The Hawthorne Effect (BoyXBoy)

Chapter 26: The Proposal.

well HELLO.
is it too late to apologise for my absence? lmao
Honestly, y'all, I am beyond fucking sorry that I just took an unannounced break. I put something up on my profile wall thingy about the break a few days ago, but I don't think it went through.
Basically, in it, I apologised for leaving and letting people down. I also explained that I left because I needed time to recover from a very gross two years of Sixth Form and gross exams.

The break has put me into a GREAT mindset and I'm so ready to start uploading again. I can't promise regularity, but I promise that I'll always be trying my best to get chapters up as often as my mind will allow me to.

I can't even put into words how sorry I am.

BUT I AM HERE NOW YALL AND IM READY TO CONTINUE WITH THIS BOOK!

As always, PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY TYPOS - y'all know I literally can't proof read for SHIT.

HOPE YOU ENJOY! ♡

//

As I lay in my bed alone for the first time this week, I almost have to laugh at myself. Mostly because I feel like if I don't laugh, I'll burst into tears.

It's late.

Like, really late.

The last time I glanced over at my clock it said it was 1AM, but I haven't checked it in a while - mainly because the clock is close to my light box which still has the words "I'll miss you" on it, left by a certain boy a few days ago. And, right now, I need to stay clear of any reminders of him to keep my sanity.

I know things between Charlie and I are probably over now, and, don't get me wrong, I'm not okay with that, but I'm hardly breaking out the booze to deal with it. I think because today's been so crazy and unpredictable that my mind hasn't caught up with me yet. But, no doubt, when it does, it'll all come crashing down mercilessly.

So I've been trying to delay the inevitable crash of reality but keeping myself busy. When I got home after taking the early bus - which was literally full to the brim of younger years who had yet to befriend the miracle of deodorant - the first thing I did was pack up Charlie's things.

I was fully anticipating him to arrive at some point and ask to get them, so, if that did happen, I wanted to be able to make the exchange as quick and as painless as possible. So, I collected all his stuff, washed, tumble dried and ironed his clothes, before packing his bags and putting them by the door. That way, if he arrived, I could shove it in his face and slam the door shut.

He never came, though.

Why? I don't know.

I mean, he has everything here, really. His phone charger, his laptop, his iPod, most of his clothes, his toiletries etc. He's almost moved in.

When it got to 11PM, I sort of assumed that he wasn't going to collect anything until the morning. It's Saturday night, he's probably out drinking with his entourage to forget about Tamara or something. So, when I realised that he probably wasn't going to come until, at least, the morning, I decided it would be safe to sleep in one of his hoodies. Which sounds odd and little creepy, I know, but I can explain.

It's actually the only hoodie he ever brought with him when he would go back home daily just to pack a bag and come back to mine. It's intentionally huge, him and I both have a thing for oversized, comforting clothing, apparently. I found it after I had finished all the washing and the ironing and had packed his bags. I was, initially, annoyed at the fact that I had only just found it and would probably have to wash it in the morning now, but it served as a reminder of him and our week together - so I kept it out.