Open Your Eyes

She hated me. She absolutely hated me.

God. I wanted to go hide under the covers of my bed. My big mouth had a mind of its own. I got nervous around my boyfriends parents. I blurted out that I had a daughter. And the look on their faces screamed that they thought I was a slag. If only I could keep my mouth shut. Think before you speak, Lennon.

As soon as we got back to our flat, I got Presley from Harry's. He had went and gotten her from my dads earlier this morning and decided to spend the rest of the day with her until we got back. I praised him. I really did. James didn't spend time alone with her. Ever. And he was her father. Harry was only her cousin. He didn't have to have anything to do with her, but he did anyway. I really just wanted to hug him as tightly as I could and thank him over and over again. He went above and beyond. And I loved him for it. He was the best brother slash cousin I could ask for.

"How'd the trip go? Where did you lot go?" He questioned. With a sigh, I sat down on his couch. "To his mum and dads house."

"Wait...what?" He looked utterly confused. "Why'd you go see his parents for the weekend?"

I shrugged. I honestly didn't know how to tell him. I didn't want to. His cousin slash sister dating his best friend wouldn't go over well. He never liked me dating any of his mates. He told me before that it would be bloody awkward if I did and that he really didn't want to beat the shit out of his best mates because they did something to hurt me or broke up with me. So I steered clear of them... until now.

"Only people who date do that stuff." It took him a while, but he finally seemed to realize what he said and his face morphed into many different emotions. Oh shit. He looks shocked. Now he looks disgusted. Now he looks upset. And now he looks right pissed. "Are you and Liam dating?"

I shyly shrugged and nodded. "Yeah," I mumbled. "Listen—"

"What the fuck, Lennon?!" He exclaimed. Presley latched onto me and hid her face in my jegging clad legs. "How long have you been dating? Is that why you moved in with him? What the bloody hell possessed you to think dating him was okay? Moving in was pushing it, but now dating him?! You promised me you would never date any of my mates. How fucking daft are you?"

He was yelling. And it was scaring Presley and me. He's never yelled at me like that. Not even when I ran away with James. He was legitimately pissed. His face was turning red. Veins were popping out in his neck. His eyes were hard as stone. His fists were clenched. He was mad. And my daughter was now crying.

"I'm not going to stay here while you're this mad and making my daughter cry," I stated. "Goodbye Harry." Presley buried her head in my neck when I picked her up and I sighed. Turning around, my hand twisted the knob on his front door. Stopping short, I turned my head around to look at him. "I'm sorry."

And with that, I walked out the door, leaving him to fume to himself.


I hadn't spoken to Harry in a week. Seven days. 168 hours. 10,080 minutes.

He hadn't tried speaking to me and I wasn't going to try speaking to him. He hadn't tried talking to Liam either. That made me more angry then him not talking to me. Liam was his best mate, his band mate, his brother. He couldn't just write him off like that. And he couldn't just write off Presley like that either. He could do whatever he wanted to me but as soon as it started affecting my daughter, he was screwed. Nobody did anything to my baby girl. Talk bad about me, do whatever, but as soon as you bring my daughter into it, you're up shit creek without a paddle. You're dead to me.

"Mummy, where Hally?" The dreaded question. Once again. Sighing, I set a bowl of Ramen noodles in front of her along with her sippy cup filled with V8 V-Fusion. "He's on a business trip, baby," I replied.

"Otay," she replied simply. She picked up her toddler fork and used it to put some noodles in her mouth. "I miss him dhough, Mummy."

"I know you do, babygirl." I did too. "I know you do."

I sat down beside her and started eating my own Ramen noodles. This was the life of Presley and Lennon. Not leaving Liam's flat. Eating Ramen noodles. Lazing around. And not speaking to anyone. Yep. We were an exciting bunch.

If we take this bird in
With its broken leg
We could nurse it
She said
Come inside—

I picked up my phone and held it to my ear, answering it. "'Lo?" I answered with a mouthful.

"Is this Lennon Cox?" A male voice asked. My brows furrowed. "Um...yes it is. May I ask who's speaking?"

"A mutual friend of you and James." My heart sank. "He wanted me to tell you that he's going to be paying you a visit soon. Very soon."

The line went dead. I almost dropped my phone. How did that person get this number? I got a brand new phone and number. The only people who knew my new number were the lads, Gemma, aunt Anne, my dad, and all the lads' security team. None of them would ever give my number out. I knew none of the lads or Gemma needed to be involved in this whole James ordeal. So I did the only thing I could think of; I called Paul.


"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I questioned.

Paul was sat in the driver seat of his SUV while I sat in the passenger seat and Presley was in the back in her carseat. As soon as I had called him, he rushed over and told me his plan. He didn't give me any time to object, he just flat out told me. I packed up all of mine and Presley's clothes, which wasn't much, and we left. We got in his car and started driving.

"Positive," he replied, his Irish accent thick. "Harry told me to do anything and everything I can to protect you and Presley, and that's what I'm doing. If that prick of an ex is threatening you, I'm going to protect you guys. I'm taking you away from the public eye and keeping you safe."

Nodding, I turned to look out the window. Of course this would happen. Right when I was starting over. Right when I was finally starting to be happy. I couldn't even tell Liam where I was or what was going on. Paul wouldn't let me. He told me in a few days when he knew it was safe that he would tell them. I wouldn't be able to have any contact with any of them. It was like I was in Witness Protection.

"Mummy, we going on trip?" Presley asked from the backseat. I hastily wiped at my watery eyes, trying to hide it from Paul and my daughter. "Yeah babygirl. We're going on a trip," I replied softly, my voice cracking a few times.

Ready to play a game of hide-and-seek?