Anyone Else But You

Chapter 27 - Well I Guess This is Goodbye

Ellie Goulding – How Long Will I Love You

Maddie woke up at 6:00am and got ready to leave Gemma’s house, she was hoping she could escape without waking her friend. Unfortunately Gemma was an early riser and was in the kitchen when Maddie crept down the stairs. Just as Maddie reached for the door handle, she heard her friend’s voice. “Where do you think you’re going at six o’clock in the morning?”

Maddie froze and span slowly on the spot, a huge cheesy grin formed on her face. “I thought I’d go home and get changed and have a conversation with Kate. I didn’t want to wake you up so I’d thought I’d slip out quietly.” The smile returned when she’d finished speaking. Gemma crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows sceptically.

“More like you going to sneak out so you wouldn’t get a morning pep talk from me. You know I give really good pep talks. That’s why I’m the team captain, that and the fact I look good in armbands.” Maddie smiled genuinely at her friend and walked slowly towards the kitchen where Gemma had returned to.

“I didn’t want to burden you with my troubles Gem, you’ve done enough for me already by letting me stay the night.” Maddie sat down at the kitchen table and sighed.

“It’s a bit late for that Mads, your troubles became my troubles when you came into the bakery crying.” Gemma smiled hopelessly at Maddie and placed a steaming mug of coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs on the table in front of her. Maddie smiled back and picked up her fork, well she might as well enjoy a good breakfast before she left.

She’d made up her mind last night, she needed to get away for a bit, not forever but a few days. She couldn’t face the chance that she could bump into Jasper or Ali or worse them both together. She’d researched the price of train tickets to Nottingham and had already planned on turning up on her aunt’s doorstep this afternoon; Maddie was hoping it would be a nice surprise.

First she was going to slip home and grab the things she needed to take with her – spare clothes, toothbrush and some extra cash – and of course say goodbye to Teddy, he was the one thing that was holding her back from going any further and for a longer time. She had it all planned out, she’d catch the 3:20pm train to Nottingham, show up at her aunt’s house then call her mum to say she was fine and not to come and fetch her.

“You look deep in thought, are you planning some evil scheme?” Gemma raised her eyebrows at Maddie over her coffee cup.

“What? Oh no I was just thinking about what to say to Kate.” Gemma nodded and stood up, carrying her empty cup and plate to the dishwasher. She loaded them up then stopped to look out of the window at the dull grey sky.

“Well I better be getting off, do you want a lift to your house?”

“No, I think I need the walk to prepare myself, but thanks anyway.” Maddie walked over to her friend and gave her a tight hug, she kept her head down so that Gemma wouldn’t see the tears that were once again forming in her eyes. She cried more times in the last two weeks than the previous seventeen years of her life. “Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.” She pulled back before Gemma thought she was crazy and busied herself with her own cup and plate.