Downside Up

Chapter Twenty-Four (Intoxicated - Taro Umebayashi)

After Connor had lived with us for a few weeks, we got used to him and everyone went back to their normal lives. Though Troye spent all of his time with his best friend and Sage was as active as usual, Oli seemed quite sad if not to say depressed.

She never smiled, never laughed and even Connor's company could not cheer her up. I had no idea why that was, but I wanted to help her in some way. If there was a way to do so.

Though I had no idea how I could find out about the reason for her sadness. When I talked to Sage about it, she told me, that I was probably overreacting and that Oli might be home sick. I had no idea how it would be to be separated from my family for such a long time and to be stuck with strangers in a foreign country with a weird language and a lot of slang terms no one teaches you at school.

When I tried to talk to her she brushed it off and afterward she avoided me and managed that we never shared a minute on our own. We both knew that I would not bring the topic up in front of my family members or Connor tho she kept hanging out with them. Eventually, I gave up or at least I tried, but I still wanted to help her.

In order to distract myself I called some of my friends and after a while, we decided to spend the night in a club, that allowed both – adults and underaged – in. Calum promised to convince his older brother to come along, so that he could get us some alcohol to drink the night away and soon afterward I left the house, telling my mum that I was sleeping over at Calum's. She looked worried but didn't say anything and I didn't want to talk to her about it.

When I arrived at my friend's house Calum greeted me with a wide smile and opened arms.

"There you are", he laughed, "I was worried that you weren't going to come!" I smiled and shook my head.

"How could I resist coming over when there is such a great offer?"

Calum grinned widely. "True."

"So", I looked around suspiciously, "is he coming?" Just that second Calum's brother walked around the corner and we were ready to go.

It was a lovely evening and the sun colored the sky in the prettiest shades of pink and purple ...

Then there was a cut. Black void whenever I try to remember what had happened afterward. Until today I have no clue.

Next thing I remember is being at Calum's. Staying for what must have been a day. Regaining my senses. And then ... the usual. School, home and the same old face that occupied my dreams.

A/N: First of all - sorry that it took me so long to update! I momentarily forgot about the story and whenever I came back to it I knew I had to write this chapter and there was absolutely no inspiration left. Still, it is the shortest one I've ever written and I apologize for that, too. Just bare with me for a second - the upcoming five or six chapters have been ready for over a year and were just waiting to be published so I couldn't stand the idea of keeping them for myself just because this chapter had to happen any longer. 

Hope you like it. Maybe you could leave a comment? It would make my day! Lol! (In the original meaning) ... Bye.