"You did what?"
Cooper's eyes were as round as saucers as she forcefully thumped down two mugs with more of a harsh movement than was needed.
"So wait, your telling me you don't want to run away anymore, you want to face up to your problems and your solution is running away? That's a load of crap Florence and you know it"
Well this wasn't going as planned.
She hadn't expected Cooper to be happy about her plan to leave Phillipson, in fact she might have been hurt if she was but what she hadn't expected was frosty glares and unnecessary violence towards two mugs.
Being this angry probably wasn't good for someone pregnant, but she wasn't about to face Cooper's wrath and tell her that.
"So this Charlie girl, Cole's old friend told you that he basically is in love with you or whatever, so instead of being rational and maybe thinking about your feelings you've decided to move to the other side of the country and go to university?"
Cooper handed her the mug and then sank down onto her armchair, gesturing for Florence to do the same.
"Well not exactly Coops, this isn't all about him, its more about me, I feel like my life here is so regimented, my experiences are so limited and I really don't have any kind of escape here, everyone knows me too well and expects me to be a certain type of person but if I move away to a place where people don't know me then I'll have some kind of freedom"
"Have you though about me at all in your plan Florence? Or am I just some kind of inconvenience that you want to leave behind?"
Cooper was crying and Florence felt like absolute rubbish right now.
"This isn't me abandoning you Coops, please understand that, this will be hard on everyone I know it will but this town makes me feel like I live with the ghosts of the past, like I can't ever move on because everything here is just too real and too painful, I love you and I love Mum and Dad but I need this, please Cooper, your one of the few people who can stop me living my life by myself"
Her friend looked like she was wavering now, her fingers were pressed so hard into the handle she was holding that it looked painful.
"Florence I want you to be happy, you know that, I know first hand what a horrible, horrible deal life has given you, I'm sorry you were bullied and that I didn't do anything and just let it happen, I'm sorry you got sick and had to go to a clinic, I'm sorry that your heart was broken you don't know how hard it was fore me watching you go through such horrific pain, but Florence you did get through it all your the strongest person I know and if you think this is the best thing for you then go, don't let me or anyone else hold you back"
Neither of them had drank any of their tea.
Florence stood up and walked over to Cooper, pulling he close and hugging her smelling her familiar marshmallow scent.
"I told you I forgive you Cooper, I always have and always will love you, Colchester is only two hours and a half away and don't for a second think I won't come and visit, especially when your little one's born, and there's this thing called a phone that I expect you to pick up whenever I call"
Cooper half-sobbed, half giggled.
"I expect hourly updates on your life Flo"
"And you'll get them"
Florence kissed Cooper's head suddenly feeling closer to her than she ever had, could she really leave her oldest friend?
They stayed snuggled up on the sofa for half an hour before Cooper spoke.
"When are you telling your parents?"
"When I feel like the time is right you know, I can't spring it all on them, but I think they'll understand"
"And Cole?"
This was the worst question.
"He's still recovering at the hospital, I'm going to go see him later on today but I feel like this is better for him, he'll be able to get better, slowly recover his memories without me there complicating things"
Cooper raised one perfect eyebrow.
"Do you actually believe that?"
Florence wavered, did she believe that?
"I guess I do... this whole situation is just so messed up, I don't want a relationship right now, I really don't"
"Okay" Cooper replied simply.
And this was why she loved her friend so very much, she could have pushed her or made her talk more about the hard things but instead she let her be, she knew Florence had her reasons and wasn't going to pester or plead.
She left an hour later, her heart feeling lighter than it had when she entered, as long as things were okay with the two of them the world turned as normal. She had barely thought about the possibility that she might not get in, which was quite conceited of her, but because of her qualifications in the writing department she doubted that Colchester would turn her down.
She prayed they wouldn't, imagine what an embarrassment it would be to go around telling everyone that she was leaving and then not leave at all.
This was what she wanted, it was.
If she said it enough times surely it would start sounding true to her own ears.
Florence picked up a box of chocolates on her way up to the hospital, you were meant to give sick people some kind of gift right?
When she entered the room Cole and Charlie had their heads bent very close together, Charlie's mascara seemed to have found its way all down her face and Cole looked paler than he had yesterday.
It seemed like she shouldn't be interrupting, Cole looked over Charlie's photo and caught her eye.
"Hi there, Florence"
The name sounded alien coming out of his mouth now, his voice unsteady and unsure.
Florence waved the box of chocolates madly.
"I bought chocolates!"
"Great"
Charlie pulled away and took the box, handing it to Cole.
"You didn't have to" he said, but looked pleased nonetheless.
"So how's your recovery coming along?"
She wouldn't meet his eyes, she wouldn't.
"Good, really good the Doctor's think by the end of the week I'll be able to come home"
Home, was the flat really Cole's home?
Was it her home?
"Excuse me for a minute"
Escape.
Florence walked rapidly down the corridor leaving behind two highly confused people and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her breathing hard.
Deep breaths in, deep breaths out, don't lose control.