Extraordinary

Chapter 43: Another Gone

Chapter 43: Another Gone

“Lola?” The voice that came through my phone when I answered wasn’t Louis’, it was Pat’s. Both relief and disappointment flooded through me. I was still waiting for Louis to call, him not calling was really starting to worry me.  

“Pat? Hey, you okay?” I immediately ask, letting out a small sigh of relief.  I thought he was completely avoiding me because of the last incident between us.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Can we meet up somewhere? I have to tell you something important,” He asks with a shaky voice.

“Sure, same place as usual? I haven’t had my cup of coffee for the day yet,” I say.  

“I’ll see you there Lola,” He hangs up without even a small chuckle and a goodbye. This must be serious, he always finds a way to joke about my coffee addiction. 

“Pat called you?” Chloe asks, looking up from the telly. I nod.

“Yeah, and uh, I think I better go talk to him,” I say urgently, already walking out the door and leaving Chloe behind in my flat.

************************

“Pat?” I say as I walk up to him, who’s waiting by our usual table outside the coffee shop with two small cups of coffee gripped tightly in his hands. He gives me a small smile and holds out one of the cups of coffee for me. I take it and set it on the table, looking back up at him.

“Hey, um, I—“ I don’t let him talk and let my apologies spill out.  

“I’m so sorry Pat,” I say. “I’m so so so so so so sorry that you had to find out about Louis and I that way, I swear I was going to tell you,”

“I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have barged into your flat like that,” He admits. “As close as we are, it was rude and I was—interrupting,” I try not to smile at the last part and continue with the apologies.

“I’m sorry for Louis’ sake too, trust me he can be a complete arse sometimes,” Pat doesn’t respond to that, so I quickly change the subject.   

“When you were there,” I start. “You said something about being gone, is that what this is about?” I ask. He sighs and nods.

“Sit,” he gestures. I sit down in the hard chair across from Pat and sip my coffee reluctantly.

“I came to your flat to tell you,” He swallows. “That the league is traveling out of the country,” I only take a moment to take in this information. Another best friend, gone just like that for a long period of time. Great.   

“For how long?” I ask immediately.

“Three months, and it’s to South America and Australia,” He answers. Three months, not six. I could handle three with my best friend gone.  But he would be pretty far away. I didn’t even know where Louis was going for his tour.  

“You could’ve just told me at the flat you know, I can take anything,” I say. He laughs and smiles.

“Did you see the situation there? I couldn’t tell you like that!” He says, making me laugh.

“You had to admit it was a little funny,” He nods.

“Sure it was,” He frowns. “But seriously, are you dating him now?” I hesitate before I nod.

“Figures,” He mutters under his breath. I pretend not to hear it and move on.

“Hey,” He looks back up at me. “That changes nothing, right?” He smiles again and nods.

“Right, of course,” he shrugs it off.

“Wow,” I lean back, taking another sip. “Everyone’s leaving me!”

“Louis?” He questions.

“On tour, what do you expect from dating an international pop star who also plays football,” I sigh, looking down at the faint drops of coffee stuck on top of the lid.

“You’ve got Chloe,” He points out. I smile.

“Thanks, because she makes everything so much better,” I say sarcastically.

“Oh come on, you love Chloe. And besides, aren’t you assistant coaching now? That takes up some of your time right?” I nod.

“Not the most exciting job in the world if you ask me, but it pays the bills and gives me somewhat of a life. I’d rather be actually playing the game,” I admit to him. Of course he doesn’t respond to that.

“But hey, how’s your league doing? Give me the details?” I let him do the talking of the conversation as I listen and ask questions consistently about how his league was doing and what his teammates were like. He sounded like he was having a good time and a really good life right now. I’d miss the conversations like these with him.  I’d miss being able to call him up for coffee or anything that we would do. Oh God I don’t think I can go through another airport goodbye because apparently I get too damn emotional at those.

“So…when are you taking off?” I ask after he tapers off of his conversation. He takes a long sip of his coffee before he sets it back down at the table and tries to meet his eyes with mine before answering.

“Tomorrow,”

A.N.: DUN DUN DUN....not really. Had to expect it, but poor Lola. Gotta deal with the jest of her best friends being gone. Then again, she's a bit more worried about Louis than Pat...hmm....hope you enjoyed it! Comment, vote, you know the deal, and may the odds be ever in your favor!-CookieKrumm