Home, Sweet Home

Throughout the entire plane ride my excitement grew. By the time we landed, I was bouncing up and down in my seat. I was finally home. I was in London. I could feel the pull to run off the plane but instead I waited patiently.

Once in the airport I turned my phone back on. I had twenty three missed calls but only enough battery to make one. A call for and Uber. Almost as soon and I hung up, my phone died. I hate when planes don’t have outlets.

Plus it was almost three am. I don’t think it would be appreciated if I were to call back who ever called me now. I’m assuming it was Dan or Phil, probably both.

The airport seemed kind of empty and it was an eerie feeling to walk through and almost deserted airport. For a second I thought someone walking down on the corridors was a zombie. I really need to not watch Warm Bodies before I fall asleep, which I happened to do on the plane.

I made my way outside and not long after, an Uber pulled up. It wasn’t hard to tell it was for me because I was literally the only one around. I told him my address and we were off. I watched excitedly as we got closer and closer to the flat. It seemed that as soon as the flat came into view time slowed down. It was almost like it took an hour to get from the point to where I first saw the flat to being stopped in front of it.

I grabbed my things and pulled my keys out of my pocket then made my way up to the flat. Once inside I went really quietly so I didn’t wake anyone up. The flat smells the same as before I left and I was so incredibly happy to be home.

Once in my room, I found a three packages on my bed. Two were that bath and body works things that I had gotten and one, the biggest one, had Lily’s address as the return address. I moved all of the boxed to the floor beside where I had sat my suitcase. I would open it later when I had time.

Despite my intense excitement, I was so tired and at the same time I really needed a shower. I decided on a shower and sleep then I would see the guys in the morning. It seemed like the best option. I know the guys will be excited to see me but they may be less excited if I woke them up.

I grabbed clothes and made my way to the shower. Once I was done I went to bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out. I missed my big comfy bed more that I missed the guys. Okay, maybe I’m over exaggerating a bit but I really missed my bed. Do you know how nice it is to not be constantly pushed to the edge of the bed? You sleep so much better when you’re not worried that you’re going to be pushed off at any minute.

The next morning I woke up feeling refreshed and extremely happy. I’m in London. As the light from outside filtered in through the window I let just how happy I really was really sink in. I laid there until my excitement grew too great to stay still.

I got up and got dressed. When I checked the time I saw that it was noon. Wow I guess I’m not going to beat the jetlag this time.

Once I was dressed I quietly made my way down to the kitchen where I found Phil at the fridge. I tiptoed over to stand behind him and then wrapped my arms around him. I totally scared the shit out of him.

“Did you miss me?” I asked before he could say anything.

“Sam!” he said turning to hug me back. “Of course I missed you. I thought you were going to fly out on Friday. Dan and I tried to call you but it said you were no longer in service. What happened?”

I led Phil into the lounge and told him the tale of how I couldn’t get a flight and my phone ran out of service and I couldn’t find my chargers for anything anywhere. He totally understood. After catching up with Phil I went up to my room and started to unpack my suitcase.

Third POV

It was around lunch time when Phil went in to check on Dan. He was laying on his floor in the existential crisis position.

“Dan you need to eat. I’m going to go make you a sandwich.” He said in the nicest way he could.

“I can’t eat until I know she’s okay.” He replied.

“Oh come on. She’s going to be fine. She probably just lost her phone or something.” Phil replied.

The only reply Phil received was an “ugh”.

Phil left the room and made his way to the kitchen where he made a sandwich for Dan and sent a quick message to Lily.

Sam arrived this morning. She’s upstairs and she still thinks Dan is mad at her. Dan on the other hand is really worried about her. I think our plan may actually work.

Once he was done he made his way back to Dan’s room. When he went in, Dan was no longer on the floor as expected but instead at his computer looking up international news.

“Dan, what are you doing?” Phil asked setting the plate of food down by Dan.

“I’m checking to see if any planes crashed.” Dan snapped.

Phil walked out of Dan’s room closing the door behind him. He then put his tapped his fingers together and laughed evilly.

“Phil, what are you doing?” said Sam walking past with a basket of clothes.

“Nothing.” said Phil wiping the evil grin off his face.

“Whatever.” said Sam continuing down to the washer and dryer.

Sam’s POV

Unpacking didn’t take very long. I just dumped my entire suitcase out on the floor and started to make piles. One for dirty clothes, one for clean, one for gifts for the guys and my other friends and one for the things that were going to stay in my room.

I put away the clean clothes and the new ones then I grabbed a basket and made my way down to the washing machine. I saw Phil on the way down and he was acting strangely but I just brushed it off. Phil was weird sometimes.

Once the machine was full, I made my way back up to my room. I had bought a few things that needed to be put away, like those journals I bought. I also had a few pictures that Lily got framed for me.

One of them was from Funtown when Violet made us go on one of the roller-coaster. You can tell from the picture that we were all having a really good time. There was another from when Lily and I went to the beach and then the last one is me on my brother’s back. We both looked so happy in that picture it made my heart hurt.

I was finally done when it was time for supper. I really wanted Chinese food from my favorite place in London. While I like The Fortune Fountain, the Chinese here is, dare I say, better that back home.

I made my way down to the lounge and found Phil watching an anime that Lily made me watch while I was home.

“Where is Dan? Did he go see his parents or something?” I asked sitting on the couch next to Phil.

“No, he’s in his room having an existential crisis, and… looking at the international news.” said Phil looking down at his hands.

“Why on earth his he looking at the news?” I asked catching on to the guilt I could see in Phil’s eyes.

“Uh, because I still haven’t told him you are home yet?” Phil said almost asking me a question.

“Phil…” I said standing and starting to make my way to Dan’s room.

“Wait… I figured that if he was worried about you, he would stop acting like a twat.” Phil explained.

“Well I’m going to go and tell him that I am in fact not dead.”

I made my way to Dan’s room but before I knocked I heard him in his room talking.

“Look I’m really worried. Please just call me and tell me you aren’t dead. I swear to God if you’re dead-” I heard him say.

I opened the door without knocking and walked in.

“Don’t worry, I’m not.” I said.

He turned to me surprised and within seconds he was across the room and hugging me. The second his skin made contact with mine it was like the swarm of butterflies that lived in my stomach got spooked and they all started to fly at the same time.

A smile spread across my face and I couldn’t help but wish that Dan never let me go. I was so happy that his pissy mood seemed to be gone.

I stood there in his embrace for about three minutes before I said something making him let go of me.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you before I got here. There were a series of shitty events that happened starting Friday. First I couldn’t get a flight, then my phone ran out of service. On top of that, I lost my laptop charger and then found it twenty minutes before I left for the airport yesterday. Then the airport Wi-Fi was down and the plane didn’t have Wi-Fi or plugs so everything died and I had to call an Uber which used the rest of my battery when I landed and-”

Dan put his hand over my mouth to make me stop my frantic rambling. Man I really wish that had been a kiss.

“Sam, I don’t care. You here now and you’re not dead and I just don’t care.” He said pulling me into another hug.

“So tell me all about the trouble you got in while you were gone.” He said letting me go and sitting in his bed patting the spot next to him telling me to sit too.

It seemed like he wanted to say something else but I didn’t want to press him. I know I must have worried him.

I sat on his bed and we started talking. We were both laying on his bed just talking. My head had somehow ended up on his shoulder and his head on mine.

“So yeah, if my brother shows up and attempts to murder you, you now know why.” I said finishing my story of how I told my brother I was living with the guys.

“Great now I have to watch my back. It’s a good thing I know what he looks like so that I can evade him. Those pictures in your room are a life saver. Probably literally.” said Dan with a smirk.

“Hey my brother actually exercises so you might not be able to outrun him.” I countered.

“Yes, but if your brother is anything like you, all I have to do is lead him on to the underground and I’ll lose him easily.”

“I thought we agreed to never speak of that again. Maybe I should let my brother murder you.” I said glaring up at him.

Once again the urge to kiss Dan was almost over powering. I looked away before anything happened.

After that I continued to tell him about Lily and Ian dragging me to a bar and then our weekend in Portland, leaving out the bit about Violet and me peeing myself on The Dragons Decent. Then I told him about my surprise birthday party that I hated.

It was getting late and I was tired so I said goodnight to Dan and made my way up to my room. I laid on my bed and stared up at the ceiling.

My first day home was definitely more chilled than I expected it to be but I don’t think I can hang out with Dan like that until I’m more used to being around him. I mean I had been gone for two weeks. I need to build up my resistance to him so I don’t do something I may regret later on. You know, like kiss him or something.

Even now just thinking about it my lips tingled. Instead of rolling over and ignoring it, I couldn’t help but imagine what it would feel like to have Dan’s lips on mine. The way it would feel.

I fell asleep thinking about what it would feel like which entered me into a dream where I was actually kissing him. But I won’t say anything more about it because I don’t like to kiss and tell.