Jizzie | Hand on Heart

Chapter 39 | Scream louder?

Right as I hang up the phone I hear footsteps coming up behind me.

"Lizzie?! There you are thank god I thought I'd lost you."

"I'm a big girl Sebastian I can take care of myself."

He frowns, clearly put off by my hostile attitude, "who were you on the phone with just now?"

I straighten up, "Joel."

His frown deepens, and he opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

"Sebastian, I'm sorry, you were a good guy, but I just- I'm not into you like that. That kiss should never have happened."

"But it did." He replies flatly.

"But it shouldn't have, I'm sorry if you got the wrong idea, I- we were- you're my friend, and you've helped me a ton here, but that's it."

"Lizzie I-"

"I'm going back home."

"Oh."

I tap my foot anxiously, "tomorrow"

That's a lie, I haven't booked or even looked at flights yet.

"So that's it?"

"That's it."

An awkward silence takes over, and I feel my phone buzzing in my hand.

So not the time Carlisle.

I hold my finger up to Seb and answer the call.

"Yes Carlisle?"

This must be the second time he's called me in the last hour, the first time I missed it while I was going through a tunnel on the bus ride back and completely forgot to call him back.

My bad.

"Lizzie." His voice is urgent, "are you alone."

I knit my eyebrows together, why is he always asking me that, "no? Seb is here."

"Lizzie it's really important can you get to a place where I can talk to you without him being there."

"Carlisle what the hell are you talking about."

"I'm being serious."

"Can't this wait until later, I'm really not in the mood to play cat and mouse, can't you just tell me this is an important conversation."

"I am telling you. What I have to say is more important."

I can see Seb straining to eavesdrop.

"Carlisle, I'll call you later, I have to finish something right now."

"But Lizzie-"

I shake my head and hang up the phone, what's been with him lately, he's so jumpy.

I focus my attention back on Sebastian, intent on making sure he understands what I'm trying to say.

"Sorry about that."

I watch him straighten up, pretending as if nothing happened.

"Look. I'm going back to the UK tomorrow, I'm going back, I'm going to make things right with Joel, and I. I don't think I can talk to you anymore."

"What?! Because of Joel?!"

I shake my head, "well, kind of, but I just don't think it's right. I don't want to string you along and I think you've gotten the wrong idea."

"It was just a kiss you're overreacting."

"No, I'm not. You clearly misinterpreted our friendship and for not being clearer I apologise, but the best thing for both of us right now is to not speak anymore. If not for you then for me, because I just don't feel comfortable anymore."

I don't bother waiting for his objection, as I walk straight past him and away from his house.

It was impulsive, and a bit stupid, since I now had to find a place to crash at for the night.

Luckily I remember to grab my stuff from his car, and make the difficult journey of dragging my shit to the nearest motel.

My phone starts buzzing again on the journey, but I can't answer it because my hands are full, and it's probably just Carlisle being weird again.

I'll call him when I get to the motel.

"A single room for one night please." I ask the lady at reception.

She smiles at me, handing me the key and pointing to the room.

I get to my room, haphazardly throwing my stuff on the floor, not bothering to organise as I wouldn't be here long anyway.

My phone starts ringing again, so I pick it up.

"WHAT CARLISLE."

"are you alone."

I huff in annoyance, leaning back, "yes I'm alone, Jesus Christ why do you keep asking that."

"Lizzie I need to tell you something about Sebastian-"

"Look I've already heard enough about him for the day, and I've cut ties with him anyway."

"You have?"

"Yeah. I'm going back home tomorrow."

"So you know about everything??"

"That's a super vague statement."

"Everything about Sebastian."

"Carlisle please elaborate."

I don't get to chide him about his inability to form proper sentences as I hear a knock on the door.

"Hey Carlisle I've got to go, stop freaking out I've cut it off with Seb anyway so you can calm down now, I'll let you know when my flight is sorted."

I hear him object but hang up anyway, powering my phone off as I'm too exhausted to deal with any of this right now.

The adrenaline from earlier has very much worn off.

I answer the door, telling the house keeper that I was okay, before slumping back on the bed and opening my laptop to book flights.

It takes me a little while, but I find one that works for me, and I organise all the stuff around it, booking a taxi, sorting out my papers etc.

By the time I've finished the sun has set, and I'm starving, so I order a pizza and flick on the TV while I wait.

The random news channels are depressing me, so I put on spongebob, and continue watching it even when my pizza comes.

The time alone gives me a lot of time to think, and I run through everything I know so far in my head.

I only end up mildly frustrated, like I'm looking at a puzzle, all complete save for one piece.

That one piece could be the key to ending this.

And the first step? Is getting answers from Thea.

I sigh, staring at my still powered off phone, I should probably turn it on in case something has happened.

I do just that, and immediately a text pops up on screen.

Text from: Joel ❤️
Sent: 23 minutes ago

My eyes scan down the screen, as I tap on the notification.

And my only reaction?

Holy shit