“Liam got wasted the other night and he punched me, so I punched him. Then we hugged.” - Harry Styles.

Aaron's fingers frustratedly pressed at the buttons of his iPhone for what seemed like the fifth time in the past hour and a half, putting the earpiece up to his ear. It rang and rang and rang but, once again, rolled to Kayleigh's voicemail.
 
Hi, this is Kayleigh! Sorry I couldn't get to you, but leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks!
 
"Kayleigh, Aaron...again. Look, I don't know where you are, but I've been waiting at John's for about an hour and a half for you...if you're standing me up, just let me know, I guess? Okay. Well. I'm going to get my pizza to go and talk to you later...bye," he said sadly, hanging up the phone and slipping it back into his pocket. He called his waitress over and asked for a to go box and his check. She brought it back within moments and he left a $20 bill in the pocket of the book. After boxing up his pizza, he left John's Pizzeria with a frown. There was an insane amount of traffic outside, so he skipped a taxi and began to walk towards his hotel.
 
It was unusual of Kayleigh to not meet him for lunch. She was hardly ever late; she hated when people weren't punctual. However, this time, she wasn't just late: she was a no-show. In the back of his mind, Aaron couldn't help but worry that something had happened to her. That was the only explanation, right?
 
He took his phone from his pocket and looked at the blank screen. His background was a picture of Kayleigh he'd taken only a week before, but he found himself wishing that her face was covered up by a navy blue text notification. He just wanted to hear from her.
 
Up ahead, there were flashing blue and red lights. People gathered around the street, whispering to each other in hushed tones. Aaron looked up from the screen of his phone and craned his neck to see what was going on. An ambulance blocked his view and various lights blinded him, but he was determined to find out what had happened. He heard two women speaking near him and went to interrupt their conversation.
 
"Excuse me, ladies, I don't mean to interrupt, but what's going on here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the hectic scene. Paramedics were huddled around someone on the ground, fighting to keep him or her alive.
 
One of the women turned to Aaron, happy to tell him what was happening. "Some poor girl got hit by a car! She was crossing the street and bam; a taxi ran her clean over. She's still alive but she's hurt pretty badly," she said, motioning to where the crowd of medics was. Aaron shook his head in disbelief.
 
"That's terrible..." he murmured, walking to the other side of the pair and trying to see the girl. All he saw was matted blonde hair on the pavement.
 
"Yeah, that poor little Kayleigh."
 
The sound of her name got Aaron's attention immediately. He turned around to face the first woman urgently. "Who?"
 
"Kayleigh! That's what the girl told the medics her name was before she passed out. They've been shouting it at her since, trying to get her to respond, but she's out cold."
 
Aaron shook his head again. No, that wasn't his Kayleigh; it couldn't be. She had just gotten sick and overslept! She was standing him up! She wasn't hurt. He pushed his way through the crowd, going to get a firsthand look at the girl. Sure enough, it was his Kayleigh.
 
She lay motionless on the ground, hair splayed out around her head. Her eyes were closed and her face relaxed. A stretcher was being wheeled over to where she was as portable machines were hooked up to her and oxygen was pumped into her lungs through a mask. He shouted her name, getting the attention of an attending paramedic.
 
"Sir, do you know this girl?"
 
"She's m-my girlfriend!" he said frantically, weaving through the crowd until he was behind the ambulance. A paramedic extended his hand to Aaron, who greedily took it and climbed into the back of the emergency vehicle. He tried to grab Kayleigh's hand but found her blocked on all sides. Scratches covered her face and Aaron wished she'd simply stood him up.
 
The medics spoke frantically to one another and machines beeped around them. The walls of the ambulance were flashing every color known to man, and Aaron simply tried to process what was happening. He knew the vehicle was moving at least 85 miles per hour, but it still felt too slow. Why weren't they at the hospital yet? Why wasn't Kayleigh awake and talking to him yet? Usually he could fix her problems with a kiss and Broadway mug full of wine, but not this time. He didn't know what to do, and that scared him.
 
When they reached the hospital, Aaron was nearly shoved out of the ambulance. He tried to keep up with Kayleigh's stretcher as it was wheeled quickly down the slick floors of the stark white hospital, but found himself getting left behind. It disappeared behind a pair of double doors and he was stopped by the arm of a doctor. He strained to watch it as a new team of strangers took Kayleigh down a separate hallway and out of his sight. His brain was on overdrive as he was steered to a chair in the waiting room and sat down forcefully, as he was seemingly unable to do so himself.
 
He tapped his fingers nervously on the wooden arms of the chair, his foot twitching nervously. Others had come and gone in the past few hours, but Aaron had remained. There had been no word on Kayleigh and he was determined to stay awake until there was. His mind begged him to rest, but he ignored it. He wouldn't give up.
 
"Is there someone here for a...Kayleigh?"
 
Aaron perked up at the sound of her name, getting to his feet immediately. He met the doctor halfway, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, that's me. I'm her bo--her husband. Aaron Tveit."
 
The doctor raised a suspicious eyebrow, but accepted Aaron's answer. "She's a little banged up, but she's okay. We're going to keep her overnight just to be safe, but she should be able to go home with you tomorrow. Visiting hours are almost over, but if you wanted to see her she's in room 13 an--"
 
Aaron walked away from the doctor, no longer interested in what he had to say. He knew she was okay and what room she was in, and that's all he needed. He burst through the double doors and broke into a sprint, looking closely at the room numbers as he passed. 10...11...12...13!
 
Her room was open. He went inside and cringed at the bleakness of the small cubicle like space. There was a bathroom off the side and a small bedside table by the bed that was nestled into the corner. One lone chair sat across the room from the cot, but was close enough that the person sitting in the chair could reach out and grab the person's hand in the bed. The only color in the room was a lone rose resting in a white vase on the side table. The petals were already falling off and become black around the edges.
 
"Aaron?"
 
Aaron quickly stopped focusing on the sad looking room and instead brought his eyes to Kayleigh, who he believed to be sleeping. Her bright blue eyes looked tired and were surrounded in scratches. The left one already had a dark purple bruise forming around it. Most of her body was covered by a cheap hospital blanket and Aaron dreaded to see what other parts of her were hurt.
 
"Yeah? You okay, sugar?"
 
Kayleigh's heart soared at the sound of her favorite nickname. "I'm...sorry I didn't make it to lunch," she croaked out, tears clouding her eyes. Aaron chuckled and went to sit on the side of her bed. He took her hand in his, brought it to his lips, and gave it a soft kiss.
 
"Babe, I'm just glad you're going to make it to tomorrow. How are you feeling?"
 
"Like I just got hit by a taxi."
 
"Oh, ha ha, Kayles. Very funny."
 
Kayleigh's eyes shone happily and she laughed lightly at her own joke. Aaron's smile completely overtook his face and he gave Kayleigh's hand a tight squeeze. "I'm so happy you're okay, Kayleigh," he said softly, smiling the smile that would make any girl's heart melt. Kayleigh took a shaky breath in and steadily tried to exhale.
 
"Me too, Aaron."
 
"Excuse me, Mr. Tveit? You'll have plenty of time to visit with your wife tomorrow, but she needs her rest now." A nurse popped her head into the room with a polite smile. Kayleigh looked up at Aaron with a smirk as a dark red blush crept over his cheeks.
 
"Your wife, huh?" she joked, raising her eyebrows. Aaron stood up, his face pink with embarrassment. He ran a hand through his hair and put the other in his pocket, walking towards the door.
 
"You heard her...you need your rest...Mrs. Tveit," he smiled smugly. After giving Kayleigh a quick wink, he bowed out of her room and she listened to his footsteps echo down the hallway.
 
How did anyone expect her to sleep after that?

primadonna girl (◡‿◡✿)

calliope nicole lovett
daughter of penny lane lovett
runaway
living next door to the fletchers
 
theme song: skinny love (ed sheeran cover not available)
 
story to come!

that was NOT supposed to be sexual

my heart is nuclear
love is all that i feel

omg cheesecake factory has this cake and
i don't even know what to say about it
i'm going to go eat it now
bye<3

story to come, featuring Ella, Max, Isaac, Prudence, & Danny!

It had been a year since his world had crashed into a Parisian wall, and Max Baker had taken his sorrows to a dingy, hole in the wall bar in downtown LA. Old men sat silently at the worn wooden counter, glasses of scotch constantly being refilled and emptied. The hanging lamps, dull and scratched, attracted the cigarette smoke lurking in the air. It was unairconditioned and stiflingly hot, the polyester covering on the barstools sticky and cracking. It was usually crowded and noisy, but that night it was fairly empty and quiet; Max could hear the jazz music trilling through the small, vintage radio perched atop the liquor cabinet.

Had it not served alcohol to minors, Max would have never set foot in the place. But it did, so he was there almost every night, regardless of school.

He shoved a white Apple earbud into his ear, turning on Frick Park Market by Mac Miller. He was tired of smooth jazz.

/The name's Mac Miller...who the fuck are you?/

Max ordered another drink, tossing it back. The amber liquid slid down his throat like rubbing alcohol, burning his esophagus as it made its way to his stomach. He heard a muffled voice and turned slowly to his left. "What?" he asked.

The girl who had spoken gave him a wry smile and picked a cigarette from her small leather purse. She put it between her lips and lifted the candle in front of them to the end of it, lighting it with the small flame. She took a deep drag and spoke again: "Mac Miller. Nice choice."

Max nodded sullenly, putting his earbud back in his ear. He finished his drink and ordered another. The bartender came back and, before setting the drink down, said, "take it easy, Max."

"Bite me, Al," Max spat, chugging half the scotch. The smoking girl tapped him on the arm and he turned back to her.

She blew smoke in his face and smiled. "Max Baker. It's been a while."

This girl knew him? He took in her long, dark hair, blue eyes, and over all messy appearance. She didn't look familiar. "Do I know you?"

"Ella Sallinger, from boarding school in New York," she said, taking another drag. The smoke she exhaled floated up to the light, gathering around the dim bulb. Max waved it out of his face, coughing a little. Even though he liked to drink now, he still wasn't a fan of smoking.
 
"Ella? As in, little blonde Ella who was afraid of my motorcycle Ella?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Ella snickered and ordered a gin and tonic, plus a shot of tequila. Her cigarette continued to disappear as she sucked in once more, letting out a puff of smoke.
 
"The one and only." She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. For a moment, her old face flashed before his eyes: long blonde hair, a sweet, makeupless face dotted with freckles, and small floral print dresses every day. She looked nothing like her old self now; dark hair, tons of makeup, and monochromatic clothing. Not to mention she was smoking and drinking.
 
He took another sip of his drink, actually pacing himself now. "Well then. It's nice to see you again, Ella Sallinger. What are you doing so far away from New York?" His glass clinked as he set it back down on the countertop.
 
"I've come to live with my cousin for a while," she said, the British accent dripping off her words. "I got kicked out of school for..." she trailed off, "things that weren't school appropriate, to say the least." She chuckled and patted out her cigarette. The embers flickered in every which way, glowing bright orange before burning out.
 
"Your cousin, eh? Think I know him?" Max asked, finishing off his drink. His words were still fairly in tact, but he could feel them getting away from him. Maybe the sounded right to him, but not right to her. He didn't really care.

Ella shrugged. "Maybe you do, maybe you don't. LA's a big town," she said, blinking a few times. Now that Max listened to her, he could hear a thick British accent tinting her words. After he'd been kicked out of boarding school, he'd basically forgotten everyone he'd been acquainted with. Even Ella, a little bit. After having this much to drink every night, he was beginning to forget his own name.
 
And that's what he wanted.
 
"Well," he began, swishing the ice in his empty glass to signal for one last refill. He was ready to go back to his house. "Are you going to go to school here?"
 
She took a long gulp of her gin and tonic and the bartender brought her her tequila shot. She downed it with a small smile, licking her lips clean afterwards. "Yeah," she said, chasing her words with a drink. "Adams Academy."
 
Max gave her a sly smile; the alcohol began to creep into his brain, stabbing at his cognitive abilities. "That's where I go!"
 
"No way," she said, slamming her glass onto the countertop. She motioned for Al to bring her another shot and he did so, refilling Max's scotch glass at the same time. He shook his head at the two teenagers before going to wipe down the other end of the counter.
 
"Way," Max replied, feeling like a bubbly teenage girl. Somewhere inside his head, a voice screamed at him to stop drinking, but he shut it up with another gulp. He chewed on a bit of ice. The taste of water felt funny on his tongue.
 
Ella leaned forward onto the bar, plucking another cigarette from her cigarette case and lighting it with the candle. She inhaled deeply and sent more smoke rising to the ceiling. "Well at least I'll know someone. Eat lunch with me?"
 
Max winked. "You bet."
 
Ella downed her other shot and finished off her gin and tonic, rattling the ice in the glass. Al came back over, his hands crossed over his arms. "Can I get one more tequila shot," Al shook his head disapprovingly, "and two glasses of water?"
 
Al smiled a little at this and brought the water first, and then her last shot. Max rolled his eyes at the water, but took a small sip. It still tasted weird, so he set it down. He'd catch a cab.
 
Ella knocked back her last shot and then chugged her water down. She still looked fine and dandy, despite a gin and tonic and three tall tequila shots. "So, Maximillion," she smiled. "Need a ride back to the Baker barn?"
 
Max sat for a moment in complete silence, and then nodded, getting up from the bar. He stumbled a bit as the world in front of him swirled. She hopped up behind him, steadying him by the shoulders. He giggled a little and she pushed him to the door after setting $100 bill and a $50 bill on the counter. Al looked at her, his eyebrow raised.
 
"He's a wreck, Al. I don't know why, but he is. This won't last forever, but, until it does, don't judge," she said quietly as Max babbled on about something. Al smiled and took the money from the counter.
 
"Goodbye, Miss Ella," he said, waving a little.
 
Ella nodded after him and then quietly added, "thanks for filling two of my shots with apple juice, Al."
 
Al chuckled. "No problem."
 
"Sarcasm, Al!"
 
"I know, Ella!"
 
Ella steered Max to her car, ducking his head as she pushed him inside. He fiddled with the knobs near the stereo, still talking absentmindedly about summer and valentines. She reached over him and plucked his phone from his pocket, scrolling through until she found the number she was looking for.
 
"Max? Where are you?"
 
"Prudence?"
 
"This is a girl. Who is this?"
 
"Ella Sallinger. I'm a friend of Max's from boarding school a while back. I have him very inebriated in my car; what's your address so I can bring him home safely?" Ella asked, starting up her car and starting down the road. Prudence gave her the address and she mapped it out in her mind, nodding as Prudence gave her step by step directions. "Okay, I think I've got it."
 
"Thanks for bringing him home," Prudence said quietly, hanging up the phone. Ella plopped the phone in her cup holder and, at a red light, buckled Max into the car.
 
She didn't know why she was taking care of him; their history, maybe. She'd really loved him, and, when he'd gotten kicked out of school, she was a wreck. But she'd coped. Not well, of course. She'd resorted to drugs, drinking, and picked up her horrendous smoking habit. But she'd coped, just like he was.
 
Maybe it was because she didn't want him to end up like her.
 
She pulled up next to his house and gave a short honk of her horn, getting out of the car and going to take Max out. He smiled goofily up at her and draped an arm around her shoulders. She nearly collapsed under his weight, but struggled through and got him to the door. It swung open to reveal Prudence, who shook her head.
 
"Really drank himself into a stupor tonight. Just give him to me," she said, sighing. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she'd been crying. A voice came from behind her, and Ella raised her eyebrows.
 
"Danny?" she asked, peering into the dark living room behind Prudence. A tall, disheveled person came out from behind the tall blonde girl in front of her, shaking a hand through his hair. He looked confused.
 
"Ella? Why aren't you at home?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
 
"It's only midnight. Why would I be at home?" she asked, chuckling. Danny rolled his eyes and Prudence looked between the two.
 
"You know each other?" she asked.
 
"She's my cousin," Danny said, blinking sleepily. He had been crying too. What was this, some cheesy movie? Who went to someone else's house to cry?
 
"Your cousin?" Prudence asked, looking from Danny to Ella and then down to Max, who groaned. Ella wrinkled her nose at him and then stepped back. She took another cigarette from its metal case and lit up. She blew smoke at the trio and then smiled.
 
"Well this was a lovely meeting, but I'm going to go. Have Max call me. I wrote my number on his hand," she said, picking up his limp hand and showing the two. Danny shook his head and turned around, going back into the house. Prudence looked after Ella as she listened to a voicemail.
 
"Ells, go downtown, and then past a few blocks. There's a bring green traffic cone on top of a manhole. Climb down the ladder, I'll be there. Welcome to Wonderland, Alice."
 
Ella smiled and took another drag. She turned, blowing the smoke away from Prudence. "Nice seeing you again, Prudence."
 
Prudence said nothing and dragged Max inside, shutting the door behind her and turning off the porch light. Ella laughed a little to herself and went back to her car, rolling down the window as she started the engine to avoid having to extinguish her cigarette.
 
It was time for the real party to begin.

i had a good day.
i got to see crazy, stupid, love. and it was AMAZING. i love emma stone to pieces; she's great. and ryan gosling is just... unf.
 
anyways, i'm watching degrassi now.
so, on the preview...
does that mean anya starts snorting cocaine? crazy anya.
and
jake is attractive.
that's all.

I woke up to sizzling noises coming from the kitchen. I turned to look at the cable box's digital clock, and it was 11:30 in the morning. Kate had obviously figured out how to use her alarm clock, because the last I checked, she was waking up at 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon every day.
 
I sat up, holding Tom in my lap and yawning. Kate looked over and flipped a pancake amidst the smoke gathering in the kitchen. "Morning," she said, not looking away from her cooking.
 
"Morning..." I muttered, running a hand through my hair. My phone had been charging all night on the kitchen counter and Kate pointed to it with her spatula. I didn't want to see how many texts and missed calls I had stacked up; they were probably all from Danny and I didn't need that.
 
"Your phone's been going crazy. Every time I walk past it, someone's calling you. I didn't pick up when Danny called, but I did when Allison called. She is not happy with you," she said, flipping a pancake off of the pan and pouring more batter into a neat circle. I went to sit up at the bar, and leaned forward on my elbows.
 
I sighed. I didn't really want to call Allison back, but I knew I'd have to. She'd more than likely found out about Danny and me, which meant she was probably ready to throw me out of the house. I'd never kept anything this big from her, and, knowing Allison, she would be close to spitting fire after hearing about this from someone other than me.
 
A plate of pancakes was set in front of me, accompanied by a small plate of butter and a glass measuring cup full of syrup. I stared at the two things in question as Kate continued preparing her own breakfast.
 
"My mom always let me pour my own syrup when I was little. I let everyone pour their own out of habit now," she explained. I shrugged and dressed my pancakes appropriately, cutting into the heavenly fluffy breakfast food with the side of my fork. I took a bite and unplugged my phone, looking down at the screen.
 
FIFTEEN NEW TEXTS. SEVEN MISSED CALLS.
 
I sighed, flipping through the texts. Most were from Danny, but he'd also gotten Tom, Harry, and Dougie to text me about my whereabouts as well. I clicked on a text from Allison; our last text conversation had been so upbeat and lighthearted. I knew this one would be different.
 
ALLISON (6:32:47 AM): Kayleigh Elizabeth Webb. Where the hell are you?
 
KAYLEIGH (11:46:23 AM): Hey, Allison...
 
The reply was almost instant and I hesitated before sliding my finger across the slick screen of my iPhone and unlocking the phone. Our conversation switched on screen and I winced.
 
ALLISON (11:47:02 AM): Where. Are. You?
 
KAYLEIGH (11:47:28 AM): Kate's.
 
ALLISON (11: 48:32 AM): IN SEATTLE?!
 
KAYLEIGH (11:49:00 AM): Yes...
 
I knew Allison wouldn't approve of me jetting off to Seattle without warning, which is why I hadn't told her about my trip in the first place. I knew she would've tried to stop me had I told her, and I couldn't stand leaving after a fight. If this conversation didn't spark a fight, that would've.
 
ALLISON (11:52:02 AM): Why didn't you tell me?
 
KAYLEIGH (11:53:01 AM): I didn't want you to get mad...
 
ALLISON (11: 53:53 AM): Too late.
 
KAYLEIGH (11:54:24 AM): Greaaaaat. /:
 
ALLISON (11:55:32 AM): Oh well. When are you coming back?
 
I smiled; she wasn't genuinely mad. I was glad. I knew this wasn't the end of the conversation, and that I had a lot of explaining to do once I got home. But, I didn't know when that would be exactly. It would probably be sooner than later, but I wasn't sure if I was emotionally ready to go back and face what I'd left.
 
KAYLEIGH (11:57:22 AM): Soon. Promise.
 
ALLISON (11:59:43 AM): Well hurry up. Your damn boyfriend won't leave me the hell alone and I want him out of my house.
 
I gave a short laugh; same Allison. I was happy she wasn't mad at me; to know that made me feel a lot better. I set the phone down and ate the rest of my pancakes as Kate sat down next to me with her own short stack.
 
"What are your plans for the day?" she asked, reaching for a cup of water near the stove top. I shrugged and fiddled with my phone, inspecting the back for imaginary scratches.
 
"Not sure. Yours?" I responded, dragging my fork through the puddle of syrup on my plate. I drew pictures and watched them slowly melt back into their original form.
 
She chewed quickly, and swallowed. "One Direction has a gig here this weekend, and I'm going out with Liam, Blair, and Niall tonight," she said with a smile. I raised an eyebrow at her.
 
"You have a boyfriend?" I asked. She laughed and jumped off her seat; her feet still didn't touch the ground, and it took a bit of a spring in her step to get to the ground.
 
"Don't sound so surprised!"
 
I gave a short laugh. "I'm not surprised at the boyfriend thing! I'm surprised at the fact that your boyfriend is the boy you swore up and down you'd never even meet," I said, getting down off my own stool and bringing my plate to the sink.
 
Kate smiled and shrugged a little, tugging at the ends of her hair. She turned the corner near her bathroom and turned back to look at me. "That's what you get for not talking to me for a year, Miss Webb," she teased, going to start up the shower. I sighed and took my laptop out of my bag.
 
I surfed around on the internet, and found out there was a flight leaving from Seattle and connecting in Dallas first, and then flying to New York. I could catch a small plane from the city to London the day after I landed. The first flight left that night at 9PM. I figured that'd be good enough, if a little soon, and bought my ticket. I flipped through a few channels on the TV and finally settled on a rerun of Deadly Women until Kate came out of the bathroom about an hour and a half later.
 
"God, take a long shower, Kate?" I said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes and vigorously towel dried her hair that glowed a newly dyed shade of red.
 
"Want to go grab some lunch?" she asked. I gave her a short nod and she went back into the bathroom. I heard the hair dryer fire up and took the opportunity to change out of Danny's shirt and my jeans into something more... clean. About ten minutes later, Kate came out of the bathroom, ready to go and I grabbed my wallet.
 
"Need to put that in my bag?" she offered, opening her purse to me. I hated purses, and I basically just made Danny carry my wallet or put it in Allison's bag. I was grateful to have friends that would carry my shit for me. I slipped my wallet into her bag and we were off. I didn't know where to go, but Kate assured me we'd eat somewhere yummy.
 
When we arrived at Nordstrom's, I didn't really know what to think. We were going to shop beforehand, maybe? We got into the elevator and she pressed the highest number, tapping her fingers on the walls of the elevator nervously. When the doors finally opened, she rushed out and beckoned for me to follow. I did so, and we were soon in front of a little restaurant, settled atop of Nordstrom's.
 
"This is the first place I ate at when I came to Seattle the first time. It's so good. And you can try on shoes you'll never be able to afford right afterwards!" she said, motioning to the expensive heels to the right of the restaurant. I laughed; I owned a few pairs of those back at home thanks to my book, and the highly anticipated sequel.
 
I followed Kate inside and we sat a table near the window. I looked closely at the menu, but Kate barely blinked an eye. She, instead, looked over at me curiously. "So, why exactly did you run away?" she said finally, after the waiter brought us two glasses of water.
 
"I told you," I said, my eyes glued to the menu. "I got scared."
 
Kate nodded. "Don't want to talk about it? Or you don't really know?" she said, raising her eyebrows at me and taking a sip of her water. I stuck my tongue out at her and she shrugged nonchalantly.
 
"No, I really did get scared. I was getting too close to Danny, and that scared me," I said, reading the descriptions of the various pasta items listed. The waiter came back to take our orders, and Kate pushed him away for a little bit longer after ordering a shirley temple for herself. I added a diet coke and he was on his way.
 
She nodded again, and the waiter came back to break the silence between us. Kate ordered the tomato basil soup, paired with a grilled cheese sammy, and I looked down at the menu with a careful eye. I hadn't yet decided what to eat, but the tomato basil soup sounded good enough, so I mimicked her and ordered the same thing, minus the sammy.
 
"It's their best. I never go wrong with the tomato basil and grilled cheese," she said, taking her phone out of her purse. I'd heard it buzz a little while ago, but she'd been talking to me and ignored it. She smiled down at the screen and texted back a fast reply, setting her phone on the table. It buzzed again and I saw the text was from a "Liam James Payne". I rolled my eyes playfully.
 
"So," she said, texting him a quick reply once more. "When are you going back? To London, that is. Not necessarily to Danny. Or Allison."
 
"Chill out. And..." I trailed off, not particularly wanting to tell her I'd be leaving that night. "Soon, probably. I just needed to get away for a bit." I played with the fork set at my place, pricking my fingers with its sharp prongs.
 
"Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you please," she said with a smile, laying her napkin in her lap. Her hand found her phone again and, once again, she began texting Liam.
 
"How's your boyfriend?" I asked with a smirk. She looked up at me, her nose scrunched up in embarrassment. She put her phone in her lap bashfully.
 
"He's fine..." she mumbled, her cheeks pink. I laughed and looked over as the waiter came over with our food. As I took a spoonful of my soup, I made a mental note to ask Kate what to get to eat everywhere I went; this was the best tomato soup I'd ever had.
 
When we'd finished up, Kate picked up a chocolate dipped coconut macaroon cookie at the front and I got a freshly dusted snickerdoodle. I'd have to bring Danny here some time; he'd love it.
 
The moment we exited the store, Kate ran over to a pair of pearly white Christian Louboutin shoes, running her finger over the patent leather red sole. She flipped them over in her hands a few times, admiring the small decal by the front. After a little while, she put it back on the stand, straightening it out and turning away from them. I watched her walk away from them, giving the gorgeous shoes one last parting look, as if she was leaving a well known friend.
 
"So, did you want to go back to the apartment, or shop around a bit?" she asked, aimlessly looking around at clothes that scattered the top floor of Nordstrom's.
 
"I think I'm going to shop around a bit," I said, pulling a few things of the rack that I liked. She nodded, fished my wallet from her purse, handed it to me, and skipped off.
 
"I have my phone! Call if you need me!" she called over her shoulder as she opted to take the escalator down to the makeup section of the large department store. I went to try a few things on, and ended up getting almost all of them before going to find her down at the MAC counter. After purchasing some new make up as well, we left the store around five o'clock. I was in no hurry to pack, as I'd only brought a small little duffel bag with me.
 
We rushed outside, hailing a taxi. "Step on it, please!" Kate instructed the driver from the back seat, looking anxiously at her phone's clock.
 
"You still have an hour, Kate," I reminded her.
 
"I don't know what I'm wearing! I don't get to see Liam in person a whole lot; I like to look cute!" she practically screamed at me, unable to sit still as she constantly flicked her phone screen on and off nervously. I furrowed my eyebrows at her and shook my head, looking out the window. I held my shopping bags close to me and waited until we pulled up to the apartment. Kate threw a few wadded up bills at the cab driver and rocketed from the vehicle, nearly tripping as she fumbled up the stairs clumsily.
 
"Sorry about her," I apologized. The driver waved a passive hand and I got out of the car carefully, climbing the stairs to Kate's apartment. I got inside as she was looking through her closet, throwing clothes from her room.
 
"Kate! Kate! Calm down!" I screamed, picking up various clothing items and carrying them into her small room. She lay face down on the bed, looking utterly defeated. I looked through her clothes, picking up a pair of jeans and a baggy black shirt, folding them and setting them next to her.
 
"If you roll the jeans up so that they sit on top of that really cute pair of boots you got for Christmas when you were sixteen and wear a really cute necklace and curl your hair, this would be really, really cute," I said quietly, crouched at the end of her bed. She looked up at me, then over at the outfit with a bright smile.
 
"Thanks, Kayleigh," she said, sitting up. "Sorry I freaked out. I get really nervous when I go out with Liam because he's Liam."
 
"Yeah, but you're Kate," I said with a smile. She laughed and nodded a little bit, standing up from the bed and grabbing the pile of clothes. She went to change and, while she began to do her hair, she called me into the bathroom.
 
"Kayles, for someone so confident in everyone else, you're not so confident in yourself," she said, looking at me from the side of her eye. I raised an eyebrow at her and went to sit on the edge of the bathtub. "I don't think you're running because you're scared of getting close to Danny. I think you're scared because you don't think Danny likes you for you, and you're running because you think he's going to run sooner or later and you'd rather be the dumper than the dumpee. But I don't think Danny's going to run. I know we haven't really talked much, but I did know you when you had that fling with Danny, and I have met him."
 
I looked up at her, my eyebrows furrowed. Where had this conversation come from? She hadn't wanted to talk about any of this earlier.
 
"Kayleigh, I think Danny genuinely likes you; maybe even loves you. I don't know, I haven't seen him lately around you. But when you guys weren't even together... he looked at you like..." she tried to think, and a smile crossed her features when a thought came to her. "Like Ron looks at Hermione. Even before you two were together. I have faith in Danny and his love for you; I think it's time you got faith in it too," she said with a smile, finishing her last curl and running her fingers through it.
 
She ended up pulling her hair up into a messy, curly bun on top of her head and putting a lacy black bow in it. After touching up her makeup, six o'clock rolled around and she rushed from the apartment, leaving me to my own silence to think about what she'd said.
 
Was Kate right? Had I left him before he could leave me, simply because I was afraid he would eventually? I went to take the sheets off the couch and fold it back up into its original form and packed my bag up. The clock rolled around to eight o'clock and I went out to call a taxi to take me to the airport.
 
I took my phone out and wrote a text message. Hesitantly, I sent it and sat back in the taxi. "The airport, please," I instructed with a smile. I sat back in my seat, watching the buildings and various trees blur into a dark mess.
 
---x
 
Danny sat in the cedar house living room, twirling his phone in his hands. He hadn't slept since Kayleigh had left, and wasn't planning to until she returned. He had to know what had made her leave, and to make sure it never happened again.
 
His phone buzzed and he looked at the screen hopefully, his heart falling as he saw it was just Tom. He picked up. "Hey, Tom."
 
"Don't sound so excited to hear from me. Anyways, I was just wondering if you'd heard anything from Kayleigh," Tom said on the other line. It was early; really early. Tom guessed that Giovanna had told him to call and check up on him.
 
"Nope. Kind of trying to keep the line open just in case..." Danny replied, looking up at the clock. Tom sighed on the other end, gave a quick good bye, and hung up. Danny leaned back on the couch, keeping his phone tight in his hands. He heard noise coming from the staircase and looked over his shoulder at a pissed off Allison.
 
"Why can't you wait for her at your own damn house?" she grumbled, glaring down at Danny.
 
"Because she'll come back here first, and I want to be the first person she sees," he said confidently. Allison shook her head and went into the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it to the brim with ice. She filled it with water and took a long sip, looking at Danny closely.
 
"What if you aren't the first person she wants to see?" she asked scornfully, raising an eyebrow. Danny brushed the comment off and shrugged.
 
"Then I'll wait until she does want to see me."
 
Allison shook her head again, and started to walk back to the staircase. She turned back to face Danny before going back upstairs and said, "As much as I dislike you, Jones, it's really nice of you to stay here and wait for her. She'll... appreciate that."
 
"Thanks, Allison," Danny responded with a smile. She scowled at him.
 
"This changes nothing. I still hate you," she said, turning away from him and walking back up the stairs. Danny gave a short chuckle and turned back to his phone screen as it buzzed. He read the words on the screen and smiled brightly.
 
KAYLEIGH (4:57:08 AM): I'm coming home. I'm sorry.
 
He jumped up from his seat, grabbed his keys, and left in a hurry. Being at her house wouldn't guarantee seeing her first, but being at the airport would.
 
---x
 
"So, you're sleeping over?" Kate asked Blair as they came back into her apartment, both Liam and Niall in tow. It was about 11:30 PM, and Kate had expected to find Kayleigh asleep on the couch. But, as she entered the apartment, the couch was folded back up and the only thing on top of it was a large box with a note on top.
 
"What's in your kitchen?" Niall asked her, looking over the counter with curiosity. Kate laughed.
 
"Why don't you find out, Nialler?" she said, going to look at the note atop the box before she opened it up. Liam went to sit next to her on the couch, raising an eyebrow at the box curiously.
 
Kateydid-
Sorry I left in a hurry, and without telling you.
Danny needs to know that I have faith too.
-Kayleigh
 
PS - Hope you like your present (; I promise to keep in touch better from now on.
 
Kate set the note down and opened up the box, her eyes going wide at the present inside. She carefully took out one of the white Louboutin shoes she'd been staring at earlier, handling them as if they were made of glass.
 
"Shoes?" Liam asked. Kate gaped at him, hitting him playfully with the hand that wasn't holding the precious shoe.
 
"Not just any shoes! Louboutin's! I was looking at these earlier because they're my dream wedding shoe," she said without thinking. Liam smirked and Kate took a deep breath, placing the shoe back in the box carefully and getting up from the couch. "Not that I think about my wedding a lot," she said over her shoulder with a smirk as she skipped into the kitchen.
 
Liam chuckled as he got up to follow her, going to take a seat next to Blair at the bar. She leaned over to talk to him with a smile. "She's a liar; she thinks about it all the time."
 
Kate fought the urge to talk back to Blair, and instead looked around the kitchen with Niall as she kept a close ear on the conversation.
 
"Want to know a secret?" Liam asked Blair. Kate wished she could see his face.
 
"Shoot," Blair replied.
 
She could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "I think about it all the time too."
 
She suppressed her squeal, finally pulling a package of Oreos out of the cabinet and tossing them to Niall who yelped in celebration.
 
/Thank you, Kayleigh./
 
---x
 
After the treacherously long flight came to an end, I hesitated to get off at the London airport. I let everyone off before me, despite being at the front of the plane. I stayed a few extra minutes until I was sure everyone was out of the tunnel and into the terminal. It wasn't until a flight attendant told me I needed to leave if I was going to that I snapped out of it and grabbed my bag.
 
I'd put Danny's t-shirt on again before I'd left Kate's. It still smelled like him, and I needed to remind myself what I'd left, and to never do it again. I'd been stupid, and selfish.
 
I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked slowly out of the plane and into the terminal. I didn't have to waste time going to the baggage claim, so I simply began to walk down towards where security began and I could exit the airport.
 
"Kayleigh!"
 
I stopped walking for a moment as I thought I heard my name being called; it wasn't a particularly uncommon name, but I swore I heard Danny's voice saying it. I figured it was all in my head. I just missed him. I resumed walking and just as I was almost out the door, I heard him again.
 
"Kayleigh! Kayleigh Webb!"
 
I turned around, seeing none other than Danny Jones running from the other end of the terminal to catch me at the door. I smiled as he reached me, out of breath and grinning like a fool.
 
"Danny, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry," I babbled, looking down at my shoes and shaking my head shamefully. He lifted my head up to meet his eyes and smiled again.
 
"You never, ever do that again. You hear me?"
 
I smiled brightly and threw my arms around his neck, planting a kiss on his lips. I stood on my tip toes to reach his face and smiled into his mouth.
 
"Never again, Danny. I promise."