The Adventures of an English Tourist | EXO

Chapter 16

I don't know what I imagined would happen when we got to the airport but it certainly wasn't sat on the ground on the phone to a confused Sophia, but my life does seem to be full of surprises.

"So, let me get this straight, Tom died so you just decided to go L.A?" she asks, her words cutting me as she doesn't censor what I don't want to hear.

"Yes." I say, ignoring the feeling.

"You could have at least told me where you were! I was worried sick!"

I raise my eyebrows at this and she must sense it. The magical bond of friendship, that is.

"... well, I wasn't until a hoard of men came knocking at the door asking what I'd done with Lay. I thought they were all insane until I saw Chen, you know the really cute guy that picked us up from the police station. I let them in and now I regret it because of the amount of destruction they're causing. It's like they're animals! ...One moment." She says and takes the phone away from her face. I hear her shout at one of the feral boys that however much they will it, food will not suddenly appear in the fridge when you open and close the door repeatedly.

I try to contain my laughter as she comes back on and whispers in a scared voice, "They ate all the cereal and porridge."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Soph." I say, sarcasm dripping off my voice.

"It's fine, it's fine; there will always be another box... Anyway, why did you just suddenly decide to get up and go."

Because I need to say goodbye. Because Tom loved me. Because even when he's dead he still plays a massive part in my life I think, but for some reason I don't want to tell her. Instead, "Impulse," is my only response.

"Oh... some things never change from secondary school I guess. You were always disappearing." she says as I smile at the memory.

When I was an early teen, I had a habit of disappearing. One moment I would be there and the next I wouldn't, but in reality no-one was paying attention to me because no-one cared. I liked the loneliness but that seemed to happen less and less as my friendship with Sophia grew and I was glad. For once I felt important.

It's like how I've disappeared from England: no-one cares about me there so I don't miss it and I won't be missed. Seoul welcomed me with open arms so life there will be so much brighter to what it could have been in what I thought was my home.

Soon after we end the conversation with me reassuring her that everything's going to be okay and her doing the rare thing that is complaining about mess. To say I'm surprised is an understatement.

As the line goes dead I put my phone back into my pocket and turn to Lay who seems to be having a heated discussion with whoever's at the other end, although his version of 'heated' is frowning and trying to explain himself clearly.

When he sees me watching he quickly concludes the call, puts his phone down, and turns to smile at me.

He nods, a silent way of telling me everything's fine but I throw him a questioning look. "It's nothing, they're just concerned," he adds in reply to my expression.

After looking at each other for a moment, we get up from the floor and make our way past reuniting friends and families hugging each other in delight, through the obstacle course made up of business men, and then out the airport doors into the morning L.A. sun.

I almost immediately come to a halt as a thought strikes me: we have no idea where Tom's family are.

I share the thought with Lay but he just urges me towards the awaiting taxi.