Parallels | Dylan O'Brien

14 - It's Not That Simple

Los Angeles 

-Lydia Moon-

My eyes flutter open. For a second, I have no idea where I am, but when I notice the TV still on, I realize I'm not home. Not in New York. That's when it all comes back to me. What Dylan has told me and how he's told me. How could he lie to me? How could something like this happen to me? I need to get back home. To New York. Where I have my friends and my parents, even though they were awful to me. Something in me misses the hits and pushes and shoves I get from my stepdad. I just need to make sure I stay out of the way. Right now, the thing is that I don't know if there's a home in New York I can go to. I just need to get away. From Dylan. From this lying, busy boy. He probably won't even notice I'm gone. So, with that in mind, I get up from the sofa, careful so I don't wake him. I grab my shoes and purse and get out of his apartment. The second the cold night breeze hits my bare legs, I realize I have a problem. Dylan drove his car yesterday. Also, I don't know where my place is, really. Cursing to myself, I grab my phone and ring Justin. I hope he's awake at this ungodly hour. The clock on my phone reads 05:44 am.
"Hello?" I hear his raspy voice. I explain to him that I had fallen asleep at Dylan's, but that I wanted to get home but didn't know how as I didn't know where I was, the whole concussion-thing again. He told me to stay put and that he'd come and get me, and for that, I was thankful. I can't believe I let that guy go. Well, I let him go in my universe. In this one, he isn't much of an asshole. If I ain't got nothing I had in the other universe, at least I have him. He makes me feel at home, at ease. That's everything I need right now.
Soon, his car pulls over in front of me, but just to be sure it's him, I peer into the window. His grey eyes stare at me, his lips curl up into a smile. With a relieved smile, I open the car door and get in. The familiar scent of his cologne hit my nostrils and it hits hard. It makes me miss home. Real home. New-York-in-the-other-universe-home.
"Are you alright?" Justin asks softly, his hand finding his way towards my bare thigh.
"Yeah," I sniff and notice the tears rolling down my cheeks, "I'm fine," I lie. Of course I lie. I can't tell Justin I'm not actually his best friend. That I'm from a completely different universe where he was my asshole boyfriend who broke up with me via text while we were at the same party.
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" he asks, worry filling his voice.
"No, no," I reply quickly. I don't think Dylan would hurt a fly. "I just... Missed my own bed," my voice trembles when I say that. I do miss my own bed. Normally, I'd never get homesick. I could easily go on summer camp or on vacation without my parents and I wouldn't miss one bit of home. Now I do. Maybe it's because I don't know where I am or who I am. I don't have the familiar people around me or the safe space I call home. Or Julia and Skyler.
Justin stops in front of our apartment and we both get out. Neither one of us saying anything. I think he knows I'm not okay, and I appreciate him not talking or asking about it. I don't think I could stop my tears if he did.
"Are you going to be okay?" Justin asks with a small smile. I think about it for a while. Would it be weird to ask him to sleep with me? "We always cuddle when one of us has a bad day," he reassures me as if he can read my mind. Right, concussion.
"Yes, please," I sigh, making him chuckle a little.
"All right, let's get to bed," I nod and follow him into my bedroom. We both strip as if it's the most normal thing to do and get in our pajamas. Well, I do. He just keeps his boxers on. And like that, we both crawl into bed. He lies on his back, his arms around my body as my head rests upon his chest. His fingers trace figures on my skin and it soothes me a bit, soon causing me to fall asleep again.

When I wake up again, the sun shines through the window. Neither of us had bothered to shut the curtains this morning. I turn onto my back, my arm plopping down onto an empty bed. Justin had left. Cold shivers run down my spine, suddenly feeling a lot colder. A lot lonelier. With a deep sigh, I get up and go to find Justin in the kitchen or the living room, but instead, I find a post-it on the wall to the kitchen.