Stay || c.h. *completed & editing*

Chapter 18.

Dear Laurel,

This is the last letter I'll be writing to you.

It's time to move on. I need to stop dwelling in the past. I love you so much, and I'll still miss you everyday and nothing will ever be the same without you but that's life, and I knew it would happen someday. Of course I hadn't planned on it being so soon but nothing ever goes how you planned it, right?

I finally got to come home today from the hospital. I woke up from my coma a week ago. I was so close to seeing you, but now that I'm thinking about it, I could wait. You would want me out living my life to the fullest, not just sitting around crying over you everyday. Of course I'll never forget you but it's time to stop dwelling on what's happened and focus on what's to come.

Calum is picking me up later, and this time he's coming to the front door and knocking. He doesn't need to sneak me out my window anymore. Mom finally realized what Calum and I have, and she's finally okay with me seeing him. I never thought this day would come. It would be the perfect day if you were here to tease me about finally getting out and doing something adventurous. But perfect isn't even realistic. And I'll be okay without you for now.

Alex misses you a lot. He says he still had a crush on you before you died, and that it honestly hurt him a lot to know you were gone. I understand completely.

Luke is still pretty bent out of shape, but he's getting there. I talked to him yesterday, when he came to see me in the hospital. He said that it made him realize that he needed to stop dwelling on everything that's happened and he's going to try and see someone else. We both agreed that you'd want him to go find another girl and fall in love with her, and that's what he's trying to do.

Times are gonna be hard for a while, but not impossible. And I'm so glad I woke up.

I love you always and forever,

Eleanor.

~~~

I waited for Calum after writing my letter to Laurie in my room. He was going to take me somewhere for the first time as a couple without my parents interfering.

"Ellie!" my mom called. "Calum is here!"

I opened the door and stared down at her at the bottom of the stairs, shocked. "Did you just call me Ellie?"

"Yeah," she said. "That's what you prefer to be called, right?"

"Right," I nodded, still confused as to why she's been calling me Eleanor since Laurie died and now she's all of a sudden calling me Ellie again.

But I wasn't complaining.

I walked downstairs and Calum was standing inside, looking stunning as ever in his black skinny jeans and band t-shirt. Of course he wouldn't be getting dressed up to go anywhere.

"Have her home by midnight," my dad said.

"No problem," Calum grinned, reaching out and taking my hand.

"Have fun and don't get into any trouble," my mom said.

"Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes. My mom knew better than me getting into trouble.

Calum walked me out to his car and when I got in, I for once didn't need to walk around the block and worry about my parents catching us.

And it felt really good knowing I didn't need to keep hiding my relationship with Calum.

"So where are we going?" I asked.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," Calum grinned at me.