Take Me Away | ✓

» 21

P H O E N I X

It took me a while to get my bearings but I soon came to realise that I was lying down. And someone was next to me. Their arm was behind my head and my cheek pressed against their chest. With sleep still clouding my mind and vision, I angled my head so that I could get a better look.

It was Kaden. He lay on his back staring blankly at the ceiling. It made me wonder what he was thinking about. "Hi." I said in a soft whisper.

He tilted his head and gave me a half smile, "Hey."

I shuffled my body closer, relishing the warmth his body provided. "You're really hot." I murmured flinging my arm across his torso.

His chest rumbled with gentle laughter. "Thanks."

Smiling to myself I closed my eyes, asking him my next question. "What are you thinking about?"

I felt him stiffen in my arms but then slowly relax, sighing deeply. "Jane."

I remembered Jane. Jane was the sweet girl. The kind girl. The girl that captured everyone's hearts. She was one of those people that everyone got along with. Girls didn't just want to be her, they wanted to have her as their best friend. Boys too, as well as wanting her to be theirs.

I guess that's what made Matt kind of special. He'd gotten someone that was one in a million and I think he knew just how lucky he was. At the time, it seemed like he'd never get over his broken heart.

"I miss them."

Kaden sighed again. "Me too."

I peeled open one eye to see his wide awake. There was an unexplainable sort of pain written over his face, like when someone's in trouble but you have no idea how to help them. I felt useless like that now because I truly did want to help but I had no clue where to start.

So instead I found his hand, giving it a squeeze and hoping that my actions spoke louder than the words I couldn't say.

-

When I opened my eyes the first thought that crossed my mind was, I need to pee.

And then I started to panic. Jolting upright the sheets fell off and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw I still had my clothes on. Slowly bits and pieces from yesterday started to come back to me. Like going to the festival, being there, Kaden, feeling woozy and then nothing.

Trying to keep calm I climbed out of the bed, only it wasn't a bed but a mattress on the floor with pillows strewn all over the place. Once on the landing, I began searching for a bathroom but the first door I tried was locked and the next was a place where the towels were kept.

On the third door, I twisted the knob but before I could open it, someone came out. Chloe stood in the doorway for a second before stepping aside to let me through. "Be careful, the mirror's broken."

I looked at what she was talking about, my warped reflection staring back. Her ash blonde hair disappeared from the frame but before it was completely gone, I turned around, "Chloe."

"Yeah?" She stopped in her tracks.

I bit my lip but nothing came out. At least not the words I wanted to say. "Nothing."

She waited a moment longer as if for me to say something more and I wanted to but I couldn't. All I could do was watch her back disappear and when she was out of sight, I ran a hand over my face. One day I'd overcome my fear of confrontation, I told myself. One day I'd have the guts to say everything I couldn't say.