16 Days {c.h.}

-sixteen-

Day 16

“Morning Cal.” I greeted as I walked into the kitchen, dodging sleeping bodies littering my floor before I wrapped my arms around my waist.

“Morning Bella.” He weakly smiled, unusually tense for some reason.

“You okay?” I asked, lightly squeezing his bicep as he gradually relaxed.

“Yeah, just a little on edge today.” He responded before taking a small bite from his bowl of cereal.

“Can I borrow a pencil and some paper?” I asked, an idea coming to mind.

“Um… Y-Yeah, sure. I’ll be right back.” Calum mumbled, leaving the room and coming back with a piece of paper and pen in hand.

“Thanks.” I smiled appreciatively. I quickly scribbled out a list and folded the paper once I had finished my creation.

“Morning Bella.” Aubrey smiled, taking a seat next to me at the table before glancing at the folded paper on the table. “What’s that?”

“The old Bella.” I smiled as I realized what I was doing.

Aubrey shot me a confused look before it was replaced with one of understanding as she let out a quiet oh.

“You going to burn it?” She asked, jerking her head to the tiny paper.

“Yeah,” I frowned, “but I’ll need your help.”

“What do you need?” She inquired, leaning closer as her volume dropped.

“Number one, I’ll need a lighter. And number two, for you to distract Calum.” I quickly explained my logic to the brunette, “He’s been really worried today and I can’t leave without him freaking out.”

“If you leave without telling him he’ll freak out even more.” She pointed out.

“I need to do this alone. If he does freak out he’ll know where to find me.”

“Alright.” Aubrey nodded, understanding it was something I needed to do.

“So,” I grinned, “any idea where I can find a lighter?”

-|-|-

“Is Plan A ready to go?” I whisper-asked Aubrey as we took our designated spots next to the stove.

“Yep, it’s a go.” She replied, shooting me a subtle thumbs up so as not to attract anyone else’s attention.

“If anyone asks I went to go pick something up from my house.” I checked once more.

“I know, I know. Now go, you have the lighter, right?” I quickly hold it out for her to see before sliding it in my pocket just as fast.

“Thanks so much for this, Aubs, I owe you way more than one.” I graciously thanked her before turning on my heel and leaving the house.

It didn’t take very long to make it to the place I wasn’t sure when, or if, I would visit again. I chose not to sit close to the edge, instead sitting on a rock a few feet away, one of the rocks Oliver and I would climb when we were little. I mentally reminded myself to visit him soon, as I hadn’t been able to for the past few months.

I pulled the lighter out of my pocket, flicking it and watching as the little flame would appear and be extinguished every time I moved my thumb away. It had been a long time since I last touched a lighter, my early teenage obsession with fire fueling the small collection I had began, but never continued.

I sat the lighter next to me on the stone, pulling out the folded piece of paper and unraveling it, reading the words one more time. I had just brought the lighter to the bottom of the paper as my feet travelled closer to the edge, close enough where I was a safe distance away but not close enough to end up in the rough waters below.