right where you left me

Chapter 50 - Fireflies

We headed down to Melbourne that day. That report was longing in the back of my mind but I knew there were bigger things to worry about. I had a World Cup to compete in. Ellie made me remember that. Sam and EVE too.

Earlier that morning, I had received multiple phone calls all telling me I would have to be a witness at the trial. I wasn't sure whether it was for the state or for Finn, but either way, I knew that all I had to do was tell the truth, right?

As I sat on the plane, looking out the window, I realized how far back I left this place. It was no longer my home, my safe spot, my city.

It was my hell. It was my hole. It was where everything changed and nothing at all.

I was glad to be rid of it. I was glad to have left Sydney behind and once this World Cup was over, I was looking forward to returning to the city I had fallen in love with and the person too.

"Tipps," Hayley said to me, as she sat beside me on the plane.

"Yeah?"

"I want your advice on... on someone," she soon said.

"Why me?" I asked.

"Well, you don't take any shit and I admire that." She was honest. I appreciated that.

"Okay, go on," I said softly chuckling. Hayley looked around to make sure no one was listening; Sam had her earbuds in, EVE was asleep, and the rest of the girls would've been too far away to hear any of Hayley's whispers.

"So, let's say, hypothetically," Hayley soon asked, "that a friend is digging their own hole. Very much hurting themselves and you really can't do anything about it. I mean, you've tried but there is no way to like to weasel their way out of it."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"My friend, she's- she's going to be the cause of her own downfall if she isn't careful."

"Who is this?" I asked, curiously.

"That doesn't matter," Hayley soon replied, probably not wanting to lead to any more pieces of gossip.

"I mean, Hales, sometimes you gotta be the one to help them too. Even if they don't ask for it. Or maybe, just maybe, they need the downfall, to find the mountain again." Hayley looked at me, something flicking behind her big brown eyes.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Okay. Thanks, Tippy."

I soon returned to my music, a playlist Leah ever-so-kindly put together for me. My music genres were very limited and as she insisted I needed something more than the sadness of Pheobe Bridgers, and Folklore by Taylor Swift, I let her give me a hand.

When we arrived in Melbourne, the first course of action was coffee. We all headed out to grab our orders.

Most of the girls ordered some variation of a latte, flat white or cappuccino, of which I ordered my classic oat milk latte, with an equal.

"You and your fake sugar," Sam joked with me, as I poured the equal into my coffee.

"Don't be so annoying!" I exclaimed. "There is nothing wrong with a bit of sweetener that doesn't kill my glucose levels!"

We walked around the City that evening, soaking in the atmosphere of Melbourne on a Wednesday.

"This is what I'm talking about!" Steph exclaimed as a small group of us found a cute little bar that was tucked behind a coffee shop. "Melbourne, I love you." I laughed at Steph but stood outside the bar, not wanting to go in.

I hadn't had a drink in a month. Maybe longer, maybe not. I couldn't remember but I took that as a good sign.

"I'm going to not," I said quietly to Steph.