4th July 2015
20 days later
3:47am. Noelle was sat on the floor of her bathroom. She couldn't stop crying. Her brother was on a business trip and she was left in the house alone. The grief from the loss of her father and the pain from missing Calum felt like it all formed into an impalpable ball that surged through her. Whatever the pain was it didn't stick to one place in her body. It seemed to trace through her veins and her bones and she was exhausted. Everything was coming back, like a wall that had been assembled brick by brick and with each brick there was a bigger emotional strain.
She gabbed her phone and without really realising, she called Calum.
"Calum," Noelle said in a weak voice down the phone.
"Noelle?" His voice calmed her a little and was a relief to hear. "Noelle?" He repeated concernedly.
"I feel like I'm not part of your life anymore," She admitted shakily. She gnawed on her bottom lip to try and stop herself from sobbing.
"You are. Please don't think that!" He pleaded. It seemed that he had already figured out that Noelle was in a bad place.
"I-I know it hasn't even been that long but I can't do it anymore," She stammered.
"Noelle, I love you," He said in a soft tone.
"Does that even mean anything? Is it enough?" The words slipped out of her mouth, but she didn't take them back.
"Of course it means something! I love you. I fucking adore you and I'm so so sorry that I haven't been there for you. I've been selfish. I haven't made time for you..I'm coming to see you. I'll get on the next flight."
Noelle sat up, hoping that Calum was genuine.
"Really?"
"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."
The idea of seeing Calum changed her mood slightly and gave her the motivation to scramble to her feet and pull herself together. She did honestly feel like she was growing apart from Calum and it seemed like there was nothing she could do about.
-
"What happened to 'I don't cry'?" Sam mocked Noelle, passing her a handful of tissues.
"Shut up," Noelle sniffled.
"I was going to go a party but instead you have to have a breakdown. Now I'm stuck here at 11pm," Sam complained, folding her arms over her chest indignantly.
"Calum is coming here in a few hours," She told her friend.
"YOU'RE JOKING!"
"Well he might have been lying."
"Can I stay here and meet him?"
"If you want to but we–"
"Oh you're gonna fuck?"
"No!"
"Don't lie."
It had been 20 days since she saw Calum. For most people, it wouldn't seem like a long period of time, but for her it felt like a lifetime.
calum
After a tedious, twenty two hour flight, Calum landed in London. He rushed out of the airport and practically flung himself into a taxi.
The journey to her house felt like hours when it was only ten minutes. He hadn't comprehended how much he craved her touch or how much he wanted to see her.
He paid the driver, got out off the taxi and ran up to the door. He was going to see her. She was behind this door.
After a few seconds of realisation, he took a deep breath and knocked.
