Shaforostop It (2015)

Chapter Twenty Three - Clean

There was a knock on the door, and no matter how hard I wanted to, I couldn't ignore it. My entire body ached as I struggled to walk to the front door. I'd been training and practicing my routine since 6am that morning, and had only just got home at 9pm. I opened the door slowly and almost shut it again immediately. Cameron. I hadn't seen her in almost a month. More. What does she want? And how the hell did she get this address? "Leda, wait. Don't close the door. I wanna talk to you. Not like last time." She looked strung out, tired, and had dyed her hair black. I liked it. But I wasn't about to tell her that.

"Cameron..." I sighed. "How did you get this address?"

"Ben. Again. I knew you wouldn't answer if I called you. Why the hell didn't you tell me you moved house?"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you changed your hair?" I challenged.

"That isn't the same thing."

"Denis moved, and asked me to move in with him. I said yes. Also, if you know someone won't answer your calls, it probably means stay away."

"Is he here?" Cameron ignored my last remark.

"What do you want?" I sighed and blinked slowly.

"I want my best friend back. I want to apologize and make up. I want things to be like how they used to be. I shouldn't have said all those horrible things to you, and been such a mega bitch. I'm sorry I ever hit you. I'm sorry that I screamed at you and tried to steal Denis from you. I'm sorry for all of it." I was holding in tears.

"You know everyone liked you over me. You're nicer. Funnier. Smarter. You know that I'm sorry I never gave you credit for anything. I'm sorry I've been such a shit friend." A tear slid down her cheek.

"Can we just be friends again?" I nodded yes and she hugged me so tightly. I never missed anyone like I missed Cameron. Not Kyle, not Denis, not even my parents. That's how much she meant to me. We just got each other, on every single level. I never had that with anyone else, and so easily. She was the closest thing I had to a sister, or a mother, or a weird aunt, or a grandmother. She and Kyle were my entire family. To lose her for good would be to lose half my world. I held her back tighter.

"Okay, I'm gonna pass out. I need to sit down." Cameron shut the door and I sat on the couch in the living room.

"Holy shit, this place is amazing." She looked around in awh.

"You can look around if you like." After ten minutes of wandering she returned.

"I'm so jealous. This place is straight out of a Motionless In White Video. I love it. And a gym in the basement? Denis must really love you." I smiled proudly.

"He does." We spent the rest of the night catching up until she decided she should head home. We hugged and when she left I sighed a breath in relief. I felt like a massive weight had just been lifted off my shoulders. I crawled up the stairs and into bed as my cell started to wring. It was Denis. I answered, unable to ignore it again. "Hello?"

"Leda! I miss you so much."

"Fuck, I miss you too." Even the sound of his voice was calming to me. His calls kept me sane.

"How are you?"

"You'll never believe who just knocked on the door."

"Ben told me. What happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I smiled as I rolled over in bed and cocooned myself in my down filled blanket. "we're okay. Back to normal."

"Good."