The Plan (TheOrionSound)

Chapter Nine

Weird Thing of the Chapter: The friend I mentioned last chapter (who used to watch Lizzie) actually helped me pick out the cliches I was going to use & string them into a cohesive-ish plot. She was also going to help me pick some of the cliches but she read one fanfic & then I didn't hear from her for two weeks, no I am not kidding. She left her phone for a day straight & then just ignored me until I stopped asking her about it. I don't blame her.

Yammy is the first to move, hugging me. I freeze for a second, surprised, then hug her back, relieved.

I think she believes me.

"Are you going to be okay?" Yammy asks.

"Yeah." I assure her, "Yeah, I just need a little time. I don't think I'll ever forgive him though. I mean seriously, not even a day." I laugh, but even that sounds pained.

"I believe you." Scott says.

"Ehm, yeah." Callum adds, apparently startled out of his blank look of surprise. "Yeah, just kind of surprised that Oli did that. Like, TheOrionSound Oli?"

"Yes," I crack a smile, "That one."

"Right." Callum nods. "Okay."

"I..." Lizzie stumbles, "I'm sorry, Nessa." She whispers.

"It's not your fault." I assure her, "But I am going to need somewhere else to stay for the night."

"Right!" She says, standing up. "Joel?"

"I can trade with her."

"Thanks."

Scott and Joel come with me back to the room I used to share with Oli so I can get my stuff and leave, hopefully before he gets back.

I'm not so lucky.

I have my stuff packed up, Joel is sitting on my old bed, and Scott and I are about to leave (Scott is there as moral support, we were going to bring Yammy but Lizzie decided it's best we don't have a homicide) the room when the door opens and Oli walks in. I automatically step back to put space between us.

"Nessa!" He exclaims. His hair is a mess and his tie is untied.

The worst part is I don't know why. Stress or....

I don't want to think about it.

"Let me explain." He continues.

"I don't really think that's necessary." I respond, "It was nice meeting you." I push past him and out the door, walking down the hall to the elevator without looking to see if Scott's following.

He is, thankfully.

The elevator ride is quiet except for the faint music.

"I still can't quite wrap my head around this whole mess." Scott mutters, "I mean, Oli?"

"Yeah. I don't really think anyone here expected it." I respond.

The doors open and we both walk to our rooms. Lizzie's moved to Joel's bed for the night and I'm taking hers.

"So, you try to escape me and we still end up roomies." I joke with a half-hearted smile. Lizzie laughs.

"I always did have trouble getting away from you." She laughs.

"I'm sorry your plan failed."

"It's not your fault. I never should've even done that plan. My friends' personal lives are really none of my business."

It's weirdly serious, so I grab the throw pillow off the chair and chuck it at her. She catches it.

"Now go to sleep or we'll miss our flight back." I tease.

"Ugh, fine." She groans, wrinkling her nose at me.

I change in the bathroom while Lizzie changes in the main room, then we both go to sleep.

Well, Lizzie goes to sleep.

The image in my head keeps me up for another hour.

-          -          -

Lizzie, Yammy, Scott, and I say our goodbyes to our friends then go to the airport together. Since we had stayed together the night before leaving, we have the same flight back. Joel has a different flight, since he's going to visit his mum. Scott doesn't have the same flight as us, unfortunately, but he comes with since it's cheaper to split this Uber between the four of us and just have him wait a little while longer for his flight, since it leaves about an hour after ours.

I read an e-book on my phone, letting random musicals play on my earbuds.

I hear a few lines from a song I've never heard before, "I thought this time was different, why did I think he'd be different? But it's never, ever different."

All You Wanna Do.

I smile, but it's sad.

I can relate.