Tangled Strings (sequel to Red Strings)

Chapter 41

I look at Luke before I then say "You're the one who caused a part of this mess.  You think she'll greet you with open arms?" Calum squeezes my hand, obviously warning me of taking a hit at Luke considering we were both in tense moods.  Luke glares at me and then says "Says the person who literally had to rip apart everything once you and Calum broke up."  I go stiff.

"Are you kidding you kept using the concussion as an excuse for pretty much everything!" I fire back before Luke stands up, and I stand up too, pretty much ready to tackle him to the ground despite our huge height differences.  "And who's the one who helped get her to leave the house and fucking get into that concussion?" Luke asks and I fume before I then yell "BUT YOU'RE THE ONE WHO LET HER GO!"

The room goes silent as I breathe heavily.  The air's suddenly too stuffy and it's all too much against my chest.  "Nat, just sit down darling...." Calum says getting up and I shake my head, the tears welling up in my eyes as I feel my hands in my hair pretty much ready to rip my hair out of my head.  

"Why did you have to let her go?" I whisper and I suddenly whip around to Luke before screaming "Why did you let her go?"  Luke is silent before begin to hit his chest, as hard as I can, screaming again "WHY WOULD YOU LET HER GO YOU ASSHOLE!?"  Luke doesn't react, and Calum has to come behind me, trying to force my arms down.  "None of that..." he says in my ear as he pulls me away as I begin to sob uncontrollably.

I bury my face into Calum's chest as I cry, and he strokes my hair, as I continue to shake.  The room is silent as Calum continues to hold me.  "Natalie there's no point in holding onto the past.  We've gotta move on.  Gotta try and learn from what went wrong to learn what to right in the future." Ashton says and I sniffle a little, wiping a tear away.  

I'm silent as I get up, putting my jacket back on again.  "What're you doing?" Sylvana asks me and I look at her and say "I'm going for a walk." Michael tries to convince me to stay and begins "Nat-" "No.  I need some time alone.  And I think we need to give Skyler a bit of that before we do anything."

I reach for the door knob, as my hand is on the cool metal and I then say "You know when Skyler left, that wasn't just my best friend who left.  That was my sister.  And she didn't bother trying to say goodbye."  I leave, slamming the door behind me and I make it outside the hotel without being bothered.  

The rain has succumbed to a light drizzle as I walk along the grey sidewalk, and I spend the next two hours just walking around New York, alone.  It was relieving.  I finally stop in Central Park and I decide to take a carriage ride in one of the parks.  As the carriage is moving along, I look around at the sights.  The sky is still filled with a lot of grey clouds but there's a bit of sun peeking through and people have taken advantage of it as they walk around.

Eventually I make my way back to the hotel as I finally come back into the hotel room finding it empty.  I don't think anything of it as I hang up my jacket and take off my shoes.  But when I walk in I see that Calum's leaning over the coffee table, setting something up.  "Cal?" I ask and he turns around and says "Oh there you are Nat!  How was the walk?"  I shrug as I sit on the edge of the bed before Calum says "Don't judge me but I wanted to try and make you feel better so I got some sushi here, and I also have the ice cream and there's some wine or beer and I have a bath and stuff I know you're not gonna feel better right away but-" "Calum.  It sounds wonderful already." 

Calum grins and says "Well, should we get started?"  I giggle a little and then say "Of course!"

We left New York the next day, and arrived back in LA in good time.  "Do you think I could get a hold of Skyler by now?" I ask Sylvana as we drag our bags back into the house.  "Probably.  I would expect that she would've gotten to Sydney by now."  I text Skyler, asking her simply if she arrived safely home and she said yes.  I didn't bother pushing it any further.

A week later however, Skyler actually called me.  We chatted a bit.  She said Norwest was the exact same, heck the Glob was still in good condition and the slushies were as good as ever.  I smiled, knowing that she was feeling a bit better.  At least, I hoped.

But the second I shut the line with her, I saw my mother's ID pop onto the screen.  Why was my mom calling me?  I had talked to her yesterday and I had told her a bit about New York and how it was really nice and whatnot.  Of course I left out the sex with Calum part, but I figured she didn't need to know. 

"Hello?" "Hi Natalie!" my mom answers cheerily.  It seemed a little too fake if you asked me but I wondered that maybe for once my mom was actually really happy about something.  Maybe she got a good deal on something?

"What's up?" I ask, leaning against the kitchen counter, a mug of coffee in my hand.  "Well nothing much.  I actually visited Skyler and her mom earlier." "Oh you did?  How are they?" I ask, getting a little worried.  "Well Skyler couldn't seem to hold back on telling me about your whole.... success." "Oh about how I got an A on my Philosophy paper?" I ask confused, hoping that it was that.

"No, no.... your singing?  Something about how you had sung something on a video of hers and another vocalist you had worked with suddenly posted the cover you two had done together." "Oh you mean Vic?" "Vic?  That's his name?" my mother asks, tension in her voice.  I could literally hear the anger seeping out of her voice and it was only a matter of time before she blew up at me.

"So you did a cover with this....Vic?" "Yeah, ages ago." I say simply.  "Hm, seemed you never mentioned it to me." my mother says.  I can tell by her tone she's not pleased and I'm trying to rack my brain to think of possible reasons that I could hang up right now.

"Well it's clear that you've been busy haven't you?" my mother says and I then say "Yeah I guess but-" "Well it all seems to me though that you haven't really been focusing on things that you're actually meant to do.  Like university?" my mother cuts me off.  I grit my teeth and I clench my hand and say "Well I always considered the singing a side thing-" "Well it's now seeming to take priority don't you think?"

"I wouldn't say that." I say trying desperately to keep my cool.  "Oh well you know your Aunt Victoria?" "The one who lives in San Francisco?" I ask, feeling a pit form in my stomach.  "Well I figured I should visit her since it's been AGES since I've seen her.  And I figured I would stop by and visit you.  And make sure you're....on track." my mom says, and I can see her giving her plastered fake smile.

"Mom I'm 18 I can take care of myself." I say, wondering if that would change anything.  "I know that, but you haven't visited...." "Because I'm in school.  But for Christmas we both agreed I would come back." I said hoping to God that maybe I could talk some sense into her.

"Well if you can't come here, I might as well come to you right?" my mom says and I feel dizzy.  "Yeah.  Of course." "Well I'll talk to you soon darling!" my mom says and I then pull myself together enough to say "Alright bye mom." 

I turn my phone off as I support myself on the counter and Calum walks in and says "Nat you look a little flushed....is something up?"  I take a deep breath and say "Well I just got off the phone with my mom." "And?"  I take a deep breath again before saying "She's coming to LA." 

Author's Note

HIIII sorry I went MIA for 3 weeks but I was extremely busy and slightly lazy to edit but I'm gonna try to update more frequently....

anyways love you all! 

xx