XII

𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐯

It was nearing 4:50pm when I looked at my phone for what was probably the thousandth time, I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't going to wake up Aquilah too late or early for that. I guess I'm not the only one that picked up on my constant phone checking.

"What the fuck are you always checking your phone fore Arthur?" Chris was beginning to question me

"Nothing."

"Bullshit mate, surely there's something you're waiting on-" Harry starts but JJ cuts him off,

"Or someone?!"

"OHHHH ARTHUR MATE HAVE YOU GOT A BIRD?" Chip cut in making everyone start interrogating me, I looked towards Chris and Harry, hoping they would back me up or something,

"Can you not objectify my best mate Chip." fuck me

"AQUILAH?! YOU FANCY HER?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you answer in a question Arthur?" Simon asked and when I looked at him, his face was calm, making all my awkwardness and anxiety kind of disappear.

"Well I mean I do but I just don't know what to do or how big it is and it's just a bit scary."

"This is the first girl that Arthur has admitted to liking, like, ever." Chris says and I shot my eyes wide open,

"No it isn't-"

"Don't even mate, I grew up with you. Sure I knew when you had a crush on someone but you never admitted it to anyone, I just kept teasing you of it. Aquilah is the first girl you've ever admitted to liking, and, you've done it twice! It's fate!"

"What do you mean twice Chris?" now Ethan decides to pipe up and Harry answers his question,

"We all met back in school like almost ten years ago at a Manchester trip, they both had a crush on each other but fell out of contact. They recently met at Chris' shoot maybe a month ago now and Arthur literally admitted it on the plane ride here."

"Well good on you mate."

"Yeah we're all happy for you."

"Um- she isn't my girlfriend. And I was only checking the time because she wanted me to wake her up before we went out to dinner."

"what a fucking sump."

"am not!" everyone deadpanned me when I said that, I sighed, checked my phone again 4:58pm.

"I'm gonna go wake her up."

I walked up the stairs and down the long corridor until I reached the end and quietly knocked on the door to the right. When I tried to open the door, I couldn't, why did she lock the door?

I turned around and walked into my own room, going through the bathroom and seeing if her door is unlocked there. Why is this door unlocked but not her main bedroom door?

I walked into her room and saw her peacefully asleep, her brown hair sprawled out over her pillows, body wrapped up by the quilt like she's a cocoon. She couldn't be more perfect. I took a photo and almost posted it on my story but decided to save it for another time.

I walked over towards her and sat on her left side at the edge of the bed, trying so hard to not disturb her sleep. I bushed my hands through her hair gently, moving any strays away from her face, as I leaned down closer to her face, I whispers

"lilee, it's 5pm, you have to wake up now. dinner is in three hours 'kay?"

"mhmm, 'kay arts." she turned over and gave me a small smile, squishing my face with her hand,

"you always seem to squish my face huh?"

"it's just so-squishable? i dont know, it makes sense in my head i guess."

"no no, i understand, well i mean not really but i understand what you mean when you say it makes sense in your head you know?" she giggled at my awkwardness and I swear I could've died or melted right then and there. Even though she just woke up, she truly looks like a princess and her laughing face could be something I stare at all day. I quickly snapped out of my trance and spoke up again,

"I'm gonna leave now and go back downstairs, you want anything?"

"No, I'm okay. Can you just ask Haz where dinner is for me? I need to figure out what to wear."

"Okay." I stood up and made my way out of her room - through the bathroom, and headed back downstairs. Harry was in the living room alone now,

"All the others are out back if you want to go."

"Nah I'm alright, Aquilah just wanted to know where dinner was."

"Just text her saying that Thai place ten minutes from here."

"Thanks mate, you okay?"

"What, oh yea, I'm uh-fine. Yeah, I'm fine."

"Harry."

"It's just ugh- Katie put this thing up on her story, she's-uh, how do I say this? She um-in Guernsey?"

"Why?!"

"Couldn't tell you. Mum just texted saying she stopped by. Said it was weird, I just don't know if I can face her right now."

"It's okay Harry, the break up is fresh, anyways you're with all the boy and Aquilah who I think we both know is scarier than all those boys, including JJ."

"WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Jj walked back into the house from the terrace, obviously hearing us mention him but Harry and I both shut him down quickly.

"Nothing JJ." he walked towards his room and I turn back to Harry,

"We don't have to go you know?"

"It's fine, I'll be okay."

"Just let me know if it changes 'kay?"

"Okay mate." I grabbed my phone out my pocket to message Aquilah on where we are going for dinner.

business island

harry said we're going to Thai

the one near here????

yes

YAY!!!

do you think this looks good?

um, yea!

maybe a jacket?

should be okay, not that cold tn

rightyo!

what are you wearing?

idk clothes?

you are terrible at this small talk

im an awkward introvert

what do you expect?

fair play

come up?

want some company while i do makeup

be there in a min

YAYAY!!

ur ridiculous

booo 🙄 

I turned my phone off and made my way back to Aquilah's room, knocking on the door this time. I hear some things falling and heavy feet before the door swings open and I see her standing there with a massive cheesy smile on her face.

"Come in, welcome to my humble abode."

"Seems cozy."

"You should see my room back at home."

"We are at your home country, maybe I could."

"Bold guy, I like it. It can be an activity we all go on!" I frowned at that, sure I was happy to be spending time with everyone, but I did want to also spend time with just Aquilah too. I though that was a hint for her. Guess she didn't pick up that hint easily.

The girl went to her vanity and continued to do her make up as I looked around her room, just taking it in, I went into the bathroom to quickly enter my room so I could change. I just put on a brown sweatshirt and some black trousers. I grabbed my black puffer jacket as well and entered Aquilah's room. She was still sat on her vanity, doing her hair now though, her playlist filled the room as she sang one of her own songs 'Let Me In'. I placed the jacket on her bed and placed her handbag on top, I then sat on her bed and scrolled on my phone.

"I like your sweatshirt, it makes you look more warm."

"What?"

"Like your face brightens up with that colour on. I don't know, I'm kinda just speaking complete nonsense."

"I do that too sometimes, my language is too sophisticated."

"Well pardon me kind sir, that sweater of yours makes you appear ethereal like the warm summer glow." I feel my cheeks flush again so I put my head down so she can't see her effect.

"Well your royal highness are just pulchritudinous."

"What the fuck does that mean?" she laughs as I shrug, of course it meant beautiful, those were the only words to describe her.

"You'll figure it out some day Lilee."

"I really do like that nickname."

"Is that why it's all your social handles and your online alias name?"

"Yes, yes it is Arts. I chose that name because I hadn't forgotten you completely, I still remembered you but only as chess boy. I remembered that it was the chess boy who gave me that nickname and it was so delicate and elegant, I felt like a princess. I kept it because it was the only thing I had left of you, lilee."

I could only look at her in awe as she concluded her mini monologue. I stood up and walked over to her, while she was still sitting in her vanity chair, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and just held her there, my next words were softly spoken,

"thank you for not forgetting me lilee."

"i could never forget you chess boy."

We stayed like that kind of swaying, kind of not. Until my phone pinged, Chris messaged me saying we were leaving in ten minutes so we quickly got our things and headed downstairs to where most people were. Just Josh, Chip (ironic both the Josh's ) and Danny we were waiting on so we were all sat across the sofas. 

I was so excited for tonight, my first night in Guernsey but I was still aware of the current circumstances, Katie was in the area, she spoke to Harry's mum, I fancy Aquilah, new area- wait.

I fancy Aquilah.

AUTHORS NOTE: heyyyyy, two updates in one day !!! YAY! finally the proper realisation from Arthur and acknowledgement we all needed to physically read and hear. i hope you guys are enjoying it, im so grateful for all the read i mean 4.8k!!! 🫶🏽🫶🏽 pls keep reading and voting and commenting bc it means so so much to me 💗 i love you all so much and will try get another two or three chapters over the next few days 😽💗