A little more liquor

Chapter 18

The bottle fell from her hands and smashed onto the floor. What a shame, perfectly good tequila gone to waste.

Brendan was standing a few metres from her, now blocking the doorway, his arms were crossed as his whole body filled the doorframe.

"What do you want." She whispered, frantically trying to figure out a way to get out of the mess she had somehow found herself in. Again.

"I think you know what I want Bella, don't be so naive." He smirked down on her.

"Why can't you just let it go? I didn't do anything to you, don't drag me into yours and Casey's shit." She spat at him, which made his jaw clench and he marched forwards, making her step back until she hit the railing of the balcony. His body was pressed right against hers and he grabbed her chin with his hand and forced her to look straight at him. Her eyes had started to feel droopy, like she was about to fall asleep.
"You're what matters to Casey most, getting rid of you will hurt him more that it hurt me losing Victoria and Maddeline." He hissed at her.
"What do you mean get rid of me? I'm not even dating Casey anymore, I broke up with him. He doesn't care about me, he probably never did" she glared at him, her hands clutching the metal railings behind her to gain her balance.

"On the contrary my dear, he's never been more in love with you. Which will make it even easier for me to destroy his happiness."

"You're never gonna get away with this." She laughed, leaning more of her body weight on the railings.

"But I already have, you know, maybe you could have stopped this from happening to yourself if you had noticed that when you first got the bottle the seal hadn't been broken, but the second time it had been, and if you'd have noticed that the tequila wasn't actually tequila, maybe you wouldn't be going unconscious as we speak." He spoke, just as her legs buckled underneath her and she started falling, till Brendan slowly started lowering her to the floor. She was practically crumpled on the floor, unable to hold onto consciousness when the last words she heard sent a shiver through her body.

"And the best part? You're friends will think your safe and sound."

"Morning guys" Millie cheerfully walked down the stairs, but stopped when she saw them all standing round the kitchen table hunched over something.

"Guys?" She asked again.

This time they lifted their heads up.
"Millie, I think you need to come see this." Charlie called over to her.

"It's a letter from Bella." Jake said in a strained voice. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed how Casey was sitting in the corner of the room, not saying anything. She walked over to Reece who held the letter out for her.

She began reading the letter that appeared to have been written in a hurry.

Dear Guys and Millie,
I'm sorry that I'm telling you this in a letter, and not in person. Everything's been really hard for me lately, and I don't feel like I can stay here anymore. Please, have fun for the last few days, I don't want there to be awkwardness caused by me. I just really needed to go home and sort my head out, so I got a cab home. If you guys heard anything last night, like loud noises, it was the cab, I was scared you would hear the driver at the door. What I hadn't told you guys, not even Millie, is that I'm moving. This was my last year down in London. My heart was telling me to get out of the country for a few years, so that's what I'm doing. I'll never forget any of you, I love you all. Millie, you've been the best friend I could have ever asked for. Jake, thank you for everything you've done for me. Casey, I'm sorry. I love you all, never forget that.

This will be the last time you hear from me, so goodbye, good luck and I wish you the best with all your careers and lives.

-forever yours, Bella xox

Millie stared at the paper that was now shaking in her hands.
"She left us?" She asked quietly.

"We checked everywhere, her stuff is gone, and there's car tracks outside." Tom replied.

"I'm never going to see her again." She clutched the letter to her chest, her glazed over eyes staring at each of them individually, until she landed on Casey.

"This is your fault." She whispered, her voice was dangerously low.

"Millie, I-" Casey began to reply, his eyes were bloodshot and it was clear he had either been crying or got no sleep. Probably both.

"I don't want your fucking excuses Johnson, you better get out of this room before I rip your arms of with my teeth." She fumed, her hands forming into fists, the letter crumpling in her hand.

"Calm down Millie please, you'll hurt yourself." Charlie tried to soothe her.

"I just lost my best friend and you want me to calm down? I swear to god Charlie I love you but I will kill you if you don't step back right this second." She threatened, moments later feeling his presence step away from her.

"You heard me Casey. Get out."