Trust me, babe

Chapter 33

Kathryn

"Don't squeeze all the air out of her Aubrey," Grandpa laughed as Grandma threw her arms around me and held me tight against her chest.

"I've missed you so much," Grandma mumbled into my hair, her voice a bit shaky — she had broken into tears as soon as they had seen me arrive through the doors into the arrivals hall of JFK Airport where they had been waiting for me.

"I've missed you, too," I said. I was feeling a bit touched as well. It was always so special when someone was so happy about seeing you.

"Let me take your bag," Grandpa offered when Grandma let go of me.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "I can carry it myself..."

"No, no," Grandpa assured, "I want to carry your bag."

"Let him take it," Grandma whispered into my ear. "It's his way of showing how much he loves you."

I smiled, handing my bag to Grandpa. "Okay, thank you Grandpa."

Grandpa and Grandma walked me out of the airport doors and into the parking garage where their car was waiting for us.

"Did your journey go well?" Grandma asked as Grandpa shoved my bag into the trunk of their car.

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "It went fine."

"No turbulence? Or annoying people on the plane?" Grandma kept asking her questions.

"No people smelling like sweat and smoke and babies screaming the whole way?" Grandpa added, turning to wink at me behind Grandma's back.

I laughed. "No. Everything went smoothly. I watched movies most of the flight."

"That is good to hear," Grandma sighed, relieved.

Grandpa shut the trunk and we climbed into the car. Then we were off, driving in the crazy traffic of New York City on our way towards my grandparents' beloved apartment in Manhattan.

Grandpa and Grandma were listening to the radio. I zoned it out and kept glancing out of the windows instead, amazed by how tall the skyscrapers were. I had been here many times before but everytime it felt just as amazing, just as mindblowing. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and snapped a few photos through the car window — including one with a yellow cab — and sent them to Persimmon.

I had just put my phone back in my pocket when I suddenly heard it. I heard him.

You took a piece of my heart with you

It was Mikey's voice blasting from the car stereos, echoing from the car walls.

And it hurt me in ways I never knew

were possible

But it's all my fault

'Cause I broke your trust

His new single, 'Oceans Between Us', was being played on the radio again. This was the second time I heard it. But last time I hadn't listened to the words.

I clenched my hands into fists, fighting against tears. I would not let Mikey have such control over me. I would not start crying every time I heard this fucking single of his — and every time I'd hear all those songs of his that probably were yet to come. Why did he have to be a rising pop star now? It was hard getting over a breakup when your ex was haunting you through the radio.