Stand By Me - Leah Williamson

One Week Was All It Took?

Leah's POV

"Leah," Jordan called me from the front door, her voice holding more tension that usual, "You might want to get this."

I rolled my eyes, expecting a parcel to sign for or something of the sort, so I walked towards the front door and instantly felt a familiar pair of green eyes set on me. 

Taking the door from Jordan's hand, she walked away into the lounge, knowing this wasn't the place for her to be at the moment. Jordan's eyes towards the floor as her footsteps were quick, trying to escape swiftly as possible.

Ingrid raised her eyebrows, looking taken aback, "One week? One week was all it took?"

Rubbing the back of my neck anxiously, I didn't know what to say, "Do you want to come in?"

"I came to get her stuff," she told me, stepping into the hall, "And I was going to talk to you, but I guess it's already too late."

"It's complicated," I sighed. That was a lie, none of this was complicated, I was too much of a coward to admit how I truly felt to either of them, or even to myself. 

Ingrid had every right to be annoyed at me, she loved Kameron and was clearly protective over her. I mean who wouldn't be?

"Where's her stuff?"

I pointed to our bedroom. My bedroom, "In there."

Ingrid nodded as I followed her into the bedroom, she pulled open Kameron's suitcase and began folding her clothes into it, wasting no time, obviously wanting to never have to lie her eyes on me again.

"How is she?" I asked, anxiously awaiting an answer, my hands shaking against my sides. 

"Is there any point in having this conversation? I mean, it's clear you've already moved on."

I stuttered, "It's not like that Ingrid."

"Oh," she turned to face me, her eyebrows furrowed and talking quickly with her hands, "So what's it like Leah? You're telling me that there's nothing going on between you?"

Sitting onto the bed, my head falling into my hands, I searched my mind for answer, "I don't know," I admitted, "But it's not like Kam."

"Does Jordan know that?" Ingrid spoke in a harshly accusing tone, but I deserved it. She was the only person to be blunt with me in the past week and somehow I appreciated it.

"I don't know Ingrid," I replied quickly, a frustrated desperation lacing my words, "But how is she?"

"Well Leah, she hasn't moved all week or taken your fucking hoodie off. She's completely lost, and the only thing she's thinking about is getting better so she can get back to you. And mostly she's worrying about you."

My head sunk even lower, of course Kameron was worrying about me even amidst everything she was going through, she had a heart too kind for her own good. I didn't deserve to hold her heart anymore, it bled too painfully in my hands. I was crushing it.

"I honestly don't care what you decide to do with you life, but just don't fuck with Kameron's head," Ingrid was now almost shouting. 

Gently I shook my head, my eyes teary, "I didn't mean to do this, you have to believe me."

"How am I meant to believe anything that comes out of your mouth when you seemed to move right back onto your ex girlfriend the minute she left through the door?"

I raised my voice, "I never wanted to hurt her."

"But somehow you still did. Do you not get the love she has for you Leah?"

The worst part of this was that I did understand the love she had for me, she'd told me at every chance she'd gotten. Even in our final minutes I'd still felt loved by her, I could have never doubted that for a second. 

Though everything Ingrid said was completely called for and truthful, I still felt backed into a corner and eventually I had to retaliate, it was just instinct.

"She left me!" I shouted, throwing my arms in the air.

Ingrid's mouth dropped open, outraged on behalf of Kameron, "We all know she left you so that you could keep doing what you loved! She did that for you."

"Well I never asked her to."

"That's what you do for the people you love! You would destroy yourself for them, if it meant them being happy."

Ingrid was once again right, I couldn't argue with her when I was the one in the wrong. I knew I shouldn't have moved past everything so quickly, but no one was meant to find out. It was meant to stay hidden so that it didn't hurt Kameron even more. 

I just stood there, at a loss for words as Ingrid continued folding Kameron's clothes into the case which she finally zipped up, "I'll come back if she needs anything else."

Clearing my throat, I shook my head, "I'm moving out next week?"

"To where?" Ingrid tested me, narrowing her eyes.

The words escaped my voice lower than a whisper, "To Jordan's."

A smile of disbelief and anger reached Ingrid's face as she shook her head, "Well, let me know when your gone and Kameron can get back to her apartment."

"Okay," we begun to walk towards my bedroom door, but I stopped Ingrid, gently pulling her back, "I really don't want to hurt her Ingrid. I want the best for her." My words were truthful and soft, a stray tear falling onto my cheek.

Ingrid's eyes softened ever so slightly, "I want to believe you Leah, I really do. But I can't. Not when I've seen everything here, compared to the girl in Lucy's apartment who hasn't moved for a week. It's two very different sides of the story, be thankful that you're in the happier half."

Taking in her words, I couldn't even bring myself to nod, I looked to the floor, "I'll text you when I'm out."

"I'll show myself to the door."

And that was it, I walked back into the lounge to Jordan and the door slammed harshly behind Ingrid. She was gone.