I heard the front door slam and then a woman call out for Lyss. “Alyssa! Are you home?” she shouted. I kept quiet as I heard the clunk of keys hitting a hard surface in the kitchen. Taking out my phone I started to pretend to text to keep my head down. After a minute or two I heard the voice head upstairs so thinking I was safe I slipped by phone back into the front right pocket and took a look around. The living room was small but cosy. Opposite to me was a massive window looking out into the small close with around four other houses. Nothing exciting happening out there. Another sofa sat adjacent to me facing a large mirror making the chocolate brown carpet seem lighter and reflecting a large, beautiful painting of the New York City skyline that was hung on the opposite wall. This along with a few personalised touches of family photos and cute ornaments made it really nice and homey. As I was half appreciating the painting in a slight daydream my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket. It was Lyss.

‘Hey. Mum is home, don’t worry she knows who you are but please say hi if she comes in to talk to you, and I’ll be down in a minute! x’

Brilliant. Oh I should be fine. Mum’s - they love me. Just as I put the phone away again, my knee involuntarily bouncing up and down, Lyss’ mum walked through the living room arch from the dining room. I stood up to greet her; it was only polite to do so.
“Hello Mrs…” I realised I didn’t know her last name. “Hello there I’m Harry” I didn’t know whether to shake her hand or whether that was a bit too formal. I kind of assumed she knew who I was but it would be rude not to introduce myself.

“Yes, so you are. Hello! How are you?”

“Good thank you, yourself?” I replied.

“Yes I’m okay thank you, busy day!” she said laying her shopping bag on the table and starting to empty its contents while appearing to search for something. Before I could respond she began…

“Harry” she looked up at me “I don’t mind at all, but why are you in my house?” she laughed.

“Um…” I began. “Well a few days ago I met Lyss on the bus, she notice who I was and…” her mum started to laugh.

“Oh I’m pretty sure she’d notice you a mile away! Anyway sorry carry on.”

I smiled at her “well I spoke to her until she got off, I bumped into her again that night at a gig and she’s a nice girl so I asked her to show me around town. And now I’ve locked myself out of my own house, so um I’m here” I finished saying quickly.

“I see” she pondered without saying anything else.

“I’m sorry…” I paused again not knowing her name.

“I’m Julia” she smiled at me, she sensed it.

“Well I’m sorry Julia, if I’m interrupting or troubling you I can leave.” I gestured towards the front door

“Oh no no no dear, you’re fine! Excuse me, it’s just this morning you were on my radio and now you’re on my sofa. It’s a little bizarre.” again she laughed but more nervously this time. I nodded not really knowing what to say. I guess I’d not thought of it like that.

“Sorry but what did you mean by she’d spot me a mile off” I asked, just curious.

Julia laughed at me “Well what I said. She’s huge fan! Posters everywhere, album always on, she watches interviews and videos, I often hear her laughing from upstairs! Oh and God knows what she says on these websites, twitter is it? She’ll probably kill me for saying that but yeah, she loves you boys.”

Taking it in I thought about it for a second. Lyss had been a little quiet around me but she never struck me as the typical ‘fangirl’ sort. So many of them walk up to us and scream and well, she just, didn’t. Made for a change. Before I got a chance to say anything a phone started ringing. Lyss’ mum rummaged under the pile of things frantically, grabbing a phone and answering.

“Hello?”

“Okay, I’ll be there asap. Bye” she hung up. Talk about short phonecall’s.

“Right” she looked back up at me “It was nice to meet you but I must go! Please tell Lyss I should be back soon”

“You too and I will” I smiled as she gathered her things together and headed for the door. Just as she did Lyss came running downstairs.

“Alright?” she beamed at both of us.

“We’re good” her mum looked from Lyss to me and then back to Lyss smiling. “Look sweetie I need to go to Pam’s, some sort of hair disaster with one of her clients, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Lyss nodded.

“Okay bye Mum!”

“Bye” I smiled as she stepped outside closing the door gently behind her.

“So.” Awkward silence. “What now?” I asked her.

“I don’t know…” was her response.

“Right. Sit down” I told her. We both sat on the 3 seat sofa, Lyss with her legs crossed facing me and myself with my knees up facing her.

“I’d like to learn a little more about you, so lame as it sounds we’re going to play a game of truth.” We both smiled. I wasn’t sure if that was weird but I’m curious since I don’t know much about her, especially after what her Mum said, she’s quite hard to read.

“As long as I get to ask you some too” was her response to which I nodded.

After a second, she looked down and then me in the eye.

“Right, I’m ready. Shoot”