Phil and mum laughed together.
                          
"Anyway, Phil I came to talk to you," mum continued and sat on the end of my bed. "Your parents are downstairs right now."
                          
"What!?" Phil panicked.
                          
"I know you probably don't want to talk to them after what's happened but you honestly can't hide from them forever, they're your parents after all," mum explained softly. "But I've spoken to them and I agreed to let them talk to you privately. They said that they wanted to apologise, even though I know an apology isn't all it'll take. But you probably need to hear them out as well as that you can voice your opinion too. All in all it's your choice honey."
                          
Phil nodded half-heartily.
                          
"Okay, I'll talk to them," Phil said standing up.
                          
I took Phil's hand quickly.
                          
"Are you sure?"  I asked.
                          
"It needs to happen sooner or later, like Hilly said," Phil replied and squeezed my hand before letting go.  
                          
I smiled softly and followed Phil, my mum following after me. I felt some nervousness crawl under my skin as I watched Phil walk into the living room, the toxic environment.
                          
I wanted to be with Phil but I knew it wasn't really up to me, they were his parents and not mine. But it wasn't bad that I wanted to be there for him right? I sighed and leaned against the wall outside, looking to my mum who smiled warmly.
                          
"You two are adorable," she said grinning, her cheeks tinted pink.
                          
"Mum, shush," I moaned in embarrassment. 
                          
My mum giggled.
                          
"I'm taking it you're pleased about your birthday present?"
                          
"Of course I am! I mean, to be honest I'm surprised dad allowed it..." I replied sheepishly.
                          
"Me too really, but you deserve a good break because you've worked hard this year and especially with exams on the horizon next year you'll need to have a good time to relieve stress,"  mum explained happily.
                          
"Thanks mum."
                          
"You're very welcome."



                          
She held out her  arms and I walked into them, her scent reminded me of when I was younger and used to be carried around everywhere by her because I refused to sit in a pram or even walk sometimes. I guess it was where all my laziness came from.  
                          
A few minutes later mum walked into the living room to check up on things and then poked her head around the door frame to tell me I could come in too. I took a seat next to Phil who was shivering slightly from either anxiety or the cold, maybe both. I took his hand and squeezed it for his reassurance. He looked to me, giving a  smile. 
                          
"I've had a talk with my parents and we've resolved things slightly," Phil said.
                          
I bit my lip.
                          
"We were wrong," Mrs Lester said suddenly. "What we did to Phil wasn't right and we accept our mistake now, our son never was the mistake."
                          
Mr Lester nodded.
                          
"Phil is moving back in with us," he said.
                          
"Are you okay with that?" I asked Phil quickly and he nodded.
                          
"Although they know that I will not ever trust them again and not even an apology is enough to solve things. And that if they do one more thing like they had done I will cut them out of my life altogether," Phil explained.
                          
I sighed.
                          
"That's fair enough."
                          
Phil pecked my cheek and I knew Mrs Lester stiffened slightly but tried to remain a low profile. I tutted mentally. Afterwards my mum decided to let Mr and Mrs Lester stay for dinner, then dad came home with Tilly on his shoulders as they had gone shopping for god knows what.