Don't Go. (EDITING)

Chapter 23

 "Camille? Is that you?" Mom calls.

"Yes Mom." I say. My feet drag on the floor as I walk from the front door to the living room. Mom stands in the living room, still in her funeral clothes. When she sees me, she gives me a hug.

"I'm so sorry this has happened. If you need anyone to talk to, hun, I'm here. Promise me that you'll tell me anything that is ever concerning you." She says. I nod, and she squeezes her arms around me again. "The funeral was beautiful, wasn't it. I couldn't find you, there were so many people."

"Yeah." I respond.

"That boy that drove you to school... Jett? Him and his brother were there. What's the other kid's name again? Oh yeah, Jax. Jax looked really upset." says Mom. I nod, and shuffle away before she can tell me to stay and chat. I climb the steps to my bedroom. My phone buzzes in my pocket as I reach my futon in front of my large window. I bring my phone up to my ear.

"Hello?" I ask into the speaker.

"Camille," My name comes out in a breathy sigh, a sigh of urgency. "Hey, I just wanted... I wanted to call."

"What is it Lorne?" I ask, plopping down into my off-white futon.

I laugh softly as his soft, innocent voice reaches my ear, "I wanted to call you, to say I love you."

"I love you too, Lorne." I respond. My stomach warms as I think of him, perhaps sitting in his bed, looking at the ceiling, his phone to his ear like me.

"But that's not... w-what I wanted to tell you."

"Well," my stomach drops and the edges of my mouth droop, "what is it?"

"My mom is forcing me to move to California. To be with family."

I don't know what to say. My jaw falls open, and I feel my heart drop into my stomach. "I-I don't understand."

"I'm sorry Camille. I wish I could do this in person, but I'm already on the road."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" I murmur.

"I didn't know until just now. I called you right away." Lorne states. I feel my eyes fill with salty tears as I crumble on the off-white cushions. My fist raises to my mouth, my teeth pressing against my skin.

I manage to sputter out, "W-hy?"

"Because... because my mom is making me."

"That sucks," I gasp out.

"Yeah, it sucks. I sucks really bad," I hear a sob rise in Lorne's throat. I don't even bother to try to swallow the lump stuck in my own throat. A tear bursts from my eyes, and spills onto my cheek. That one tear is like a trigger, that pushes more tears onto my face as I sit silently.

I can hear him breath, and I can hear myself breath, and I can hear my heart beat sluggishly in my chest.

"When can I see you?" I whisper.

Lorne's response makes what little hope I still have after the last couple of minutes, dissolve. He mutters, "I don't know."

I don't know what to say. Everything I thought was stable in my life, was being shaken. I might never get to see Lorne again. I'll never get to smell his sweet scent again. I'll never get to press my lips against his. I'll never get to envelop myself in his arms.

"Oh," I whisper. "So, are we..." My body shivers.

"Maybe if we... meet up later in life, we can try again." Lorne says. I want to cry out. To scream. I feel as if my heart is being ripped out slowly.

"I love you." I say. My voice is louder than our previous whispers. "I always will." I choke out. Again, my voice is abrupt and sudden.

"I love you too," Lorne says, voice like honey. "Goodbye Camellia." He whispers.

"Bye-e." I gulp.

There's a few seconds of silence before a beep makes my empty soul jump in surprise. I pull my phone from my ear and look down at it. Lorne's profile picture flashes, telling me he hung up. The picture is his face. His eyes are closed, and his mouth open in laughter. The image makes the hole where my heart used to be ache.