No Strings Attached

Chapter 2

Once I got home I softly placed the origami swan in its rightful place, inside a small Victoria Secret bag I kept hidden under my bed, along with the other swans before it.

It’s strange really. It’s kind of our little secret. No one knows about these. It started almost a year ago, he was home from tour and we were watching TV- I believe we were hung over at the time not sure- and this adorable commercial came on, the one about this guy who uses the wrappers of his already used gum to make little swans for his little girl. This goes on and on and right when the girl is going away to college he stumbles upon the box. I don’t know if it was because of all the booze I downed the night prior, but it was so touching and sweet. I bawled. I bawled on my shirt and on Louis’ shirt and ever since then he’s made me swans from his used gum wrappers.

He always makes me little swans before he leaves or when he comes back. He gave me one for the first time we did it. He made me one for my birthday, October 8, and for when I started Oxford University. I could probably spend the rest of my life talking about when and where these precious swans were given to me, but that’d probably bore you to death!

I began to clean up my filthy flat since I have school today at 3 pm. It wasn’t long before the flat was spiffy and tidy yet again. From the clean-up I ended up finding one of Louis’ t-shirts, well technically it’s mine since I always wear it, and one Christmassy looking sweater. I wrapped the sweater around my face and inhaled deeply his musk and mint chocolate chip ice cream scent.

This whole relationship thing is completely bonkers! I kiss him, touch him, do him, and miss him as if it were a real relationship, but we don’t have that emotional connection of one.

Personally I'm okay with it, honestly. I’m still in school and struggling I shouldn’t be focusing on guys anytime soon.

I flip through the channels aimlessly and it’s around that time where all the talk shows are one and on almost every single one of them their talking about One Direction’s new tour kicking up. It’s not just him I miss, it’s all of them. They’ve all sort of become like the pesky brother’s I never had. Finally set on a channel about a young Manchester boy who successfully stuffed his hand inside his mouth and is now awaiting surgery to remove it.

_

“Okay for the next couple of weeks you shall read Looking for Alaska.” My English Professor Pisano announced. I had my cheek placed on top of my palm and had a pencil thwacking in the other.

“This novel is a vastly great one. Its classic and timeless, it’ll deal with issues you might find interesting, sex, love, friendship, and the labyrinth that torments us all.”

He went by his desk and propelled a big cardboard box on top of his messy desk. He began to pass them out to the class. It was a small paperback book with a black cover and a dying candle at the very bottom. I flip through the book like I usually do to a new book.

I inhaled the scent given off the pages and smiled. This is going to be a good book, I think to myself as I thumb my way to the very first page.

For the rest of the class I sat quietly in my seat reading through the book. I love this Alaska girl she’s so spunky and different, but not that kind that makes you think she’s trying to be like everyone else.

See that’s the problem with me. I can’t explain in great detail. Like the whole being different business. Everyone now a days is talking about how they’re different from everyone else but in some ironic way they’re the same? I’m making no sense so I’ll just skip ahead to when the bell rang and dismissed us for the day.

I collected my things and made my way out into the grassy knoll of the school. The sun was at its maximum brightness but sadly it was hidden underneath a blanket of clouds.

Beep beep. I jump and check my phone, it’s a text. I open it excitingly and to my bitter disappointment it’s Eleanor Calder.

Hey girlie!! Got out of school early! If you can meet me at the Starbuck’s at the corner of Maple and Clay! Xx

I bite the inside of my cheek, I felt like such a shitty person.  She one of my closest friends and here I am with the scent of her ex-boyfriend upon me, lingering softly all along my body. I tugged at a strand of my hair nervously before responding.

Yeah sure thing! On my way see you soon J xx

I raked my fingers across my scalp as I trudged along the school and onto Maple and Clay. I fiddled around with anything in sight. My book, my shirt, my bag, my phone, hair, ect.

I felt so sick I wanted to barf! It’s been about half a year or so since they fizzled, but they were so in love over the span of their relationship! To make matters worse she’s the one who introduced us to each other!

-

“Hey Jaime! Oh it’s so good to see you!” Eleanor pulled me in for a tight squeeze which I returned, “I know it’s been so long, um how are you?” I asked a bit shaken and I was scared she could tell that I was. She had a caramel frappe in one hand and some oversized sunglasses perched above her forehead.

“Oh same old same old, juggling work and school! What about you hmm?” she sat down in an outside table just how she always did. I noticed another frappe alongside hers, “Oh here I ordered it for you!” She exclaimed like a high schooler reconciling with her good for nothing friend.

I sit nervously and try to drown my guilt with the frappe, but it only seemed to make it even worse. Soon the only sounds were my slurping of the frappe and the tapping of Eleanor’s nails against the table, “Soooooooo.” She tried to drag out casually, but it was so obvious.

“So?” I said softly and continued on my quest to see how many sucks does it get to finish a frappe.

“So have you heard from Louis? I mean if you guys are still friends?”

My blood runs cold and something falls in the pit of my stomach like a sharp jagged rock. I chew the bottom of my lip, “Yeah we still talk, we’re pretty good friends.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

She fixes her glasses over the bridge of her ski slope nose, “Does he ever mention me?”

I think back to all the times I’ve spent with him and shrug, “I barley saw him today.”

She ducked her chin down so the glasses would slip a bit and her eyes were visible, “Oh the tour started up right?”

I looked away from her eyes because 1) I’m a terrible liar 2) I’m scared she suck my soul out of my pupils.

I nodded, “Yeah they won’t be back in a couple months from now.”

-

After ample talk and interrogation I finally arrived home, exhausted.  I kicked my shoes off before plopping on my bed. I heard the same beep when Eleanor texted me and shuddered in pure dread, but this time it was Louis.

Just got off the plane! IDK what time is it here yet but GOD DAMN it is dark! I’ll DM in the morning or whenever the sun gets up! Xoxo

I smiled widely at my phone screen and giggled like an obnoxious school girl.

Great, I’ll talk to you soon! <3 x

Finally I got up and fixed myself some pasta to eat before I decided to read my new book.

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