Just Got Lucky

CHAPTER 8 - CARE

NARRATOR'S POV

“What should I name you?” Lindy asks the dog as she pets her head.

The dog barks at Lindy and she was really surprised that Mill had to do all this to forgive him. No one has given her flowers before so she managed to put them in a vase and displayed them in her bedroom. Lindy grabs her phone and texted Milo , he deserved a thank you, she thought to herself because Lindy loved the dog.

LINDY: I can’t believe you actually bought a dog and had delivered these roses. You had gone a little too much but I am keeping the Bichon. How did you know my address??? The flowers were lovely by the way, thank you. And the dog is super adorable!!!

Lindy took a photo of the dog and sent it to Milo . He has not opened her message and she wondered if what happened to him, yet she was still unsure what to name the dog.

“Should we go for Pippa?” Lindy asks but the dog was just sticking its tongue out.

Lindy pouts, “Snow?”

“Hmm, how about Daisy?”

Lindy wanted the dog to bark but it didn’t.

“Milky?”

Lindy groans, “Rose? Rose is a cute name?”

The dog was just sticking its tongue out. “Oh you’re adorable and cute like a button.” Lindy cups the dog’s small face before it barks at her. She was surprised because it finally barked.

“Button?”

The dog barked again and Lindy smiled happily, “Okay, you are now called as Button.”

The dog continues to bark again. 

When it was almost seven in the evening in Canada, Lindy was just inside her bedroom, taking care of Button while doing her homework. Button was roaming around Lind’s roam while she was advance reading her notes. Button had enjoyed playing with Lindy’s fleece blanket which she had intently laid on the floor for her new pet.

Lindy had noticed that it was kind of drizzling outside so she wrapped herself with her favorite blanket and wondered where her textmate had gone off to. She has not heard from him for hours and it was unusual because he is always messaging her when she does not reply, but now he’s the one who left her on delivered. Her parents went out for a dinner with their friends and said that they'll be out late leaving us with money for pizza. 

She glanced at her phone and wondered why he is not texting her.

"He hasn't annoyed me ever since we texted a while ago at lunch." She tapped the screen of the phone continuously.

She sighs.

"Not a text. Not a call." She mutters, and still tapping the phone's screen. “I wonder what happened to that guy. I don’t want to make the first move. Well… I already did sent him a text but still he didn’t answer me.

She decided to ignore her thoughts and continued studying her lessons because her education was much more important than this unknown man. After a while, she stops again from studying and started playing with Button while she keeps glancing at the phone over her table.

"I wonder where that guy is.” She mutters to herself. “Button, do you think you know where my perverted textmate went to?” She asks an innocent dog who’s just barking at her.

Lindy frowns, “He was suppose to annoy me Button." She sighs heavier.

Suddenly she realized that she had been thinking of Mill for the past hours and she knew it was not healthy. She was getting used to the attention that Mill was giving her and she does not want to be attached by a man with no face. She snapped herself out of her thoughts and asked herself why she was hoping that Mill would text her when he probably has his own life in London. He probably has a girlfriend. Hell, he probably has kids!

"Lindy.” She faces herself in the mirror and talks to her own reflection. “Why are you even bothered when he's not texting you? Who cares. No one cares. You should not be bothered why Mill is not responding.."

Meanwhile, in the other side of the world…

"Okay! That's a wrap!" The photographer finally hollered and everyone on set were rejoiced that it had finally ended.

Milo was not happy with his schedule for today because he was not able to check his phone, even for a minute. He was too excited to know Lindy’s reaction once she’ll get the dog but now he is angry and immensely tired. Everyone else were tired since it was a long day for the entire crew especially for the Spitfire Strip boys. All of them were beaten up for such a long tiring day filled with interview and three photo shoots in just one day.

"Today was tiring." Jasper commented with a sigh.

“Jesus I thought it was not going to end.” Lucius added as they were now heading to the dressing room to change back to their own clothes.

Rowan nodded in agreement while massaging his temples. "I am definitely telling Perrie to massage me. My back hurts. My neck too."

"Same man.” Lucius answers. “I wanna have hot bath when I get home first and fill me up with some whisky to knock me out." Lucius  moans softly, as if he's imagining himself being inside a tub.

Silas groans, "I'm sleeping right away."

“Christ Silas, at least you have to shower first.” Rowan nags.

"I'll sleep right away too. It's pretty late. I'll probably crash on the bed right when I get home for sure." Jasper answered while laughing softly.

Milo was just silent.

The lads were now changing and getting ready to call it a day. The entire crew were now cleaning up the set and some were heading out for a drink but Milo was excited for another thing.

"Where's my phone?" Milo asks, excitedly.

The lads glances at him since the first thing he was searching after the long day was his phone.

"Aren't you even tired Mill?" Lucius  responds with a question.

“Unlimited battery life when you’re talking to a new babe.” Jasper jokes.

Silas laughs, "I can’t even feel my knees right now. I have been standing for hours.”

Milo glares at them, "Of course I'm tired too." He leaves as he walks to his stuff before approaches Caroline, "Did someone text? I haven't checked my phone for hours." Milo complained as calm as he can while looking for his jacket on Caroline's arm.

Both Caroline and Lou laughs at him. Milo looked adorable, tired from his long day of photo shoots with no complaints but the first time he searches for is his phone.

"What?" Milo asks with his brows creasing.

"Well dear it’s just very unusual of you. You look tired but you're not complaining and the first thing you'll look for is your phone.” Caroline answers him and Milo knows that the other lads were thinking the same as her too.

“Are you even alright Mill?” Lou asks him.

“What? Why wouldn't I be fine?” Milo answers with a question.

“By now you're already changing back to your own clothes as fast as you can, head your way out of the building, off to your car and head home." Caroline mentions Milo 's ritual. “You never look for your phone.”

"Yeah, today's a bit different.” Lou adds. “We've noticed that you're always asking for your phone and you’re always on your phone as well."

Tired Milo just nods and didn’t feel like he wanted to be poked fun for being on his phone a lot since everyone in this room is usual on their own business and he never really cares much about it so why is everyone on his business now all of a sudden. He was tired and didn’t want to throw his weariness and frustration out on someone. 

"So where's my phone?" He asks politely.

Lou and Caroline shakes their heads.

"Here." Lou handed it to him.

Milo grabbed it quickly and stared at her suspiciously. "Did you open any of the messages?"

Lou smiled and answered, "Nope. You didn't receive any messages either."

"I didn't?" He asked with a sad face.

Lou and Caroline laughs, still poking fun at a tired Milo .

“You did get a text. Don’t look all pouty now.” Lou cups Milo ’s cheek playfully.

Milo checked the phone and he did get a message from Lindy which made him smile. He got a rubberband, pulled the top part of his hair raked the lower part of his hair pulling it up and tied it into a ponytail while he kept smiling to himself.

“Jesus Christ Milo you look such a creep when you smile after a tiring day.” Lucius  commented.

Milo chuckles, “What? I’m just happy the day ended well.”

"And when did you have a pet hamster Milo ?" Caroline raised her eyebrow.

"Hamster?" He asked. "What hamster?"

"Yeah, your lock screen." Lou said while helping Caroline fold a few of the boys' clothes.

Milo grabbed his black trench coat and wore it around himself trying to look for a believable excuse. "Oh. It's uhh... It's my pet hamster." Milo answers with his usual tone when he is lying.

"You had a pet hamster?" Lou and Caroline asks in unison.

"Yeah. You didn’t know? Now you know.” Milo smirks being his usual cheeky self which weirded the other guys because he was all silent and moody earlier while doing the shoot. “I named him hamster." He continues his lie. 

“You are such a weird boy.” Jasper shakes his head while laughing with Silas.

"I'll go ahead guys." He rushes his way out of the building to avoid any further questions before thanking everyone for a job well done today.

The lads started grabbing all of their personal things and walked out of the dressing room, bidding goodbyes to everyone who were still around and thanked the crew that they worked with today. As soon as Milo got out, the paps started taking photos of him, surrounding him and following him while he was walking towards his car.

"Milo , had a good night mate?"

"How are you and Paige Reifler?"

"It's really late now Milo . What did you guys do inside?"

They began to throw him one question after the other while the try to catch up with him.

"Did you wait long outside in this cold night?" Milo asked the paparazzi guys following him.

"We did. We waited for you." One guy answered.

"You look tired Milo ." Another one said.

"Today was a busy schedule." Milo answers.

He pressed the unlock button on his car's remote and finally opened the driver's door.

"Please drink something hot when you guys get home. You'll all get sick because it's freezing out here. Goodnight." Milo said politely while getting inside his car.

"We will Milo ."

"You're so kind."

"Thanks man."

He started driving away and left the paparazzi.

Despite being chased down from everywhere he goes and being called out names by the paps, Milo still shows care and respect to them even though they don't even respect Milo 's privacy.

Meanwhile back in Canada, Lindy was still inside her room all alone, petting Button as she keeps debating to herself that she needn’t to wait for Mill to text her. Suddenly her phone started vibrating on top of her table and she was quick enough grab her phone as soon as it rang.s

Mill calling...

She stared at her watch.

"It's already 7:30PM. It's probably late there in London." She thought.

"Hello." She caved in anyways.

"Ahhhh. It's really really good to hear your voice, babe." Milo tells her honestly while turning to the left of the corner.

Her lips forms into a small smile. "My phone was dead silent a while ago, it was weird."

Milo smiled and responded, "I missed you too."

She rolled her eyes but deep inside she loved it.

"Yeah right." She snorted while she gets back on doing her homework while petting Button.

“Have you received the presents?” Milo asks, not checking the messages she sent him because he already wanted to hear her voice.

“Yes and you didn’t really have to buy me a dog!”

Milo smiles, “I wanted to. Did you name that little cutie?”

“I did.” Lindy answers proudly. “I named her Button.”

“Button.” Milo cant stop smiling to himself while he continues to drive home. “I love it.”

Lindy takes Button from the floor and placed it over her lap, “Thank you so much for the flowers and for Button, Mill.”

“Why are you thanking me? I should thank you because you’ve finally forgiven me.”

“No.” Lindy firmly says. “This was a little too much but I really liked the dog so I am keeping him.” Button barks which made Lindy smile.

“Button already loves her new home. I can’t wait to meet Button.” Milo tells her.

Lindy felt happy hearing that because it just means he really wants to come back to Canada. Well, of course he had to go back to Canada, he needs to get his phone and she needs to get her phone.

"Why do you always call this late Mill?” Lindy asks. “I mean, I'm sure it's pretty late there."

"It's so nice to know you're also getting concerned of me day by day baby. That is really sweet but actually I'm going home now. Just finished with my pho--” Milo pressed his lips together to cut himself off. “Work." He corrected. “Just finished with my work.”

Milo bit his inner cheek, almost spilling to Lindy how he was busy with his photo shoot.

“You know I am a very busy man.” He adds.

"You think so big of yourself." She commented.

He chuckles. "You have no idea."

Lindy reached for her bag and got a piece of empty scratch paper.

"Have you had dinner babe?" Milo asked concernedly.

"Yup. Thanks for asking. How 'bout you?" Still eyeing on the equation but still has no clue how to solve it.

"A while ago but I am starving again."

"By the way, this guy named Ed texted you." She blurt out.

Milo was surprised and his eyes almost dilated.

"s**t, I hope she's not an Ed Sheeran fan." He thought.

"What did he say?" He asked in tension but tries to cover it by sounding cool.

"Well, he said you need to come by his house tomorrow by two in the afternoon because he's gonna show you the lyrics of the new song he just finished." She narrated, as if she read to him the text of Ed.

"Did you reply?" He asks nervously.

"Nope." She answers. "Wait. Are you a writer or singer? Producer?" She continues to ask.

Milo got quiet for a while.

"Well, I do sing. He's a friend. A very close friend. He loves writing songs and singing while playing with his guitar. He let's me listen to them." He answered honestly.

Milo turned to the right and finally arrived his house where he can finally rest and call it a day but he wanted to talk more with this beautiful brunette that lives 3,549 miles away from him yet he feels as if she is just close by. He got off his car and locked it before he opens the front door of his house and entered the foyer.

"Why do you have such small contacts on your phone by the way?" She asked curiously.

"Well, that phone only have the important contact numbers I need to text. You know, I only give that number to the important people. It barely receives texts but when it does please relay it to me because they are important." He said while taking off his trench coat.

"Sure thing."

"So reconsider yourself lucky babe because your number is on my directory." He walked up to his room while taking off his boots and placed it aside.

"Yeah yeah whatever Mr. VIP." She rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, Avery barged inside Lindy's room which made Lindy flinch in surprise. She stares at Button before looking back at Lindy. “Hey fucktard!”

Lindy inwardly cursed as she faced Avery.

"What did you call me?" Milo asked, shocked with what he heard.

Lindy placed her phone down, "What do you want Avery?”

“Who’s f*****g dog is that?” Avery asks impolitely.

Lindy grabs Button and holds her securely, “Mine. Wait, are you going somewhere?"

"Hello? Lindy?" Milo called out to her.

He pulled his phone away and stared at it then placed it back near his ear.

"Are we having a three way call right now? Lindy?" He asked.

“It does not matter where I am going loser. So you better not tell mom or dad or I swear to God I will hurt you.” Avery taunts.

“Avery you can’t go!” Lindy rushes close yo her twin sister and held her hand. “What if mom and dad will look for you?”

Avery pushes her off, “Get off me Lindy! I told you once and I will not tell you twice.” She began to throw her books at Lindy as it crashes to the floor.

"Hello? Lindy are you okay there? I hear noises." Milo kept calling out.

"Do my assignments and make sure it's done!" Avery yelled at her.

Lindy picked up Avery's books scattered on the floor before she intentionally pushes Lindy’s flower vase filled with her beautiful white roses. The crashing sound echoes in her room causes Lindy to squeal and her purple carpet got damp by the water.

“Lindy! What’s going on in there?!” Milo sounded worried.

Lindy stares at her vase which is now shattered into pieces while her roses were lying on the floor. Avery leaves her while she laughs as she stumbles down the staircase.

"Wait Avery where are you going?" Lindy hollered chasing her. She stands by the doorway and called out at Avery again.

She stop by the staircase and turned to her, "What the f**k do you think?!"

"Mom and dad said you can't leave the house tonight."

"Mom and dad are going to be back late so I'm going out to see Ted and we're going to John's party. Shut your big mouth or you're dead when I'm back!"

“ I'm your older sister. I can't let you go out. Mom and dad will get mad at me."

"Do you hear yourself? We're twins, no one's older than who. Mom and dad won't know if you'll shut the f**k up. So just say I'm sleeping in my room! Don't be stupid, loser! I'm going out so you better get my homework done, eyesore." Avery screams back.

Lindy sighed.

She walked back to her room and started cleaning up the flower vase hat her own sister shattered. She forgot that she was not able to end the call with Milo while Milo was still waiting for her to pick up again and talk to her. As soon as she finished cleaning her room, she grabbed another smaller vase before placing her roses. Lindy grabbed the books from the floor and plaec them over the table. She sat back down on her chair and realized that her phone was still connected to Mill's. She quickly grabbed it and placed it near her ear. She felt embarrassed.

"Mill?" She calls out shyly.

"Yeah?"

The two of them were quiet for a while.

"Look, I didn't mean to listen.” Milo broke the silence and he knows Lindy might have felt embarrassed. “I thought we were having a three way call and I didn’t want to end the call because I heard things clashing and glasses shattering. I worried.”

"I'm sorry you heard that." Lindy speaks.

"Please, you don’t need to apologize. Was that your twin? Yelling at you? Telling you to do her homework for her?"

"Yeah. She's always like that."

"She's mean. Really mean."

Milo went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea but contemplating how Lindy's sister was being harsh on her and calling her names.

"Are you okay?" He asked, worriedly.

Lindy exhaled and started opening Avery's books.

"Yeah. I’m used to it." She answered.

"You know what, you should not let someone bully you even if it’s your own sister. You don’t have to allow people to treat you indifferently. You don't have to do what she tells you to do. Don't let her say mean things to you or don't let her call you names." Milo told her.

"She's my sister."

"So? That doesn't mean she needs to take advantage of you. Call your parents and tell them about where Avery is going. John’s Party right?"

"I can't do that. She'll kill me. Well, not literally kill me but you know what I mean. She'll get mad and I don’t really like it when she’s mad."

Milo sat down on his couch and placed his cup of tea on his table.

"Then I'll be the one telling your mom and dad about her." he blurted out.

"What?! No! Don't you dare do that!"

"Why are you so scared of your sister? That's why she keeps bullying you because you're showing her you're weak and that you don't fight her back."

Lindy got quiet for a while and she knows that Mill is right. She needs to speak up or else she'll be bullied by Avery for the rest of her life.

"Don't text them. Please." she begged.

Milo blows his tea and took a small drink from it. "Look, I'm just concerned because I care about you." He tells Lindy.

And it flatters her tiny heart.

"It's fine. Really. You don't have to text my parents. She always sneaks out of the house anyways." She tells him.

"Whatever you say babe. But you should always remember what I said to you, okay?"

"Mill, I need to get off the phone now. I need to finish my homework."

"Alright, I'm off to bed now anyways."

"Goodnight Mill."

"Don't tire yourself too much. Goodnight babe."

Lindy hangs up.

Button barks at Lindy’s foot before she carries her over her arms, “I’m sorry you have to see that Button.” Lindy tells her.

Milo sits on his chair, contemplating about what he just heard and how Lindy’s sister abused her verbally.