Irish Oxytocin

Ghost Town | 29

❁ Chapter 29 ❁

                   Cora's Point of View

His car drove off into the distance of my dimly lit street as the rain started to calm down. All the houses were pitch black, leaving room for only our solar street lamps to light the soaked ash fault below. The road was flooded with water as Los Angeles received one of the worst storms I've witnessed in a while. I didn't dare to wait for him as I felt a tear build on the water line of my eye; just ready to trickle down my damp cheeks.

"I love you, Cora." echoed in my head so loud, as if he was whispering it to me all over again.
I let the edged tear fall as I tried to contain the heavy feeling in my chest. All I wanted was for him to be okay, and he is. But now, that's all I could hold onto.

I turned around to my front door and opened it slowly; soaked all the way down to my socks.
My hair dripped on our placemat as Daniel and my mother watch it leave a puddle on the floor as I walk in. They were lighting candles all over the house.

"Cora? What were you doing in the storm?" Mom asks softly, wiggling a match to put it out.

I stay quiet, but move my hair out of my face. Daniel inches closer at the sight of all my mascara running down my face. I think deep down he knew it wasn't at the complete fault of the rain.

"Ce?" He pushed quietly.

I choke back a sob, and take off my socks.

"Can you do me a favour?" I choke out softly.
Daniel nods slowly.
"Can you call Jacob?" I ask in a huff, pushing past him slowly.

I quietly walk up the stairs to my room. The stairs creaked below me quietly, and I couldn't hear a peep from Mom and Daniel downstairs. I turned the flashlight of my phone on to light up the pathway to my bedroom. The house fell silent, other then the creaking of my feet on the hard wood. My room is extremely cold when I walk in. I had left the window open this entire time, and the wind from the storm had flown all kinds of things around my room.

I shut the door and slowly slide down the white painted wood. How could I accept the facts that were placed in front of me?

Nolan's gone.

He left as fast as he came.
He's been in Ireland all week.
He's just, gone. Just like that. Almost like he had never existed here.

And with that, a sob escapes my lips. I bring my shaky hands up to my face and I begin to choke on my own cries.

I met Nolan in February. Today, it was June 1st.
Twenty-five days before prom, and twenty-eight days before graduation.
I knew Nolan Gallagher for exactly one-hundred days. And in the span of one-hundred days,
He's made me fall in love with him,
Experience real love for the first time,
Get my Sorl Mark,
Lose my virginity,
Challenge myself,
Adventure new places,
Create a project I must now present alone,
And get my heart broken all over again.
But this time, one thousand times as hard.

How could he do this to me?

As I leaned against the door, I could hear Daniel talking to someone. I put my ear to the door to listen.

"Dude, I don't know what happened. Please, just get here. She asked for you."
...
"I think so. I didn't see him, though."
...
"I don't know, man. I'm scared for her. I don't think she can go through this again."
...
"Okay, if you think it'll help. I'm going to check up on her."
...
"Okay, see you soon."

As I heard the call end from the other line, I heard footsteps approaching my door. I moved back quickly and tumbled backwards, falling on the hardwood.
My door creaked open, and there stood Daniel. He looked at me in pity as I rummaged to my feet. He leaned in the doorframe examining my body language.