Number 15 - Katie McCabe

16

                                      Willa

I didn't stay on the phone long with Beth after that, I think my lack of words was a good enough reason for her to end the call. It's currently been a couple of hours since Katie left the room, and I keep telling myself that I don't care, but I don't know where she is, and I've tried for the past hour to fall asleep, but honestly, I don't think I'll be able to until she's back. Part of me feels guilty for how I spoke to her, but in all fairness, she's been so confusing, and her drastic switches in personality is giving me whiplash. I don't know if I can deal with it anymore, being mad at her one minute and the next we're... Friends? That's not even a term I'd use. Friends don't go from hating each other to being close in the click of a finger. It's just not how it works, it might be for her, but it certainly isn't for me. It's draining, but I don't think it'll ever end unless she talks to me and explains herself. As soon as I start thinking about it, I hear the sound of the keycard unlocking the room door, and she slowly creeps inside, glancing my way for a split second. And even though it's dark, I can tell that her eyes are swollen, that her cheeks have a rosy hue, that her lips are plump, most likely from crying. Immediately, I know for sure that there has to be something under the surface, that there was a reason she didn't apologise. But my question is, why? And why isn't she telling me? Before I know it, my impulsive thoughts take over, and the words leave my mouth before I even get the chance to think it through. If it was the right moment to ask, if it's too raw, too sensitive.

"Why didn't you tell me that you apologised to Beth?" I ask her softly. Although I'm definitely still angry at her, I'm not going to show it, not now anyway. Not when I know that she's been crying. I know there has to be something wrong if she has been, because I've never seen her show when she's upset, ever. She doesn't reply, she instead just shakes her head while getting into her bed, blocking me out by turning her back to face me. I get that it might not have been the best time to ask, but what does she have to be mad at me for? It makes me scoff out loud. I haven't done anything except try to get her to be honest for once in her life. Why is honesty such a foreign concept to her? I don't think I'll ever get it. And even though I'm grateful that she apologised to Beth, I'm over being left in the dark. I'm over her being mad at me, and not explaining why, or not explaining her reasoning for anything for that matter. I'm over her mind games. I'm done.

I don't remember falling asleep. All I remember is how fed up I was with Katie, and I still am when I wake up to the morning sun streaming through the gaps in the curtains. It takes me a moment, but I realise I didn't wake up to the sound of my alarm, and when I turn over to my side, Katie's gone, with her bed completely made.

"Shit, shit, shit," I whisper to myself as I quickly get out of bed and look at the time. 8:52 am. Okay, I have eight minutes to pack all my things, return my key card to the reception, and get on the coach. Fuck. I don't think I've ever packed so quickly in my life. All of my clothes are sprawled over the floor, and my toiletries are still in the bathroom. I should've been more organised, but I didn't expect that I'd wake up with eight minutes to spare before we have to leave. Hurriedly, I run to the elevator, pressing the button repeatedly, as if it would make it go up faster. Three minutes. I can make it. After I return my key, I sprint outside, and luckily the coach is still there.

As I walk on, all seats are taken, except the one next to Leah, who's on the left two rows until the back. But it's just my luck when I see who's on the right side, Katie.

"Thanks for waking me up," I say coldly while I sit in my seat next to Leah. But Katie doesn't acknowledge me whatsoever, and I roll my eyes at her lack of response.

"You look..." Leah starts as I turn to face her.

"Look what?" I ask with a tone of confusion in my voice, and Leah smiles at my obliviousness.