Tacenda ~Owen Joyner~

Chapter 18

Owen's POV:

A tear escapes my eyes despite my protests as she turns away from me. Maybe it's my fault. I'm the one that showed up mad. Maybe I should have showed up and told her how I feel and kissed her. Maybe then she wouldn't be walking away from me.

She turns back around for a second and I almost let myself believe she'll stay, "I'm sorry, Owen."

I want nothing more than to wipe the tears from her face and hold her in my arms until everything's okay between us.

"Me too." I nod.

She looks at me for the last time and walks to security to then get on a plane back to her hometown so maybe I'll never see her again. I walk over to the window and stare out at the runway that paves the way for her leaving me. As much as I am so unbelievably mad at her for trying to leave like that, I already forgive her. She wanted to spare the goodbyes, spare the tears, make it easier for herself and probably us. I think if she had let us say a proper goodbye I wouldn't have let her go. I don't know which one would have hurt more. That, or what just happened.

It usually takes me a while to warm up to someone, but within a month CC became the person I want to be with the most. I instantly felt comfortable around her and like I could be myself without being judged or hurt. The sad part is that now I am hurt. I'm so mad at myself for letting myself get hurt. Why did I get so attached? That was so stupid of me. A month ago I hadn't even met her and now I'm crying in an airport because she left me lonely. How did she do that to me? I wasn't even this upset when my serious girlfriend broke up with me after a year of dating. I mean we said "I love you" and CC and I haven't even admitted that we like each other like two awkward middle schoolers.

Maybe it's the fact that CC said we were just friends. I know she was lying. I know she knows we're more than friends. I just can't believe she denied it. I've never felt this way about anyone and she denied it. I can't even process how I feel about her. It's just butterflies in my stomach, a feeling of security when she's around, and wanting nothing more than to be the one who makes her laugh and holds her when she cries. I mean, she punched me in the face but hugged me because she was sorry and that made it worth it. I think I would let her punch me again if it meant she held onto me afterwards. Now it's a different kind of hurt and she's not holding me.

Before I know it I'm watching her plane take off. I watch it until it's just a speck in the sky and it's gone. She's gone. She actually left. I feel like punching something but I'm in an airport and that's probably not the best idea.

I take a few steps back from the window and turn around, swiftly making my way through the airport with my head down so strangers won't meet my eyes after seeing me make a scene. I force myself to stop crying and move on for the time being.

-

I pound on the door to Charlie's apartment continuously until he opens it after about a minute. I know his neighbours are probably so annoyed at me but I don't care.

"Dude." Charlie says as he opens the door. He's wearing sweatpants, no shirt, and his hairs a mess, which tells me he was just sleeping. "What the hell are you doing?"

I brush right past him and gesture to his apartment, "Do you notice anything is missing, Charlie? Do you notice what time it is?"

Charlie clues into my annoyance and his eyes go wide as he looks at the time on the microwave, "Callie."

He rushes to Callie's room and I follow him. Obviously, all of her stuff is gone and he stares at the room in disbelief. He walks back out to the kitchen and pops some Advil in his mouth before saying anything else.