Too Close For Comfort (LH) (PT1&2)

33. 5:00 A.M.

"Elizabeth, did you ever think that she's sad and doesn't want to be held?" Crystal sat at the foot of the bed.

"No! She's sad and needs to be held!" Elizabeth held onto me protectively. The three of us rode with Calum back to Elizabeth's house. A place I had never been.

Elizabeth sat me on her bed, and we haven't moved. It's been a couple of hours and my crying had seemed to subside. My face was puffy, my hands were cold, and my throat was sore.

"Well then scoot over," Crystal came and laid on top of me, snuggling into my back. This was weird for me. I'm used to Benny holding me when I cry, but to be surrounded by so many people who seemed to care about me. It was different.

"Is she asleep? The sobbing stopped," Calum entered the room, setting bags down on Elizabeth's vanity.

"No,'' my voice was hoarse. Elizabeth's shirt was soaked, but she didn't seem to mind.

"What's this? A support sandwich!" Calum tried to make us laugh: it worked. He unbagged everything laying it out nicely, "alright ladies. I've got the three c's chips, candy, and chocolate! I've also got ice cream and soda!"

"Did you get the food?" Elizabeth asked unsatisfied.

"Babe, have you no faith in me? I got chicken nuggets for you," Calum brought her the bag.

"How many?" She quizzed him.

"Sixty," he said confidently.

"Sixty!" She gasped.

"Yes, enough to last all night. Plus, I haven't forgotten the last time I brought you ten," Calum shivered at the memory. Their relationship made me smile. At least someone was happy!

"Crystal, I got you vegan tacos. Not sure how much of it is a taco, but here," he handed her the bag, "I'm scared to ask what they taste like. You said two, so you got six."

"Thanks Hood," she gave him the thumbs up of approval.

"Kaytlin, three Caesar salads. For myself a few tacos, a burger, and some chicken. We should be good! Girls night has officially begun," He sat on the floor, pulling out a taco. I turned my nose at the food just wanting to lay in bed.

"Come on Katie you got too eat," Elizabeth reminded me. I knew that, and I would. Just not right now.

"Thanks Calum," I sat up grabbing one of the to go boxes. As soon as I opened the box I felt nauseous. I closed the box, putting my food in her mini fridge.

I excused myself to the hallway bathroom needing a moment. It was quiet, which was nice. Suddenly I started crying again. Why was I crying so much? Did they really do anything wrong? I questioned myself on why it hurt so bad. I stared at myself in the mirror, red face, swollen eyes, stained cheeks. The emotional rollercoaster of today made a wreck of me.

I twirled the necklace Luke got me around my finger, tucking it under my shirt. I was worried about him. I was worried what would happen when Liz got home, I was worried he was going to do something stupid, I was worried he was in pain.

Elizabeth, Crystal, and Calum did everything they could to make my night better. We played games, watched movies, Crystal painted my toes, Calum was the bud of all the jokes, Elizabeth let us all in on her nightly facial routine. By three everyone was asleep. Everyone but me.

I snuck onto her back patio taking a seat in one of the chairs. I stared up at the stars, something I did all the time back in Georgia. Australia's sky still took my breath away. Something about it mesmerizes me.

My phone buzzed with a text from Benny, "you up?" When delivered turned to read he gave me a call. "Why are you awake? It's almost five in the morning there," Benny questioned me. I could tell by his voice he was having a bad day.

"Couldn't sleep."

"What's wrong?"

"Just a bad day," I didn't technically lie, but I didn't go into detail.

"Same," he sighed, "how about we fly halfway and meet each other. We can rent a hotel room and take a nap. Sound good?"

"Sounds great," I smiled, "what's going on?"

"My mom stopped by," Benny's mom wasn't usually home. She's one of those in and out parents. She pays the rent and that's about it.

"How'd that go?"

"It didn't. I didn't know she was coming and Danny was here. She doesn't like Danny. I caught hell all damn night for that shit," it sucked that his mom gave him a hard time, but Danny was at his house. That was the second best news I'd received all day.

"How long is she staying?"

"Left a few minutes ago," Benny sighed.

"So Danny came over?"

"Yeah," he sounded annoyed, "her grandma's sick or something. She's staying with her for the summer. You know to help her out and stuff. Who, due to whatever reason, just moved in two floors down," Benny lived in a massive apartment complex. His particular apartment had three bedrooms, a full kitchen, and two and a half baths.

"How are things between you two?"

"She kissed me," he didn't sound impressed.

"That's great!"

"No," Benny shot down my enthusiasm, "doesn't compare to yours. Why aren't we together again?" Benny got like this every now and then when he was having a bad day.

"Because we're better off as fiends," I reminded him. After everything with Luke and Ashton I didn't feel like having this conversation.

"Right, well when you quit lying to yourself let me know. You know I'd wait a lifetime for you," I was tired of causing people pain. I'm tired of people getting hurt because of me!

"Benny," I sighed.

"Yeah I know. There's nothing wrong with seeing people during that lifetime," I could hear something in the background, but I couldn't quite make out what it was. "I think Danny's at the door. I'll call you back."

"Bye," I hung up, setting my phone on the table.

My mom's words repeated in my head, "all you ever do is hurt people!" I pressed my hands to my ears, letting out a sob. Why was she always right? I couldn't stop myself from thinking about what she said when she found out me and Benny were dating, "you'll be the death of that boy. All you'll do is ruin him."

I laid my head on my arms and cried myself to sleep.

Released: 3/1/21