Meant To Be

Where's My Love

Falling asleep without you

Is like breathing underwater 

And walking these streets without you

Makes every day a little harder 

- Without You, from FOUR's second album, Falling Asleep Without You 

The rest of the weekend passes in a happy blur. I can't believe I'd gone so long without coming home. I can't believe I'd forgotten how much I missed them.

It's when we're out for lunch on Saturday that Anthony broaches the topic.

"Hey, dad," he says, fake casually. "I think Cassie and I would really like to meet Michael."

My dad freezes.

Anthony says, "That is, if that's okay. You guys just seem pretty serious."

"I don't know..." My dad says.

"Oh come on," Anthony says. "What is it? Are you worried we're gonna judge him? Because at this point, anyone would be better than Kayleigh. The bar is on the ground, dad."

"Thank you," I say, pointing my fork at him.

My dad shakes his head. "The two of you aren't going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"No," I say cheerfully. "Probably not. I mean, it has to happen eventually, right?"

"I'll invite him for dinner, how does that sound?" Dad asks, looking like he regrets every word.

"Perfect," Anthony says, and I nod in agreement.

After lunch, Dad goes off to call Michael and Anthony leaves, to do who knows what, and I retreat to my bedroom. It's strange, being back here. My childhood bedroom.

So many memories, but it's - different, now, even than it was last year, even when it was when I started my second year of university. It's like - this year, I have this whole life. A real, full life, with hobbies and friends and Holland.

Holland.

Speaking of Holland, I pick up my phone and dial his number, missing the sound of his voice.

But when he picks up, there's something strained in his voice, a note that I haven't really heard before, except for maybe at the height of their tour.

"Hello?" He says, and it throws me off for a second, the sound of it. The wrongness.

"Hi," I say. "How are you? I miss you."

"Miss you too," he says. For a second, I think he's going to say something, but then there's some sort of noise in the background, like someone else talking, and I almost think I've lost him for a second.

"Can you hear me?" I ask, biting my lip.

"Yeah - listen, Cass, now isn't a good time. Sorry."

"Oh, um - I'll call you later?" I say, wrong-footed, thrown off balance.

"Sure," he says. "Bye, love." And then he hangs up, just like that.

I bite my lip. I can't really put my finger on it, but there's definitely something wrong. It's not like Holland to be so abrupt like that. Almost like he's was trying to get me off of the phone as soon as possible.

But like, not like he was just busy. Like it was me.

I'm sure I'm wrong. I'm sure he was just busy. But I can't help the hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. I can't help but worry that something is wrong.