1.1 | daunting medleys

twenty-six | fine wine and warmness

Tabitha woke up again when humming filled her ears.

She blinked and winced when the sun's intense rays shone on her eyes. Her phone said the time was 1:01pm, and from what she saw, the call with Oliver had been going on for 45 minutes, and he was humming. Tabitha closed her eyes and wondered, if he hated her for disturbing him. She wondered if he thought she was whiny and weak.

"Ollie?"

Oliver stopped humming, and he replied. "Hey. Are you okay?"

Tabitha nodded, then realized he couldn't see her. "Mmm. How's your sister?" Her eyes were still closed. The room was bright, and she hated it. The sun burnt at her eyes. Her shoulders still hurt, and her knee screamed when she tried to stretch. A tear slipped past her cold cheeks and she wiped it immediately.

"She's okay. I went to get some food for her and my mum." He said, the sound of a car's honk almost drowning his voice. Tabitha felt horrible, she was taking his attention away from his family who desperately needed it because she was incapable of processing her parents' divorce and her fear of her mother.

She moved to her side and laid on her shoulder. The pain kept her from screaming. "I'm sorry."

"Stop it. I don't mind talking to you Tabitha, especially if you are sad, or hurt." His breathing steadied her, it was calm and quiet. His voice was soothing, like waves unfurling on a beach or the collective beauty of a constellation at night. Air pushed against her cold cheeks and her fingertips.

"I-" Tabitha started, then stopped. "Have you gotten anything to eat?"

"I had a granola bar earlier today." He murmured as if ashamed and Tabitha knew if she was there, he'd have a tint of red creeping up his cheeks.

She smiled, although her eyes hadn't opened. "You need to eat, Ollie." Hypocrite. Her fingers trembled when she had eventually opened her eyes, the cold was gotten worse, and the skies had been coloured a tumultuous grey. A storm was coming, a heavy storm.

"I'll eat if you promise me that you've also had something to eat." Sometimes Tabitha wondered why Oliver knew her almost too well, it made her feel bare to him, like her soul was bared for his probing eyes.

When she remained silent, he continued. "That's what I thought," Then there was shuffling and low voices. "Can I call you back? My mum needs me to get something for my sister. You need to eat, I'll also get something to eat so we can eat together. I can FaceTime you."

"Okay." Then he hung up. After that Tabitha stayed in bed, laying and staring at the angry clouds rumbling. A zigzag of white light illuminated them and she wondered, about the beauty in the anger. No one's anger was beautiful, it was messy and chaotic, especially her mother's. It left Tabitha scared, it petrified her beyond reason until fear immobilized her. She sat up, and watched the downpour. Her balcony doors were opened and the rain splattered on her, she got up and closed it. The cold was mind numbingly chilly, and she pulled on a sweater and thick joggers.

There was a knock on her door and she hobbled over, the pain in her knee a stark reminder of what happened when her mother was angry. Aunt Grace stood behind the door, a solemn look on her face.

"Your grandma called me. Told me what happened, I figured you'd want to have breakfast in your room. I'm so sorry sweetheart." She said, handing a tray to Tabitha.

Tabitha shook her head as if it didn't matter. "It's okay. I'm fine. Thank you for breakfast, it smells amazing." The older woman kissed Tabitha's cheeks before dismissing her appreciation and leaving. She opened the covered plate to see french toast, chocolate covered strawberries in a bowl and bottle of orange juice. Hunger that she'd forgotten about ravaged her stomach. She picked up the fork that lay by the side and started eating her toast, then her phone rang, Oliver was calling again.