Sugar, Baby?

take care

(a/n: sorry for the wait! Also, is it just me, or do pesy give big couple vibes in this photo?🤔)

---

Jade calls me three days later. I booked a commercial flight back to London as soon as I could scrape myself up off the floor.

     I just took what I had on me and left.

     "Jade, listen-"

     "I'm coming to see you." She says resolutely. "Where are you?"

     "In London," I say. "I'm going back to Shields in the morning."

     "Send me the address."

     "Jade, I'm not sure that's-"

     "Send me the address, Perrie," She says, and then she hangs up.

     I think about not sending it. Out of fear, or anger, or a lack of respect of boundaries. But then I realize that Jade could probably have me tracked if she wanted to, and giving her my information will just save time in the long run.

     I'm still slouched over in my shitty beanbag chair when Jade knocks on my front door.

     "It's open," I call weakly, staring mindlessly at the telly like I have been for the last three days.

     "Do you always watch TV with the sound off?" Jade asks.

     "Huh?" I question. "Oh. I guess I just didn't notice."

     I turn the tv off completely then.

     Jade just stares at me for a moment, and before either of us can say anything, I start crying.

     She crawls onto the beanbag and hugs me tight to her, and I completely break down.

     "It's okay, Perrie," she soothes, softer than I expected her to be. "Let it out."

     ---

     Jade tries her best to comfort me until I doze into a fitful sleep. I'm roused an indeterminate amount of time later by quiet talking, and it takes me a minute to reorient myself.

     "-a mess," Jade says, though to whom I'm not sure.

     "Make sure she eats something," I hear her say, her voice unmistakable even through the tinniness of the phone speaker. "She forgets to eat sometimes when she's really stressed, and- just make sure she eats, please, Jade."

     "I'll make sure she's taken care of, Jes. Is anyone taking care of you?" Jade asks, clearly concerned. I don't mean to eavesdrop, but I'm too curious about the answer to let Jade know I'm awake.

     "I'm okay, Jade," she sighs, and all of us know she's lying.

     Surprisingly enough, Jade doesn't call her on it.

     "Alright. Are you in Spain?"

     Spain?

She's supposed to be in England until next week.

     "Italy, actually. I made a change at the airport," she says, and I want to ask what's going on even though I have no right to know.

     "I prefer Italy this time of year, anyway," Jade says casually. "Are you going to be good to go by the end of the week?"

     "I have to be," Jesy says with a humourless laugh. "So, I will be."

     "Jes-" Jade starts.