The One and Only [COMPLETED]

Chapter 20

This chapter is dedicated to @brandikwarren, because she's a super cool chick who loves Justin Bieber as much as me, so you can see why we get along. Go check her out everyone!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hailey's POV

I wake up to the sound of crying.

I'm in Andrew's bed, in nothing but his shirt that comes to mid-thigh. I look over, seeing that Andrew isn't beside me anymore. Whereas just last night, he was laying there, holding me in his arms with his face nuzzled in my neck. He's probably downstairs making breakfast or something.

Begrudgingly, I sit up to start my day, running a hand through my dishevelled hair. The crying that was once muffled, is now loud and clear, causing my senses to turn on. I quickly throw my hair up into a messy bun and run down the stairs to the living room where Aunt Karen, my parents, and John are all sitting.

Aunt Karen is the one crying, with her head in her hands and a box of tissues placed beside her. My mother is comforting her, a few tears running down her face as well. My dad has a deep crease in his forehead as he absentmindedly rubs my mother's back soothingly. John is the only one who seems composed, awkwardly twiddling his thumbs as he watches everyone else.

I stand in the middle of the room feeling out of place and slightly nervous as to what might be going on. "Um, what's going on here? Is everything okay?"

John, looking relieved to be able to do something, says, "Everything's fine and dandy little sis. They just feel like crying for the fun of it."

I roll my eyes at him, sitting on the arm of his chair. "Seriously John, what's going on?"

A small tinge of sadness flashes in his eyes when he gestures to a folded piece of notebook paper on the coffee table. Giving him a curious look, I stand up to retrieve the paper, immediately noticing Andrew's handwriting.

Unfolding the note, I read aloud, "'Karen,'" it reads, "'I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I'm leaving. You may not care, but I thought I'd tell you anyway, because--well...I don't really know why. After all this time I guess I just owe you at least a letter. To keep this straight to the point, I hate what you did to me, but I hate myself even more for acting the way I did around you. I love you like a second mom, you mean the world to me and I can't thank you enough for putting up with me. But I think it's time I get some space. I need to clear my head and think about some things. I may never come back, so don't say I didn't warn you. Anyway, there's just one more thing I want to know: Are you planning on adopting him, too?

"'Much love, Andrew.'" By the time I finish the letter, tears have sprung to my eyes.

Andrew's gone.

And he didn't even say goodbye.

✿ ✿ ✿

2 days, 4 hours, and 880 minutes later, my family and I are boarding a plane, heading back to the only place I feel at home.

"Are you guys excited to be going back to Los Angeles?" My mother asks us, a bit too much enthusiasm in her voice.

Sighing, I close my eyes and let her question whirl like a tornado in my head. Basically the entire time we were in North Carolina, all I could think about was coming back home, but then Andrew and I got together and all I wanted was to stay for a little while longer. Now Andrew's gone, which means I have nothing holding me back anymore. I mean, it's always nice to see Aunt Karen, but there's only so much of her craziness you can take. So, why do I feel like there's a part of me that still doesn't want to leave? I should be ecstatic to be going back to glorious beaches and nights out at expensive restaurants. Besides, Andrew is out of my hair now, so it'll be good to have some time with just me and my friends. Ever since Andrew and I started dating, I haven't been giving them the attention they deserve. So it'll be nice to catch up with them before Senior year starts.