Ace Huxley's Daughter

33

I dialled again, knocking on the door loud enough to get her attention but not enough to wake the whole damn corridor.

It's surprising how quickly 3 little words can take you from wasted to stone cold sober. I'm glad my eyes were closed when he'd said that. I could pretend I didn't even hear it. So, freaking quiet but so clear. No mumble, no uncertainty, no um, or ah or breathe. Just 8 letters that rolled off his tongue so easily I could be convinced he meant it.

He didn't. Obviously. He couldn't. Are you kidding? With the things that man knows about me? Not a chance. It wasn't possible. There has to be an ulterior motive. Has to be. Not a chance in hell could he have been saying that out of the good in his heart.

"Hello?"

"Han? It's me. Open your door."

"What? Cal it's like 5am."

"I know. Now please." Hannah grumbled down the phone. I shouldn't have come. Mum was right. I should have just stayed at home because this was breaking my bones into an ash I wouldn't be rising from. I wasn't a phoenix. I burn and I can't come back from that. Whatever happened to no fucking feelings Olive? God. Idiot.

The door pulled open, barely awake Hannah tilted her head at me. She blinked quickly.

"What are you doing?"

"I need you to drive me to the uh- the train station?"

"The train station?"

"There's no flights until dinner time and I need to go. I need to go no-"

"Woah Callie. Calm down. Come in." She grabbed my hand, dragging me into her room and closing the door. "What's going on?"

"I want to go home. I want to go home now, but I can't exactly walk across Paris at 3am alone and there's no flights but there's the Eurostar at 7am I know it's ages away but I need-"

"Callie breathe. Where's your inhaler?"

"I'm fine. I just-"

"Why do you want to go home? You're flights in like 10 days." I shook my head.

"No. Now. Today." She narrowed her eyes.

"What about Em-"

"Will you drive me or not? Because I can go I don't know book an Uber or get a taxi or-"

"I'll drive you Callie. I've got Blake's car." She started to change into some normal clothes as opposed to her pyjama shorts and bra. As cute of a look as it was, I don't think it was drop your best friend off at the train station in the middle of the night suitable.

"Why?"

"Because he's not allowed out of anyone's sight. Best way to do that is for me to drive his car. He's sharing a room with Nig and driving with them." I nodded. I didn't really care but you know, any car getting me out of here was on my side right now. "Tell me what happened?"

"Nothing happened. I just want to go-"

"Did he do something Pops because I swear, I will-"

"No. He didn't- he didn't do anything. Nothing's wrong. I just want to go. I want my own bed and I miss the dogs and David and mum and being able to drive myself anywhere I needed to." Her shoes were on and I was still stood, bag hanging over my shoulder. How I'd fit all of my things in here in the middle of the night in the pitch-black room without making a single noise, I have no idea. But I did and he still had no idea I was gone. Hopefully, that lasted until I was at least on the train and out of service reach. "I've text my dad."

"You're not even going to say goodbye?"

"No, it's fine. I'll see him when he comes back home anyway." We left the room, the corridor, the lift, and the hotel in complete silence. I could see her mind cycling through everything I'd said, trying to find a reasoning for me leaving. There was a lot of things I didn't share with Hannah. Things I probably should but it didn't exactly pool in with the forever happy girl I was to her. I liked that. That at least for her, I was fine. I was okay and normal and there wasn't anything I was hiding from the world. I liked my friendship with Hannah being untouched.

She pulled up in the drop off zone and turned to me, looking me up and down.

"Okay, now what's really going on?"

"Han. I told you-"

"Yeah and it's bullshit. Why are you leaving in the middle of the night without so much of a goodbye. You're not getting a plane; you're getting the first train out of the country and you hate trains. You're not even saying goodbye to your dad, let alone the guy you've spent nearly 6 weeks with. What happened in that room tonight Callie because you were fine when you all left me." I swallowed. "See. I know something happened. What?"

"I don't want to-"

"Too bad. Spill it."

"Han-"

"No." She continued staring but I wasn't going to tell her. She'd try talk me out of it. Think I'm being pathetic. About a million other things. I didn't need to hear it right now otherwise I was going to break into fucking tears.

"I shouldn't have come." I pressed my head back into the headrest, closing my eyes for a second. "I should have stayed home with mum. Everything's easy when someone else has the controls." I looked at my phone. 6.04am "I need to go. I don't want to miss the train. Thanks Han. I'll see you soon yeah?" I pushed the door open, reaching over and giving her a quick hug before pulling myself out and into the train station. Through the ticket gates, to the train and finding my seat as quickly as I could.

☀️Sonny☀️

I'm sorry.
I can't do this.

Father🤘🏻

Hey.
I'm fine, nothing is wrong.
I just got really homesick and booked
the Eurostar home. Han drove me to
the station and I'm on the train now.
Really sorry I didn't say bye dad but I
didn't want to wake you up and cause
a fuss. I love you loads and I'll see you
when you get home. I'll text when I'm
home xx