When Flying Feels Like Falling

It was two days later and I was sitting in the living room watching some random British TV show, along with my aunt. I was just so bored. Liam and Eric were upstairs doing whatever and my uncle had gone to the grocery store.

"You okay, Lori?" My aunt, who was sitting next to me, asked.

"Huh, what?" I blinked and looked at her. "Y-Yeah, I’m fine."

"Sure? You look a bit bored." She laughed, pushing some hair away from my face.

I shrugged. "I’m not."

"Right." She rolled her eyes with another laugh.

I too laughed. "I’m really not." Except I totally am.

Liam and Eric suddenly came marching down the stairs, barking in laughter.

"Hey, why don’t you guys go out?" Aunt Jo suggested to the boys when they entered the living room.

"That’s what we’re gonna do," Eric responded with a grin. "Loreh, come on."

I made a face. "Where?"

"Skate park," Liam answered.

I sighed. "I don’t think so."

"Why not?! Just cause you fell the last time? You don’t have to get on a freakin' skateboard, Lori." Liam laughed, rolling his eyes.

"You fell?!" Aunt Jo asked incredulously.

"I was trying to skateboard and I fell and scraped my stupid elbow," I replied, cringing at the memory.

"Oh my goodness! And why didn't you tell me?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"She was too embarrassed to tell you," Liam replied with a snort and I shot him a glare.

"At least you didn't get hurt too bad. Right?" She asked.

"Right," I confirmed.

"Okay. Then go, Lori. Go have some fun. And like Liam said, you don't have to get on another skateboard." Aunt Jo smiled at me.

I groaned.

"Yeah, come on. If yeh don’t, I’ll drag yeh out of ‘ere myself," Eric threatened, walking toward me.

"Eric, stop," I said, crossing my arms.

"I swear I will." He grinned, inching closer.

"Okay, okay!" I abruptly jumped off the couch. "Jeez, just let me go change first."

Liam and Eric nodded and I ran up the stairs to my room. Since the day was sunny and hot, I decided on wearing jean shorts and a pink top. I left my wavy hair down and quickly slipped on my white converses, heading back downstairs.

"Bye, Aunt Jo," I called, following the boys out the house.

"Bye sweetie!" She called back before I shut the door behind me.

Liam and Eric rode on their skateboards on the sidewalk while I walked with my hands in my pockets, reassembling some of my thoughts. I really hoped I wouldn’t have to see Oliver at the park. Just thinking about him made me feel annoyed. Because that’s what he did. He annoyed the shit out of me like no one else. I couldn't take his conceited attitude and how he thought he was the damn king of the world or something.

We had finally arrived at the skate park, and I immediately walked over to the bright green grass, sitting myself down, cross-legged. Liam and Eric skated off, reaching the ramps.

I ran a hand through my hair, looking up at the clear blue sky. It felt nice just sitting there by myself. I’d often feel comfort in solitude. Back in Orlando, whenever I wanted to get away from everything, I'd go to a lake located near my house. It was the perfect place to organize my thoughts.

"’Ey, Loreh!" Someone called me, snapping me out of my little reverie. My head turned, only to find Tom walking towards me with a board under his arm.

I immediately smiled. "Hey, Tom."

He grinned cheekily, sitting himself down beside me. "What are yeh doin’ sitting on the grass all by yo'self?"

"Nothing, really."

"Don’t wanna try skateboarding again?" He asked, holding his board up.

I raised a brow. "You’re kidding me, right?"

He laughed. "Yeah, I am."

I shook my head. "I am never getting on one of those things again."

"Aww. Don’t say that. Yo' making it sad." He stroked the board like it was cute little puppy dog.

I laughed. "Crazy."

"I suppose I am." He flashed me a pretty grin, wiggling his eyebrows.

I smiled.

"I’m gonna go skate for a bit. Sure yeh gonna stay ‘ere?" He asked, standing up.

"Positive," I replied.

He laughed and snapped a salute before getting on his skateboard and riding off. I watched him as he made his way over to Eric and Liam. They began taking turns on the ramp and I just couldn't contain my laughter when I saw Liam falling flat on his back. Karma was doing its job.

A few minutes after watching them all fall off their boards, my eyes began wandering around. They suddenly widened at the sight of him. Oliver.

Oh God, why must you punish me?

I sighed heavily, frustrated, and looked down. I prayed he wouldn’t see me. Thankfully, he didn’t. He walked towards the boys and they greeted him with one of those manly handshakes.

Luckily I had brought a book with me in case I'd get unbearably bored. But in this case, it was just to hide my face from the douchebag known as Oliver Sykes.

I took it from my back pocket, where it was rolled up. I opened it, and began reading, trying hard to focus on the small words printed on the off white pages.

A few pages later, I could see, from the corner of my eye, someone approaching me. I didn’t really think much of it, thinking it’d just be Liam, Eric or Tom. But, of course, I was wrong.

"’Ey, Loreh."

My head snapped up and I abruptly felt my insides churning. Oliver Sykes was standing in front of me.

I narrowed my eyes confusingly. He's calling me by my nickname?

"Hi," I responded curtly, looking back down at my book, hoping he'd go away.

Oliver continued standing there with his hands in his ripped jeans' pockets.

What the hell does he want?

"Can I sit?" He spoke rather politely, motioning to the empty spot next to me.

No, you may not!

I shrugged indifferently. "Sure."

Ugh, why do I have to be so damn nice?

He sat down, only a few inches away, bringing his knees close to his chest with his arms around his legs.

And so the awkwardness begins.

I began questioning my conscience. What exactly was he doing here?

"So what’s up with yeh and my brotha?" He flat out questioned.

I narrowed my eyes, looking up at him. "What?"

He played with the white thread coming out of the ripped part of his jeans. "Yeh fanceh him?"

I scoffed. Why the hell would he ask me that? "No, I do not fancy him."

He chewed on his bottom lip. "Doesn’t look like it."

I tightened my jaw and snapped my book shut before turning my whole body to glare at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Yeh seem pretteh cozeh with him."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I like him as a friend. He’s nice and polite and fun to talk to. Unlike you."

For a split second, he actually seemed upset. Or was it just my imagination running wild?

He smirked. "I’m not nice?"

I snorted. "Nope."

"And why not?"

I looked at him like he was crazy. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

He continued smirking. "Yes."

Okay, then. I’ll let him hear it. "Well, for one thing, you’re the most obnoxious person I have ever met in my entire life."

He let out a laugh. "I doubt that."

"I’m not kidding." I glared.

He shrugged.

"And for another, do you even recall the first time we met?"

Oliver looked up in thought. "Um....."

"You hit on me."

He clicked his tongue. "I hit on everyone, silleh."

"I bet you do," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "You have a girlfriend."

"So?"

"It's wrong, dumbass."

"It’s just flirting." He shrugged. "Good clean fun."

I let out a humorless laugh. "Good? Clean? Now there’s two words that don’t fit well into your vocabulary."

He snorted in laughter. "That hurt."

"It’s supposed to," I said through gritted teeth.

"I don’t get why yeh hate me so much."

"You’re rude and conceited. What is there to like, exactly?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yo’ rude too." He smirked.

"Only because you are. I’m not rude to people who aren’t rude to me," I snapped, looking back down at my book.

He laughed. I hated how my words didn’t affect this guy at all.

"Bloodeh hell. Yo’ a realleh mean girl, Loreh."

I sighed in frustration. "Don’t call me Lori. Only friends call me Lori."

"But the guys call yeh Loreh."

"Like I said. Friends." I made sure to enunciate that last word.

He shook his head. "Yo’ such a bitch."

My jaw dropped. He did not just say that.

"Excuse me?!"

"Yeh ‘eard me," He responded dryly.

I scoffed. "You are unbelievable!"

"See, now that's what girls usualleh tell me." He smirked.

I breathed heavily through my nose. My patience was hanging by a thread. "How the fuck do people put up with you?!"

He rolled his eyes. "Yo' the onleh one 'ere who seems to have a problem with me, darling."

"You know what? Fuck you." I quickly got to my feet and he looked at me as amusement filled his eyes. "I don't need this shit. Especially from you."

And with that, I began marching away from that asshole. Why did I even waste my breath talking to him? He was lucky I didn’t break his goddamn teeth.

I balled my hands into fists, feeling the anger pulsing through me as I power walked further and further away. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Tom appeared in front of me.

"’Ey, Loreh. Where are yeh……" Tom began saying but stopped once he noticed my fuming expression. "Blimey, what the hell happened?"

"Ask your brother," I spat crudely, continuing to walk.

"Whoa, whoa." Tom stopped me by stepping in front of me with his arms out. "Calm down, love. What about my brotha?"

"I’m not gonna waste my breath talking about Oliver Sykes."

He nodded understandingly. "Okay, then. We can talk about something else. Just calm down." He rubbed my shoulder.

I crossed my arms.

"‘Ere, drink some wateh." He held up a water bottle, handing it to me.

My breathing slowed and I nodded, taking the bottle. Tom led me to a bench on the other side of the park where we sat in silence. I took a few sips of water, calming myself down.

Tom began fidgeting with his hands, seeming a bit uneasy for some reason. "Loreh?" He spoke quietly.

"Hmm?"

"I've....um.....been meaning to ask yeh something." He rubbed his neck nervously.

I nodded, confused as to why he was so agitated. "What is it?"

He opened his mouth but hesitated, looking down at his hands. I waited patiently, taking tiny sips of water.

"Would yeh….um…..would yeh............ugh." He slapped his forehead.

I laughed a little. "Would I what?"

He sighed heavily. "This is hardah than I bloodeh expected."

"Is it serious?" I questioned worriedly.

This made him laugh quietly. "No."

"Then tell me," I urged, now totally curious.

He licked his lips, looking thoughtful. "Would yeh considah.....going out......with me?"

I choked on my water as my eyes widened.

Tom is asking me out? ME?!

"W-What?" I stuttered.

A timid smile formed on his lips. "Go out with meh?"

"Um..." I looked down at my hands, suddenly feeling my cheeks growing hot. I just wasn't expecting that at all.

Tom looked at me eagerly, waiting for my reply.

Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Say something, Lori!

"Yes?" I asked, rather than said.

He smiled widely from ear to ear. "Realleh?"

Tom’s excitement made me smile too. He’s too adorable.

"Yeah. Of course," I said more surely.

"Oh, this is great." He laughed a little. "Can I pick yeh up tomorrow around eight?"

I nodded, securing the cap on the water bottle. "Sure."

He couldn’t stop smiling. How could he even be related to Oliver Sykes? It just didn’t make any sense.

"Okay, then. I gotta go and work some stuff out. I’ll see yeh tomorrow, yeah?" He said, standing up from the bench.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." I held out the water bottle for him to take.

"Oh, you can have it."

"Oh. Thanks." I set it on my lap.

He smiled and, unexpectedly, leaned down and planted a delicate kiss on my cheek. This made me blush at least five shades of red.

Tom winked at me before turning around and making his way towards a parked car a few feet away. I smiled to myself. Tom actually asked me out. I couldn't believe it.

I continued smiling, watching him get in the car, but it suddenly faded when I saw who was sitting in the driver’s seat. Oliver.

He was looking at me with an indescribable expression on his face. I scowled, and turned my head.

Sleazebag.