bucket list || l. norris

forty one

* a long chapter to make up for my infrequent uploads. super sorry about that. this chapter is tough, and you might need some tissues while you're reading, idk. there are no trigger warnings, but you might cry a lil. don't forget to engage. all your comments and votes mean everything to me. enjoy! *

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< MAMA PERRY: Good morning my darling girl. Your dad, Micah and I are home from Croatia. We decided to leave a little earlier than planned. Your brother is moping about because he misses his new boyfriend. Please come see us soon. We miss you. You know I'm always here if you want or need to talk about anything. I love you, Mila xxx >

Suspicious.

I rubbed my eyes as I rolled over with a grunt, my head aching like the rest of my body. When I realised that I was tucked up in mine and Lando's bed, my heart sank into my stomach momentarily because I had absolutely no recollection of bringing myself home.

The last thing I remember was the world falling into darkness. Everything felt unusually fuzzy.

My parents and Micah weren't supposed to be home from Croatia already. I was expecting them to be away for a week at the least, ten days at most. They left only four days ago.

The bed beside me was empty and it felt like I was reliving yesterday all over again. Well, I think this happened yesterday - I have no idea how long I've been sleeping for. Is this even real life? Am I even alive? Without Lando here, my heart and my soul felt empty. His space was warmer than I remembered from the last time I woke up alone, suggesting that he only recently left his spot in our comfortable bed. The door was slightly ajar, whereas I remembered it being fully closed. The last time I woke up alone.

It all hit me so fast.

A cold-ish hand delicately touched my burning cheek. The contrast was harsh, but it wasn't enough to bring me round. My head was very much actively running wild, but my body was limp and everything was black. I passed out.

"Mila?" Although I was unresponsive, I recognised that accent without even needing to think about it. "Holy fuck. Call Lando, will you? Shit. Mila? Can you hear me? It's Carlos. You're safe."

Call Lando. You won't get through. He won't answer me, so why should he answer you? I'm his girlfriend. He loves me.

I could feel the nerves radiating off of Carlos' body, all while being totally unconscious and unable to actually process what was happening to me. This felt like an out-of-body experience. Carlos was talking to himself, probably as a result of his panic, while Rupert was also speaking to someone, but a little further away from me. I couldn't make out his words, but suddenly, I realised that he was talking to Lando. On the phone. He answered. My heart began to race at the thought of my boyfriend being alright.

One minute my heart feels like it's going to stop, and the next, my heart feels like it's about to jump out of my chest. Literally.

"I've got you," Carlos brushed my hair away from my eyes and pressed his lips to my forehead. It was reassuring, sure, but it was nothing like how Lando made me feel. None of this would be happening if he'd just told me of his plans. "Come on. I'm taking you home."

I wanted to shout and kick and scream, and tell him that I didn't want to go home. Lando hurt me by not telling me that he would be out, and he left me to wake up in a state of panic because he was gone. His biggest fear was losing me, so my biggest fear of losing him was justifiable.