The Morning After [s.m]

Chapter 8

Chapter 8
The Morning After
Sarah Wilson
910 Words
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I wake up to the overhead announcement that my plane is about to land and blah blah blah. I stretch as much as I can without bothering the person sitting beside me. I check my phone for the time but see a text I was not exactly expecting to read; "Hello Sarah, Shawn will make a social media release saying you two are no longer together and that it was a mutual decision and I expect that you do so as well. You may word it as you'd like. I would also like to inform you that your position as tour paramedic has been terminated. Andrew." I feel my heart speed up but take a deep, slow breath. I made a deal with myself and I don't break my promises. Uhm, by that I mean I won't break this promise. I glance at the time displayed in harsh white, noticing it's only a few minutes away from midnight. Considering my mom is likely asleep I decide on staying the night at my house once I land and get out the airport. Lucky for me, it won't be long until then because my plane just got to the terminal. I wait about a minute for the majority of the people to get their bags and start leave until I do so myself. I'm in no rush really, I've got no job after all! Which is okay. I have time to do some.. personal development? God knows. I follow the swarm of people out into the arrivals area of the airport. My phone lightly vibrates in my pocket and I check my newest notification, from him. "Listen to Lost In Japan! Love all my fans, x." I click on the link reflexively and put my headphones in, listening carefully. For the first time, his voice itself means nothing to me. Can't say the same about the lyrics. They're word for word what he said to me that night. As much as I want to move on from him, you just can't let moments like that go. I can't, not yet. I repeat the song a few times but I don't buy it. I truly need the least amount of reminders of him in my life. I walk myself through and out the airport and hail a cab. I cross my arms as an attempt for warmth as the night has fallen quite cold even though Los Angeles is a typically a warm place during the daytime. I guess that's how some people felt. Warm days: when you're distracted by the world, and cold nights: when you lay awake and dread the days to follow. I guess that's how I felt as well. I get in the unmistakable yellow cab and let the driver know my address. They start driving and I take in the vibrant night life that is unique to Los Angeles. I've never really experienced it before or even truly noticed it. I was always so busy studying. I must say though, those days are over. Tomorrow I'll look for jobs while it's light out but once the sun sets I'm leaving it all behind and having the time of my life. We pull up in front of my house and hand the driver the tab for the trip. I'm incredibly grateful that I left a spare key taped underneath my mail box. It might not be the safest thing but it's a whole lot safer than me being locked out of my own house with no access to my car. I'm not returning to my house with everything I left with but it's manageable. I only packed one suitcase and I kept everything valuable in my small purse that I had tied around my waist, hidden under my dress. It was initially so I wouldn't have to go back to my dressing room before I leave with him to our honeymoon but it ended up serving another purpose. I unlock and push open the door, glancing around my apartment. It's untouched so I assume my mom never went it. I walk slowly to my room and sit on the edge of my bed, taking a deep breath in. I take a picture of the blank wall and open it on Instagram. I carefully type the post I'm gonna make about our "mutual parting." I make sure that it can't be twisted by tabloids even though it's very likely that they will. I look at the picture a few times more and change it to a picture I took in flight. This post has no need to stand out from all the other ones, right? My finger hovers over the button for a few short moments of hesitation but I post it regardless. I check that it actually worked and turn my phone off, plugging it into my charger. I walk to my bathroom and brush my teeth and hair then I search through my closet for something considerably warm I could wear to sleep. I settle on sweatpants and a loose t-shirt and change into that before I get in my bed. My comfortable mattress and soft sheets that I longed for bring a sense of calm to the night. I watch out the window and the city line. One of a city that'll never be the same.

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