𝘾𝙍𝘼𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙔𝙊𝙐 ↣ 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘿𝙄𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉

FOOL'S GOLD

[ONE WEEK LATER]

"We're in Iowa," Niall said. I looked at him from my place in Louis' bunk.

I grew up in Iowa. Iowa, the middle of of no where, the one state that no one knows exists. Iowa, the state in the United States that is famous for corn. I hated it when I lived there, and I still hate it now.

"Do you want to stop and talk to anyone?" Niall asked.

"Like who?" I asked quietly, eyebrows raised.

"Lizzie's parents, maybe?" Niall offered. I looked up at the ceiling of the bunk before I nodded my head.

"We have time to stop?"

"Yeah, Mick, we have time," Niall said, "where are we going, so I can tell the bus driver?"

"Des Moines," I said. "Where are we now?"

"Um," Niall said. He looked down at his phone. "Davenport?"

"We have like four hours then," I said. Louis hummed, still not awake. He pulled me closer to him. "I think it'll be good for me to stop back here."

"I do too," Niall said. He leaned to put a kiss on my forehead before he pet my hair and walked out of the bunk room. I sighed and rolled over to face Louis.

Louis and I were far from being alright. How could we be with everything happening so fast? We were far from okay, but we were good actors.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

-

About five hours later, the boys and I were walking down a familiar sidewalk. I pointed out Lizzie's old house and we turned into the driveway.

"Are you sure they still live here, darling?" Harry asked. My eyes flickered to the mailbox, that still had the name Lancaster written in chipping white paint.

I sat outside with Lizzie while she painted it.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I said. The five of us mobbed to the porch and I took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

I didn't know how to prepare myself for when the door opened. I didn't know how it would feel.

When Mrs. Lancaster opened the door, her jaw dropped.

"I don't believe it-! Mickey, sweetie, is that you?" She gasped. I smiled and nodded. My eyes brimmed with tears and the older woman pulled me into a bone crushing hug. She pulled away and held me at arms length, looking me over. "You've grown up so much! Goodness, where are my manners? Come inside, come inside!"

Mrs. Lancaster stepped back and the boys and I walked into the living room. I looked around. They had gotten a new couch, new curtains, but it was still mostly the same.

"Jeffery, honey, can you come to the living room?" Mrs. Lancaster called. Lizzie's father, Mr. Lancaster, poked his head in from the kitchen.

"I'll be dammed," he laughed, putting his hands on his hips. "McKenna Aztec?"

"McKenna Aztec Horan, now," I laughed. I opened my arms and Mr. Lancaster pulled me into a fatherly hug, patting my back. He pulled away and I coughed. "Oh, right! This is Niall," I said, gesturing to the blond boy on my left, "he's my biological brother, and he took guardianship of me after we met."

"It's very nice to meet you both, I've heard lots of good things," Niall said. He offered his hand to shake and Mr. Lancaster took it.

"This is Liam, he's also my legal guardian and practically my brother as well," I said, pointing to him. "This one's Harry, he's also my brother." Harry waved awkwardly. "And this is Louis, my boyfriend."