Standing By

Chapter 15

Lucy's POV

"EFAN!" I screamed as I pelted down the hallway of floor 4. When I reached Dan and Matt's apartment I opened the door, which luckily was open, and ran in. "EFAN!" I shouted again, as I spotted him. "Wucy!" He said, getting up from the arm chair and walking over to me. We stood in front of each other awkwardly for a moment, and then hugged quickly. "Hi!" I said.

Matt, Dan and Connie got up from the couch and came over to us. "Hi Lucy!" Connie said. "Where is Verity?" I sat down on the arm chair, "Coming, I think." She took a cookie from the plate on the coffee table and put it in her mouth as Dan shut the door. Then they all sat back down. "So, tell me what I've missed."

Verity's POV

"Woah, she's in a hurry!" Mitch said as Lucy ran down the corridor. "Yeah, Ethan and Lucy have been friends via Skype for years, and we've never actually met in person until now. He's just moved into room 8, to be roommates with our other friends Dan and Matt." I explained. Scott nodded. "I've talked to them once or twice, nice people, didn't recognise us though, or remember our names the last time we spoke to them..." I laughed. "That sounds like them!"

"So are you going to go and say hi to him?" Mitch asked. I nodded. They looked sad. "Yeah, I've kind of got to, but it's been SO nice to hang out with you two!" I said. "You can visit again anytime you like!" Scott said, pulling my into a hug. I waited a few seconds, resting my head on his lower chest (because he's so tall) and then pulled out. We smiled at each other, and then I hugged Mitch. He's just a bit taller than me, so I rested my head on his shoulder. "Thank you guys for having me!" I said, picking up my stuff, and Lucy's because she left it when she ran out. "I feel much better now, you really know how to cheer me up!" Scott smiled, "We learnt a lot of it from Avi." Mitch laughed. "Daddy teaches us a lot! You should meet him sometime, he's a lot like you, you'd get on really well!"

Did Mitch just say that Avi and I should meet, and better still that we are alike, and even better that we would get on! I can't! He just made my heart go asdfghjkl. They aviously saw my stupid little hyper smile, because they laughed. "You'd like that wouldn't you!" Scott said. I nodded frantically. "I bumped, literally bumped into Kevin a few days ago, and he gave me his number, and said that I could visit some time. So I hope Avi will be there!" Mitch nodded. "They're roommates, and they live at number 12."

I think I'm gonna faint, that's my other neighbour! "Scott.." I said quietly. "What? You ok?" he answered. I dropped the stuff and then slowly fell backwards. "Avi..." I whispered, and then it all went black.

Lucy's POV

"I can't believe you're actually here now!" I said, jumping up and down in my seat. "Yeah, I can't believe it to! We can now actually hang out, instead of using google hang out." Dan laughed. "Wow Ethan, what a good pun." he said, clapping slowly. Ethan shoved him with his foot. "I know right! we don't even use google hang out."

"Where even is Verity?" Connie asked me, "I thought you said she was right behind you?" I shrugged. Should I tell them? Verity hasn't told Connie anything about Scott or Mitch or the party, so maybe I should let her reveal it when she's ready. "Verity's probably gone back to our apartment or something, I'm not 100% sure because the moment I heard that Efan is here I pegged it, so."

"Oh 🍓" Connie suddenly said. "What?" everyone else replied. "It's Verity's birthday in a few days, I forgot! I'm terrible with birthdays." Connie answered. "Oh yeah!" I replied, "We better think of what to do, as she will be turning 22." Matt grabbed a cookie. "Maybe we should all become dwarves from the Hobbit?" he suggested. "Lol! Does she like Lord of the Rings and stuff?" Ethan asked. "Yeah! She's obsessed," Dan said, "But not as obsessed as she is with Pentatonix, no way!"

Connie suddenly clicked her fingers "We need to win those PTX tickets from that twitter contest thing!" I shook my head, "They've already been won, I checked a while ago." Connie clicked her fingers again. "Then we need to find Avi!" Matt laughed, "We sure do!" Dan shook his head, "How exactly?" Ahh if only I could say that we know Scott and Mitch! "But..." I stuttered, "What?" Ethan said, walking over to me and sitting on the arm of my chair. "We...I... we can... just... because... I... we... I can't." I stuttered again. "Wucy speak the same language as us!" Ethan said. Connie nodded "Only Verity understands that, and she isn't here so," I nodded. "I know, but... I can't... I need... but I can't I don't know how...or if I can... but... ahhh Verity hurry up and get here!" I said.

"Lucy are you ok?" Dan said, what is it you're trying to say?"
"Wucy speak clearer and slower." Ethan said. "But Efan I can't, because I don't know if I can say it, and I don't know what Verity wants me to say, and I don't know if she is going to say it or if I will, and ahhh I think she should say it but I need too now but..."
Connie looked confused. "Are you saying that there is a secret that you want to tell us, but you can't because you're not sure if Verity wants to say it yet?" I nodded. "Well would it help if you asked her if you could say it?" I shook my head, "I don't know, I can't. my brain is, ok I'll stop." I can't say anything. My brain currently feels like that feeling you get when there's a really hard would you rather, and you are stuck on which one to answer. That's how I feel. Not good.

"Lucy shall we ask for you?" Dan asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "I told you, I can't. I just can't anymore." Matt took another cookie. "So, what are we actually gonna do for Verity's birthday. We might as well plan it now whilst she's not here." I nodded, "I'll text her and find out where she is, because I currently can't talk now my brain is still blah." Connie nodded "That's a good plan."

I got out my phone. Oh I have a missed text from... Scott? What's happened to Verity?

Scott: Hi Lucy, um Verity might not be able to come and see Ethan yet, we've got a slight problem
Me: oh no, what's happened?! Is she ok!?
S: Well, we mentioned Avi, and she fainted...

Oh Verity, fainting, really, wow she must love him more than I think we realise.

Me: Umm, is she still at yours?
S: yeah, we lay her down on Mitch's bed, and she seems ok, but we're my sure how long she'll be 'asleep' so...
M: it's ok, but how do I explain it to my friends here that are wondering where she is, they still don't know about you 2 living there, and idk if V wants me to say yet.
S: Umm, don't worry I've got a plan, just bear with,
M: ok thank you

So now we just play the waiting game.