Becoming a YouTuber?!

Chapter 21: Shattering heartbreak

It felt good to be home in old London after the hectic and jam-packed days at Vidcon. It almost felt as a dream and we hadn't really gone but rather just been asleep for five days. But obviously, life had moved on at home and not entirely in a good direction.

I was sitting at my desk in my nook crafting up a blog post and sipping my tall glass of water when my phone started ringing. Only a couple of people ever called me, namely Emma, Nate or my parents, as everyone else usually just sent me a text – that was unless it was an emergency.

So when I saw Kristina's name flashing on my incoming call, I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I was happy to have reconnected with her back in 2014 but over the last year's time, we had drifted apart a bit again as I was so busy with my YouTube whirlwind and she was so busy at the hospital. Nevertheless, I still valued and loved her and occasionally, we caught up and checked in with each other.

But she never called me out of the blue.

"Hello?" I answered the phone and couldn't stop my voice from sounding a bit fragile.

On the other end of the line, it was just sobs. Devastating sobs of someone who was clearly deeply hurting.

"Kristina," I cooed, trying to get her to calm down.

I wasn't the best with crying, as I would sympathise too much with the person that I often teared up myself. Nate always teased me for being a sensitive soul.

"Kristina," I said her name again. "Take a deep breath for me, please."

I heard her struggle but finally she heaved a breath and I could make out a bit more what she had been attempting to say between sobs.

"Didn't... know... who... call..." she hulked.

"Hey, it's okay," I said and got up from my desk. Standing made me feel more in control, even though it didn't really make sense. "You know you can always call me."

I was getting worried. I didn't think I would be someone Kristina turned to in a case of emergency but I truly didn't mind. I felt doubt creeping up whether I could offer much help but I was determined to do my best.

Nate emerged from his office and raised his arms in a questioning manner.

"Kristina. Crying," I mouthed to him, removing my mouth a bit from my phone.

He nodded but looked just as worried as I felt.

"Abbey, it's Peter..." she sobbed on.

Fear hit my stomach. Peter was her fiancé. Did something terrible happen to him? I felt cold chills run down my back. I had only met the guy a couple of times but he had seemed nice and I knew how much Kristina loved him.

"It's over..."

Over... I thought and then it dawned on me. Their relationship was over or maybe just the engagement? Wasn't that the same thing?

"Kristina, remember to breathe. Do you want me to come to Reading to see you?" I asked, clutching onto the phone.

Travelling by train by myself wasn't on my hit list but of course I would do it for a friend in need.

"No," she said and it was more of a shriek than a word.

"Okay," I said and ran the options through my head. "Do you want to come to mine?"

"Yeah," she said.

"Okay, are you at home?"

"Yeah..."