Loved & Loyal | 1

xxiii

Call From Loser<3

I looked down at my phone in surprise. Why was she calling?

I slide my thumb across the screen, accepting the call.

"Abby, babe, what's wrong?"

I heard muffled whimpering through the speaker and jumped off my bed.

"What's wrong, Abbigail?" I asked again, my voice urgent.

"I talk-ked to Mo-om and she s-said th-that..." I heard Abby break down over the phone. I ran to my window and pulled it open.

"Abby, honey, can you open your window for me. I'm coming over." I used to do this when we were younger and had a more strict curfew. We would be "sent to bed" and I would climb out my window and then back through Abby's so we could play or talk for a few more hours.

I saw Abby pull back her curtains and slide the window open. We both still had our phones held to our ears.

"Abby, I'm going to hang up now, OK? I need both hands to climb." I wasn't sure if I was talking to her at the window or through the phone but she still heard me anyway. She nodded and whispered a quiet, "OK."

I pressed the red circle, disconnecting our call and then slid my phone in to the back pocket of my black sweats.

It took me a total of 26 seconds to go from my room to hers through the window. I had done it so many times I knew exactly where to place my hands and feet.

As soon as I was through her window I wrapped her in a hug and brought her to sit on her bed. She balled into my shoulder, soaking my red t-shirt.

"Shhh, baby girl, everything will be OK," I whispered in her ear.

When she had quieted down a couple minutes later I asked, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

She brought her head away from my shoulder and looked up at me with red, puffy eyes and a splotchy face. She nodded slightly and I pulled her into my lap so she was sitting across my body. She rested the side of her head on my shoulder again and began to speak.

"I talked to Mom like you said I should. She told me that her and Dad aren't getting divorced but they will be taking some time apart. Dad's moving some of his stuff to a co-workers house. Male co-worker." She added the last piece of information with a bitter tone.

"It's OK. They'll work it out. I see how they look at each other. It's like how my dad looks at my mom and how..." I trailed off, suddenly conscious of what I was saying.

"And how, what?" And how I look at you.

"Nothing. Just another example. But you get the point right?" I asked gently.

She sighed like the weight of the world was lifted from her shoulders.

"Yeah, I understand. I'm just scared they won't work it out. What'll happen then? Will they make me move away from you?" She looked up at me with scared eyes as big as dinner plates.

"No, they wouldn't do that. They know how much we mean to each other. They wouldn't separate us," I said with force, trying to convince myself as much as her.

I looked at her with a sad, small smile. "I bet they'll be back together before the Greek trip." Abby returned my smile only smaller and nodded.

"Can you stay with me tonight?"

"Yeah, of course, sweetheart." I took my phone out of my pocket and plugged it in to one of Abs' spare chargers. I set an alarm for 9:00am so we would have time to get ready for shopping at the mall. Mostly time for her though.

I crawled on to my side of the bed, pulling the covers out from their tuck under the mattress. Abby got in beside me and wiggled closer, pressing her body against mine to share body heat. I remember I still had my clothes on so before we got too comfortable, I got up and stripped off my shirt and pants, leaving me standing in my black boxers. It was what I usually wore to bed.

Abby was already in sleep shorts and one of my old t-shirts so I climbed back in to bed and pulled the blanket back up around us.

"Goodnight, Abs." I kissed her forehead while she rested her head on my bicep, facing me.

"Night, Bear." She kissed me on the cheek. "Love you."

She drifted off to sleep before I could even say that I loved her back, so instead, I waited until her body had completely relaxed and her breathing had been slower for two full minutes before whispering to the dark.

"I love you, Abby Wesley. More than just a friend. I love you like Harry loves Ginny and Ron loves Hermione. I love you like my mom loves my dad and your dad loves your mom. Most importantly though, I love you like Romeo loved Juliet and Noah loved Allie." I gave her a last kiss in her hair before giving myself in to sleep.