're leaving?" she asked and I nodded. "You have my permission to yell at him and call him every name you can think of."

I grinned at her, I always knew I liked Elissa. I looked up the dark staircase and shouted, "Josh Franceschi, get your stubborn arse down here and fucking speak to me." I could hear Elissa laughing behind me.

A few moments later, he appeared and stomped down the stairs. "What can you possibly have to speak to me about? You already told me you're going to Africa," he spat.

"No I did not. I told you my mum is going to Africa. If you would get over yourself and listen to me, you would hear me tell you that I'm not going with her. I'm staying here with you."

A dark red spread across his cheeks as he realised how much he had over-reacted. I laughed and kissed his cheek.

"You're really staying?" he whispered as he rested

his forehead against mine.

"Yes, you idiot. There's no way I'm leaving you." He kissed me and grabbed my hand, pulling me up the stairs. He pushed open his bedroom door and we walked inside. He quickly shoved some socks and his laptop off of the bed and pulled me down on to it. We snuggled under the covers and turned our attention to whatever movie was on the tv. American Pie, perfect.

I was in hysterics at Stifler but Josh, who would usually be crying with laughter, was quiet and thoughtful. I turned off the tv and changed my position so that I was sitting up and could see him properly.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, gently placing my hand against his cheek.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking, I guess." he mumbled.

"Thinking about what?"

"How can you just let your mum leave for months? How can she leave you?"

"She didn't want to go without me but I made her," I said. He looked at me curiously and I sighed. "She almost made this trip once before, when she was 18. She was planning on going the summer before she started uni. Everything was booked, she was all set to go, and then she found out she was pregnant with me. That changed everything. I put a stop to all her plans, all her dreams. I can't do that again. Not now, when I'm old enough to look after myself. She has to go, nothing else really matters."

"You are the most amazing, selfless person I have ever met. I love you, Hayley Phillips."

"I love you too, Joshua Franceschi."

Our lips connected and we fell back on to the bed. The feeling between us when we were together was indescribable. I didn't care that we were young, I loved him and he loved me. There was nothing I wanted more than to be with him forever.