As You Were
A/N: Guys.....you guys...I can't believe I'm about to type these words...but...
Here it is...The continuation of The Girl In The Dirty Shirt.
Yes...you read that correctly, it is not a typo xD
My favourite HOT FUCKING MESS of an OFC has returned. Lyla lives.
I won't lie, I've sat on posting this for awhile, and we'll see how this goes...
The last part...or what I thought would be the last part, of TGITDS was posted over a decade ago....A DECADE you guys...I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be back here again...but for those of you that have taken the time to read the SAGA (Thank you) you know that Lyla deserves a redemption arc.
Speaking of thank you; that's something I need to say, most of you found and read the things I posted here long after I had finished TGITDS but without it, this blog wouldn't exist. I created this blog as a side blog to post all my writing back when I was in college; after I finished TGITDS it quite frankly ignored it until a couple of years ago.
Enter the chat @ken-dom who has been my writing partner in crime since. That crazy beautiful woman is even reading the OG GITDS from start to finish to assist with the current version. And yes, I say current version because the OG work was over 200 chapters long, 577,000+ words and took me over a year to finish. It is my pride and joy, it has a special place in my heart...and I wrote it in college so it is CRINGY AF. I'm working on that, I swear. No promises this one isn't also cringy af.
Next on my list of thank yous....is @stardust2003 you my darling, have been on this wild ride with me since day one. I don't know if you found the story originally on Wattpad or here (you've told me but my memory is shit) but I know you have accounts and follow me in both places. You've shared my work, promoted the fuck out of it and been ENDLESSLY supportive for as long as I can remember. You've written posts similar to this one that I am forever grateful for, you have no idea how much your words of encouragement and praise mean to me. Thank you.
I posted a screenshot
Thirteen years...Thirteen years and I called her out. I shouldn't have been surprised when that bitch came to play.
As I said, this is the current version of TGITDS or the sequel as kids call it I suppose. So it is in fact called something different.
This version in particular follows the version 1 (Liam) storyline.
I'm not sure what's going to happen or who's going to do what, but I'm here for it.
For my version 2 (Noel) girlies, much like the first go round, Chief is biding his time...so I'm not saying never...just...not yet?
For now, Our Kid will have to do ;)
I think it's safe to say, we're still mad fer it
Join me, won't you?
PS: SORRY for the novel....I ramble when I'm nervous xD
💙
I stood in the mass of people, my heart slamming against my ribcage as I looked up on the stage and there he was….
It was like a fucking fever dream. Standing in the pit of an Oasis concert…in 2025.
I laughed lightly to myself watching from my place on the floor. Hands clasped behind his back, microphone right up under his nose with his lips pulled back against his teeth. “Some things never change”
I ran my tongue between my lips, biting on my bottom one, tearing my eyes away and glancing around the stage. Never in a million years did I think they would get back here, or that I'd be standing here.
Just over a year ago Addie had come home vibrating with excitement
****
The front door banged open as Addie rushed through
“Mama!”
“Front room babe!”
She rounded the corner, catching herself on the door frame, her long dark hair flipping over her shoulder.
“Mama,” she said again breathlessly, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement “Guess what!”
I smiled at her eagerness. “What baby?”
“Daddy and Uncle Noel, they're -” she paused swallowing hard before catching her breath
I looked at her slightly concerned, even still, this many years later that start to a sentence sent my heart flying into my throat, even though I was almost certain Noel hadn't spoken to Liam almost as long as I hadn't.
“They're going on tour” she finished, grinning from ear to ear. “Together”
I blinked “What?”
She nodded “I'm not supposed to-” she nodded gesturing with her hands in an effort to get the words from her brain out into the world. She took another breath and looked at me, her shoulders dropped like she just now realized I wasn't going anywhere and she could take her time.
“Oasis” she said “They're doing it, next year; I'm not supposed to tell anyone, I promised Daddy I wouldn't but they're going on tour”
I scoffed with a laugh. “What?”
She nodded “Uncle Noel and Uncle B and…. everyone. Can we go?”
I nodded as she flopped on the couch, pushing her dark hair off her face. “Of course you can go, if I know your dad he won't let you miss it”
“We mum,” she stressed
I shook my head “Oh baby, I don't -” I hesitated trying to think of the best way to word this “Daddy and I….we haven't-”
“He wants you there,” she cut me off sitting up on the couch, tucking her feet underneath her as she moved closer “He said you could come”
“He said?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow at her.
“I asked him,” she looked at me sheepishly from under her lashes.
“Oh, Adeline…” I sighed
“He said yes!” She reasoned gripping onto my arm
“After you gave him that exact puppy dog look I'll bet”
“Maybe,” she shrugged, “But so what?”
I chuckled, pulling my arm out of her grip before wrapping it around her and pulling her against me. “Who do you think you learned that look from?” I asked kissing the top of her head “Because it sure as hell wasn't me”
“Please mum?” she looked up at me with her pleading blue eyes and I immediately saw Liam looking back at me and it made my heart skip a beat.
We'd had a messy separation, but he always had made time for her. Even when I thought he wouldn't, even though we had stopped speaking, we put her first.
“He said yes?” I asked and she perked up, knowing I had folded.
“Yes!” She beamed
I sighed heavily. “If this tour happens, then yes, we'll go”
She squealed with excitement, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing my cheek.
****
I turned to look at her, she had her head thrown back in laughter at something one of her friends had said, her dark curls cascading down her back.
She turned back to look up at the stage in awe before she glanced over and smiled at me; I winked back.
I don't think that had ever worn off for her. She turned twenty eight this past April and she looked up at him like he held the world in his hands.
Liam and I hadn't seen each other, hell hadn't spoken in almost sixteen years, once Addie was old enough to start going between our houses on her own, but he had taken her to countless gigs all her life, and every time she came home just as excited as the first time.
She was so much like him in that way, the world at her feet and all she wanted was music.
I stuffed my hands in my jeans pockets and closed my eyes as it all came rushing back like a tsunami and all of the sudden it was like I was back in 1995, barely twenty one, standing next to my sister as eighty thousand people sang the lyrics to Champagne Supernova.
My heart squeezed in my chest as I heard Liam's voice join the rest.
I jumped when someone touched my arm and I opened my eyes to realize it was Addie. She hugged me around the waist and I kissed her temple and hugged her against me as the first few fireworks shot into the sky.
She leaned against my shoulder watching the sky as I watched Liam saunter around the stage, stopping to pull Noel into a hug.
I smiled watching Noel laugh as Liam whispered something in his ear.
A far cry from the Dig Out Your Soul tour when all they did was glare and speak if they had to.
They walked off stage, together even, and people started to disperse.
Addie said her goodbyes to her friends before turning to me.
“Are you coming back to the hotel with me or are you going to go say hi to your dad?” I asked brushing a strand of hair off her face.
“Come with me,” she said linking her arm with mine as she started towards the backstage
I held her arm tighter and shook my head. “You go, I'll wait here for you if you want”
She turned on her heel “Aw mum c’mon, I told you Daddy wants you here, he's gonna know you came and didn't say hi”
“He'll manage my love”
She rolled her eyes dramatically “You loved him once y'know” he pursued her lips in a challenge.
“Yes I did” I nodded in agreement
“Still do,” she muttered to herself “You're both just too fucking stubborn”
“Adeline April!”
“Well you are!” She made a face at me “You don't just fall out of love with someone Mama”
I sighed, the floor around us becoming more sparse the longer we stood.
“Listen Addie, I care about your dad, very much, but there's a lot of history between us, some you know about, a majority you don't and never will.”
“I know” she mumbled softly “But Mama…”
I shook my head “We live different lives baby, we always have…”
“What about when you didn't?”
“That was a lifetime ago and even then”
She was quiet for a beat before she spoke again.
“He still loves you y'know”
“Oh Adeline don't start,” I shook my head
“He does,” she insisted “And if you'd just come with me you'd see it for yourself”
“Alright fine,” I snapped “If seeing us together is what it's going to take for you then let's go”
She took my arm and we walked together backstage.
It was a flurry of activity, but she walked with all the confidence in the world, like she had done this a thousand times before.
We came around a stack of cases and they were sat together in a small circle of chairs.
Liam stood with his back to us, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he talked adamantly about something.
Bonehead caught my glance first and smiled with a small nod. That prompted Noel to turn in his chair and I watched his lips part as if he was going to make a comment but instead he cocked his head slightly with a smirk.
“Daddy!” Addie called out letting go of my arm to jog over to where Liam stood.
He turned around recognizing her voice and she promptly threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her off her feet hugging her tightly.
I stopped mid stride, watching as Liam kissed her cheek before setting her back on her feet. He asked her something but I couldn't hear what
Then he looked up over her head and his eyes met mine.