Always be my 22

Chpt. 23

-Venice Beach-

He stood perfectly in the frame. He was a lot thinner, his body must've been just skin muscles and bones making me worry a bit. "Tom..." I choked out. His ocean eyes were capturing my attention, the waters of the world in his eyes, drowning my thoughts. "What are you doing here Maddie." He said plainly, his expression numb. "Tom, I tried to text and call you but you never answered and I... I guess I needed to tell you in person..." I rambled catching myself before I said it. "I'm sorry... fuck I've needed you for years and I can't do this anymore, Tom I can't live my life without you."

His lips pressed together as he was deep in thought. "You were right, you were right about me pushing away the people I love and I didn't mean what I said. God I love you more then anything... and when I heard how you felt in goodbye old friend instead of you telling me through at least text it broke me-" "how the hell do you think I feel?! You told me you didn't love me then called up your ex!" He shouted, his hand on the handle for the door. "It's not like that I'm sorry-" "you should be." He sneered, before slamming the door in my face. "I'm sorry..." I cried out, pressing my eyes together as hard as I could as I felt the tears stream down my cheeks.

I grabbed a pice of paper out of my bag, a pen along with the scrap and scribbled down my address to my hotel. I slid it under the door, just hoping he'd even look at it and made my way back to the room where I'd stay in for the next few days until I could get my flight changed to come home earlier.

Hampton inn, Vince beach
3rd floor, room 122

As I opened the door I flopped on the bed, sobbing as more of my tears began streaming down my cheeks as I felt the cotton sheets against my skin. I pulled out my phone and dialed Anna's number as I tried to compose myself. "Maddie? How'd it go?" She asked innocently. I couldn't even keep myself together, my cries telling her exactly what happened. "Oh Maddie... I'm so sorry." She sighed into the phone her voice making me more homesick then I've ever been. "I can't believe I was stupid enough to think he'd take me back and, and now I'm... I'm stuck in this stupid place and I just want star-" I was an absolute mess, my words cut off by my ridiculous blubbering.

"Mads, here's what you're going to do. 1.you're going to get to the nearest store to get ice cream. 2.You're going to buy some favorite sweets as well. 3. You're going to put on Moulin rouge because you're a slut for Ewan McGreggor, and your going to enjoy your time on a holiday." "Okay." I said, calming down enough to look presentable to the world. "I love you Maddie, but you and I both know that Ewan is way better then Tom Felton." She snickered making me laugh bittersweetly. "I don't know, you've never slept with-" "NO STOP, JUST STOP RIGHT THERE TOMS LIKE MY LITTLE BROTHER." She said frantic, trying not to barf at the idea of me and Tom. As the laughter died down it soon was replaced with somber thoughts of him.
"It's going to be okay Maddie." She said, reading my thoughts. "I hope so."

It was day two when I started feeling better, my flight couldn't be changed so I had 5 more days to go until I could finally be away from this stupid place... well it was almost a paradise here but the thought of running into Tom every time I went out tainted the vibrant orange and pink sunrises with a darkened haze. I looked out at the sunny ocean view and smiled at the palms swaying in the light breeze. thinking of taking advantage of seeing all the iconic places while I was here, I ran into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of clothes to put in and looked in the mirror and the girl In front of me. She was wearing her brown hair back and wore a white summer dress with white converse and looked... almost happy

And maybe I was, maybe I was finally accepting I was in a place with so much history and I didn't need to be with him to explore it, I didn't need him with me right? I grabbed my purse and phone and strode out the door in my new found confidence and smiled as I put my headphones in, come what may from moulin rouge as I walked out of the front door to the elevator.

Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more
Listen to my heart
Can you hear it sing?
Telling me to give you everything
Season may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day

I felt the elevator stop, a ding sounding the doors to open.

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it loses me with such a perfect face
Suddenly my life doesn't see such a waste
All revolves around you
And there is no mountain too high
No river too wide
Sing out this song
I will be there by your side
Strong clouds may gather, storms may
But I love you, I love you till the end of time
Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day

And as those last words were sung I felt myself getting knocked to the floor, landing on the pavement with a 'oumph'. "I'm sorry are you- Maddie?"