LA Big Break

Chapter Twenty

Alli came out and I slumped on the floor. The tears I tried to hold back were pouring down my face now.

‘Hannah, what’s going on?’ She asked, leaning down to hug me.

‘He said he’s failed me and … and.’ I sobbed. I couldn’t finish the sentence without flooding the hotel corridor.

‘You mean, he’s dumped you?’ She said, looking into my tear filled eyes.

‘He said I deserve somebody better. B.. but it wasn’t his fault!’ I said and Alli hugged me powerfully.

‘It’s okay. I’ll talk to him. I’m sure he doesn’t mean it, he's really shaken up!’ She said before helping me up and taking me to my room.

‘Just stay here, I’ll talk to him! It’s going to be okay!’ She said. I slumped down on my bed and climbed under the covers. I made a vivid attempt to wipe my eyes but every time I did they just filled up with tears again. I don’t know whether I was crying because of Cody, because of Mel or both.

I woke up to my alarm. I must have fallen asleep.

It was 1.30am and I saw my mum frantically running around the room.

‘Hannah, get up! We’re leaving in twenty minutes!’ She said. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom. I had the quickest shower I’d ever taken in my life and threw my hair in a ponytail. I looked around for my sweatpants and hoody and threw them on. Now I have no Cody, I didn’t see the point of making myself look presentable. There was a knock at the bathroom door and I opened it. Mel was there and I fell into her arms.

‘Alli told me, it’s going to be okay!’ She reassured.

‘What if it’s not, what if he means it?’ I whaled. I walked over to my bed and pulled the covers across. Next to my pillow was the teddy I’d bought with me that Cody gave me. I held it tightly to my chest and cried into it. Mel came up next to me and hugged me. I put the teddy into my hand luggage seeing as there was no space in my case and zipped it up.

‘Han, Mel, are you ready?’ My mum asked and we both nodded. She opened the hotel door and I half expected to see Cody there but Mel told me that they were already at the airport.

‘I’ve lost him haven’t I?’ I sobbed.

‘You don’t know that! You saw how shook up he was!’ Mel said and I tried my best to keep myself together. I fell asleep on Mel in the car. Like I usually do on Cody. If Mel hadn’t shaken me I could’ve stayed there forever but I sat up and got out of the car. I didn’t want Cody to see me like this. I grabbed my case and winced a little, I’d completely forgotten about my ribs and crying probably didn’t make them any better.

We walked to security where I saw everybody waiting. Alli walked over to me but Cody stayed where he was. She hugged me and I smiled but it wasn’t a heartfelt one. I was broken on the inside.

I turned to Mel and gave her a hug. I hate goodbyes and now I would have to say goodbye to my best friend… again.

‘I love you!’ I said.

‘I love you too. Call me when you get back!’ She said, trying not to cry. I smiled at her and gave her one last hug. Cody was looking at me now and I desperately wanted to hug him. The only people in the world whose hugs I find comforting are Mel and Cody’s. And both of them were gone. I watched Mel leave the airport and gave a quiet shriek. Alli put her arm around me and we walked towards security. LA seemed a million miles away now, especially without Cody.

We made our way off of the plane and across to the terminal. Alli and I walked ahead of the others and I turned to see Cody walking on his own behind my mum and the Simpson family. He looked so miserable.

A pain went through my heart and my ribs. Heart break and rib ache. I winced a little at the pain in my side and Alli turned to me.

‘Are you okay?’ She asked. I nodded and we carried on.

There were two limos waiting for us in the car park. My mum must have picked up in my ‘wanting to talk without her-ness’ and she got in the limo with Mr and Mrs Simpson and Tom. I half expected Cody to get in but instead he walked over to us.

‘Do you mind if I take this one?’ He said, gesturing to the limo that Alli had climbed into.

‘Um, sure. I’ll get in the other one.’ I said, turning to walk to the other limo. I felt him grab my hand and pull me back.

‘No, please come in this one?’ He asked. I thought about it for a moment before getting in. Alli was asleep on the side seat and I sat opposite her. Cody sat next to me and turned to face me.

‘I’m sorry if this is hurting you, it’s killing me. But I feel so angry at myself. You screamed and it still took me forever to find you. I let go of your hand, and I was the reason they were there in the first place. I should have been more careful keeping a low profile.’ He said, choking up at the end.

‘Cody it…’

‘It was my fault. I love you too much Hannah. That’s why I can’t do it.’ He said.

There was no way that I could talk him round.

I’ve lost him.

The limo pulled up outside my house and I climbed out. I smiled the most I could at Cody without breaking down and he did the same to me. When I closed the door I heard him burst out crying and that almost crushed me. I walked towards my house and made my way upstairs. I looked at my phone and saw I had a message from Mel.

‘Ring me as soon as you get this! Xox’

I hit the call button and waited for her to reply.

‘Hannah, I found out who told the press Cody was at the hotel!!’ She shouted, I think a little louder than she expected to and she toned down.

‘Who, who was it Mel?’ I shouted in reply, ready to get angry at the person who had wrecked my relationship with the only boy I love.

‘Caleb.’