Two Arts

Chapter 40

A.N. Here we go. ♥️✨

I needed space.

I needed to be able to breathe.

Sadie was looking at me with a mix of worry and discomfort.

I took a step back, and then another.

I could barely breathe.

Why was Colin texting me to ask me if I was dating Sadie?

It was hard to think in the middle of everyone chatting joyfully.

"I gotta go," I heard myself say.

Sadie furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side

"Angelica, please," Sadie almost whispered as her hands reached for mine.

Despite wanting her to to hold me just a moment prior I was starting to feel like I needed to be away from everyone and anyone in order to make sense of my thoughts and feelings.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and left a hand in there with it. I brought my other hand behind my neck and shook my head lightly while taking yet another step back.

"I'll just be in my room," I told Sadie—the room I hadn't even been into yet, as we both had used Sadie's reservation so far. "You can stay here with people, don't worry."

I could see the conflict on her face.

I was running.

I was running from everyone.

And she didn't want to force me to do otherwise.

Again.

Her jaw was clenched and all of her vulnerability was crystal clear to me, yet I was not in the mental space to be able to act any differently.

My hands felt shaky and cold in the way they'd feel only when the deepest fear and anxiety would take over my body.

I controlled my breathing and I held myself back from running. I did wonder though if there would've been a gym facility in the hotel and if I could've made good use of a treadmill or any other equipment.

That had often been my go-to solution when I felt anything resembling what I felt then.

I had to go through the front desk to retrieve a key to the room I had not claimed at all yet.

As soon as I sat on the perfectly made bed the room felt weirdly cold. I recognized it wasn't rational, and the temperature must've been the same as the temperature in Sadie's room, but it certainly didn't feel like it.

I sent Bailey a screenshot of the text I had received from Colin and my phone immediately started to ring in my hands.

"Shit," The woman said on the other side of the line, "Why'd you pick up, where are you?"

"You called me, did you expect me to not pick up?" My friend's voice was already pulling me away from my most anxious thoughts.

"I called to see if you'd pick up, it means you're freaking out somewhere in hiding," She sounded exasperated.

She knew me well.

"I needed space," I told her.

"Let's talk it out," She offered.

"How does Colin know I'm with Sadie?" I blurted out.

"He saw her at your place when you broke up?" She tried to reason.

"That was over two months ago, why would he text me about it now?" My voice sounded high-pitched and unsteady.

Bailey sighed and hummed, "Let me put headphones on."