[Complete] Noise and Kisses {chicklit}

13

Having spent the entire weekend letting my emotions get the better of me, I'm fresh out of tears and completely empty inside. When Sunday night rolls round, I tell my mum that my throat is still causing me grief and, as I've barely eaten a thing since Friday, she agrees to keep me home for the last week of college.

My phone is full of texts from Ben, that I've been reluctant to read. But now, hollowed by my sadness, I decide to sift through them.

Pick up x

It's not what you think x

We need to talk x

Answer the fucking phone!

It's been 2 days. Please talk to me x

I'm so sorry x

The last one makes a lump appear in my throat and I choke it down along with my feelings. I decide to look at Pete's messages too.

Holly, I am so sorry. Hope you're ok x

How are you doing? x

I'm sorry I handled the whole situation badly x

Feeling a mixture of sadness and anger, I decide to call him, and he answers on the second ring.

"Holly?"

"Hey." I say, in a small voice.

"How are you?"

"Um... ok. You?"

"I'm ok. I was worried about you."

"Yeah, you seemed worried when you were shouting that stuff in my face." I say, a little more angrily than I'd expected.

He sighs. "I know - It'd been bubbling up for a while and then I'd had a few and just... I didn't mean it to come out that way. I just couldn't stand the thought of him messing you around."

I don't respond.

"Are we ok?"

I bite my lip. "I need some time - I'm pretty annoyed still."

"I understand. Have you spoken to him?"

"Nope."

"He dragged me out the pub and punched me," he admits. I gasp.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah - I'm fine," he sighs, "after all of this, you're asking if I'm ok? You're too good, Holly." I'm immediately reminded by a similar comment Ben made to me once.

"I better go."

"Ok. Thanks for calling."

I hang up and sit there, replaying Pete's words in my head. By the sound of Ben's reaction, Pete's story is likely true. Without a second thought, I erase his messages from my phone and block his number. When I'm finished, I crawl back into bed and close my eyes.

***

Leila calls me over the next few days to tell me that Ben also hasn't been to college. I tell her that I'm not interested, but the opposite is true. She also reminds me about the end of year Christmas party, which is taking place on campus on Friday night.

"Are you coming?"

"Nope. I'm not really feeling it."

"Please come - we miss you!"

"If I promise to think about it, can we talk about something else?"

"Sure... have you heard from Ben?"

"Argh! I don't even want to hear his name right now!" I say desperately. "I've gotta go." I hang up before Leila can reply.

She texts later to apologise and to remind me to think about the party.