Enchanted n.h. au

Chapter Twenty

Sunlight was blinding me through the opened curtains. The groan that left my lips was far from appealing but I was sure Gypsy wouldn’t mind. Rolling over pulling the mass of sheets with me, burying my face into the mountain of pillows not feeling suffocated. My toes curled up in the bed stretching and searching for the warmth that would be her body. Nuzzling deep into the pillow I reached out for Gypsy.

Hooking my leg over the lump on the mattress I sighed. “Love you.” I grumbled feeling the saliva drip from the corners of my mouth. Wiping it off I turned my head expecting to be met with the wild mess of hair, only to see I was violently spooning a pillow. This wasn’t uncommon for me to wake up alone; Gypsy would be downstairs in the kitchen with the twins.

Inhaling deeply into the pillowed down of the bed I couldn’t smell the fresh cooking. I couldn’t smell the frying bacon. I strained my ears for the hiss of the pan or the gurgle of the coffee pot. There was an unnerving silence in the house meaning she wasn’t here. Rolling over onto her side I heard the crunch of paper. Lifting my head that was heavy with sleep I saw a neatly placed envelope with Gypsy’s chicken scratch of writing scribbled on the outside. This was her way of being romantic, I reasoned.

My fingers fumbled with early morning numbness as I opened the seal. Removing the folded paper I began to read.

Dear Niall,

By you reading this it means two things: one you’re up and two I’m gone. To address the first thing, Good Morning sweetheart, I love you.  I haven’t fixed breakfast yet- hopefully you and the twins can do that. The reasoning for my not fixing anything is reason two. I’m gone. I’m not sorry. I know I should be, but I need to know Ni. I’ve spent all my life in not knowing how she turned out. I’ve seen how Dad’s turned out so now I need to see how Mum’s doing. This doesn’t change how I feel about you in the slightest. Don’t take this personal, please.

I’m with Harry right now-which is why I’ve been spending so much time with Jade. Don’t worry about me with him. I know right now you’re freaking out and about to rip the paper in half, don’t.

At this point I felt a hot clench in the back of my throat. I get she needed to know. I get she wanted it, but it’s what’s best for her to not see her mum. My fingers shook as the hot tears trickled down my face. Nonetheless, I continued to read.

We shouldn’t be gone long, okay? I left this picture of us. I think you look good in it. I love you and tell the twins I love them too. I hope I haven’t ruined this for us. I know we’ll have to talk about a lot when we get back. I hope you understand.

Gypsy

Kicking the covers back I started down the stairs my blood boiling at the curly haired boy I called my friend. I tripped over the bottom stairs waking the two red heads on my couch. Both grumbled asking why I was up.

“Gypsy.” I choked. “Is gone.” I finished regaining my balance. Both shot up with wide eyes.

“What?”

“Why?” they asked at the same time.

“Could you two stop that, just for one second?” I pleaded throwing the envelope down onto my rug.

“Sorry.” They replied in unison before realizing what they had done.

I turned with a growling gaze to Alex. Reaching out I curled my fingers around the collar of his t shirt. “You don’t anything about this do you?”

“No!” he shouted back rising to his full height but he wasn’t that much taller than me, but it was enough to cause me to back off.

“What about you?” I hissed turning to Andrew pushing him back against the wall.

“Of course not! Why the hell would I approve of what is most likely to go see her mum?” he grunted shaking his unruly hair.

“I don’t know, you’re close to her!” I felt the beginnings of a sob working its way up. Lowering myself to the couch, I stomped on the folded sheet of paper.  

Digging my nails into my head I tugged deep at the roots of my hair. Alex slumped down on the other side while Andrew crossed to the window pulling the blinds. The sun light shown through making another bruise on the inside of my heart, today was the day we were supposed to go on that picnic date together.

“What did it say?” He huffed his hands resting on his hips.

“Just look at it yourself.” I cried throwing it at him not even concerning if it he’d get a paper cut. Retreating back to my room I clutched the photo even tighter knowing that it’s probably leaving a crease.

Diving onto the bed like it was jumping off a cliff I cowered back into a cave of covers. Trying to suppress the anger that swarmed inside me and trying to compose myself enough to call her and talk like a civil human being was difficult. I knew that I was acting like some hormonal teenage girl, but I didn’t care, not in the slightest. My thoughts swarmed together with my emotions which is never a safe mix.

 It was then that I realized that she left. Gypsy left me with just a photograph and I didn’t know when or if she’d even come back.