Simon's Daughter

Chapter 7

As I got more and more used to London, I started to see less and less of my father. Purely for the reason because now that I was getting more used to it he was going to start working more, and now I know what Justine and Jerry mean when they say he comes home late. Sometimes not until one in the morning. I had to depend on Jerry for my entertainment during the day.

Ever since the campfire, I’d only seen Niall a couple of times without the other boys. I knew he was busy, but even the frequency of his texts was slowly decreasing. The other boys had started coming around more, and Louis and Eleanor had taken me around London more than once.

Jerry was sick in bed today so I was pretty much left to entertain myself today. I was sitting on my bed with my laptop next to me, music playing, while writing snippets of songs on my computer as I’d left my songbook at Niall’s house a few days ago after our last songwriting session. Since Niall had stopped coming around for anything except to help me write, I was starting to find it more difficult to write full songs again. I love spending time with him, but it feels like he only comes around for work.

It was starting to get boring around the house, so I left a message for my dad that I was going to walk around the city for a bit, and if anything happened, I would go straight to Syco and just retreat there for the time being. I dressed up in a sweater and jeans with my Toms and grabbed a purse and headed out.

It’s quiet in my neighborhood. Everybody just minds their own business. People usually just ask how my father is going when I walk by and how his acts are going through. Some people ask how Jerry and Justine are doing. Most of them just stare at me, wondering where the hell I came from. Especially the people in the upper area of the neighborhood, who have barely any idea who I am and what goes on.

I entered the busy London streets, the cameras flashing instantaneously as they saw me. I was pretty well known, thanks to my dad and the band. We’re all really close friends, and it makes me happy that I have some friends in a hard time.

My mom is getting weaker and weaker each day. The cancer is spreading, very slowly. Every time I call, either she’s sleeping or having tests done. Sometimes I hear her begging to talk to me, but the nurses say that something else is going on, which makes me furious. Usually when that happens I mope around the rest of the day in my room by myself until someone comes around.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when my phone started blaring Drops of Jupiter by Train in my purse. I fished through it and read the caller ID, the person calling being Danielle.

“Hey!” I said happily.

“Hey, hun! El and I are at the Starbucks around the corner from the office, wanna meet us?” she asked.

“Well, it just so happens that I’m right around the corner already. I’ll be there in two seconds.” I said to her, hanging up. I hoped I brought enough money in my wallet, or at least brought my card with me. I managed to escape cameras after a couple of blocks before I stormed into the store and found Danielle and Eleanor.

“Crazy, huh?” El asked me as I sat down in the booth.

“Oh yeah,” I muttered.

“I’m gonna go take the orders, what do you want, Abs?” Danielle asked.