Adelaide closed her eyes, trying not to cry. Oscar was right, he was going back and Brodie had told him before her. She shook her head in disbelief then looked at Brodie who stood infront of her waiting for her to say something. Instead, Adelaide turned away from him, walking further down the hall to her next class. She didn't know how to feel, she couldn't seem to process the fact that he was leaving, "for good." Brodie cursed himself under his breath, turning towards the group of lockers that stood against the wall.
"Why didn't I tell her before" he thought. He kicked the bottom locker with all the force he had, he was so angry at himself. He'd have to talk to her later and try to explain.
When Adelaide got to the classroom, she was ten minutes late.
"Adelaide nice of you to finally join us!" Mr Fabian said. She took a seat beside Kellie quickly and took out her books.
"What's wrong?" Kellie asked, seeing that there was something up.
"Brodie's going back to Australia!" She blurted out. Kellie's mouth fell open.
"What!?" She questioned, stunned. She hadn't known either. Just then Brodie walked into the class.
"Sorry I'm late sir." He told Mr Fabian.
"Where were you?" He stopped him just as he was about to sit down.
"Talking to my previous teacher" he said calmly. Mr Fabian nodded letting him sit down, beside Adelaide. Kellie looked at Brodie then gestured to Adelaide. He realized now that she also knew, but his priority was Adelaide.
"Can we talk after school?" He asked her. Adelaide nodded her head.
After school, Adelaide and Brodie walked in silence to his house. Neither knew what to say to the other. Brodie opened the front door slowly and let Adelaide go in first. She walked down the hall into the kitchen and rested against the counter top. Brodie walked in and set his keys down on the table. Silence filled the room.
"Brodie..."
"I'm moving back to Australia, with my family." He announced.
Adelaide's eyes stung, she tried to hold it together by taking deep breaths. It wasn't working.
"I found out from Oscar." She said sternly, implying that she was annoyed he hadn't told her first.
"I'm sorry, I should've told you."
"I thought you were moving here for good?" Her lips quivered as she spoke, she felt defeated.
"My mum, is sick." He hesitated. "My dad wants to go back so we can spend time with her family- mainly her mum at home." Adelaide saw the anguish on his face.
"How do you feel about it?" She quizzed.
"I don't want to leave Adelaide." He replied, a tear streaming down his face. She pulled him into a tight hug, letting him rest his head on her shoulder. When they pulled away, Adelaide asked the question she had been afraid to ask.
"When are you leaving?" She was devastated, trying everything in her power not to burst into tears.
Brodie pulled out a chair and sat down at the table putting his head in his hands.
"When?" She requested, becoming terrified of the response.
"Adelaide, I'm so sorry-"
Oh god. Why wasn't he telling her when? How long had he known he was moving back? How long had he kept it from her? Her pity turned to rage.
"A month!?" She asked furious. Brodie remained silent.
"Three weeks!?" She yelled. Still, Brodie didn't answer her. Adelaide laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
"Brodie!" She snapped. Brodie still couldn't bring himself to look at her.
"Two weeks?" She cried out, letting the tears spill out of her eyes, slipping down her cheeks.
"A week and a half!" Brodie yelled, slamming his fist against the table and standing up, pushing past her towards the window above the sink. Adelaide stood still, fixated on the picture hanging above the kitchen table. She couldn't speak or move. Some time had passed before Brodie finally spoke again.
"Adelaide please, say something!"
"You waited until the last week to tell your "girlfriend" that you were moving half way across the world." She said with such composure. She almost sounded like she didn't care. Brodie walked towards her.
"I wanted to tell you."
"No you didn't, your a coward" she snapped, looking directly at him.
"How long have you even known? How long has Oscar known!?"
"Oscar hasn't known long" he tried to justify.
"How long have you known Brodie!" Adelaide was running out of patience.
"A couple of months." Adelaide sat back onto the chair, resting her head in her hands. She was distraught. Brodie bent down beside her, trying to get her to look at him.
"Did you know when you asked me to be your girlfriend?" She asked through her hands.
"No, I didn't know." He said placing on hand on her back.
"You know what hurts the most Brodie, would you believe it's not actually the fact that your going back to Australia!" She spat bitterly.
"No it's the fact that you kept it from me, that you had plenty of times to tell me and you just didn't!? I'm your girlfriend Brodie! What were you planning on doing in a weeks time? Just LEAVING?"
"Adelaide..."
"I could've spent these last few months with you, spending time with you more, spending time with all our friends as a group more before you left BUT NO! Your selfish and you kept it to yourself."
"I thought my dad would've changed his mind, or my mam would've gotten better and she didn't! Do you think I want to leave Adelaide!? And I didn't want any of you to pity me or make a fuss.." he retaliated.
"YOU STILL SHOULD'VE TOLD ME" Adelaide screamed. She felt dizzy and couldn't see straight.
"I couldn't!" He yelled back becoming more frustrated. Adelaide was holding back sobs.
"That's no excuse." She picked up her bag and walked towards the door.
"Bye Brodie" she muttered trying to open the door. He reached out over her shoulder and slammed the door, leaving Adelaide pinned against it.
"Don't leave, not yet." He pleaded.
"What more is there to say?"
"What so that's it!? We're finished?" He interrogated.
Adelaide didn't say anything. Truth be told, she didn't know. She didn't know how she could possibly have a relationship with Brodie if he was moving away, especially now.
"You can't just walk out on me." He pleaded.
"Fuck you Brodie, I'm not the one walking out on you! Your the one who chose not to tell me you were leaving! Your the one walking out on me!"
Emotions were running high, neither knew how to deal with them. They were so close to each other. Centimeters apart. Brodie glanced across Adelaide's face and quickly leaned in, cupping her face in his hands. He slammed his lips against Adelaide's, practically knocking the air from her lungs. He had no control over what he was doing, he just wanted to go back to the way things were. Her lips were hot against his and it felt too good to stop. In the moment, Adelaide didn't want to let go because she knew when she did it would be the last time she ever felt his lips on hers. She tugged at the collar on his shirt pulling him in closer. Salty tears dripped down Brodie's face and onto Adelaide's hand. She stroked his cheek, wiping away all his tears then pushed him away from her regretfully. Both inhaled deeply attempting to catch their breath.
"Please Brodie, don't make this harder than it needs to be." Her lips quivered.
"So it's over?" His eyes full of sadness. Brodie heard it as a question but Adelaide heard it as a statement.
"Fine" she uttered, barley able to breathe. Brodie looked to her, the skin around her eyes was red and raw from crying, her hands were shaking.
"Fine" He said acceptingly. He opened the front door letting her walk down the drive way before shutting it again. Brodie rested his forehead against the door, using it as a crutch to how deflated he felt. Adelaide sat down on the park bench just outside of his estate and cried. She picked up the phone, calling Alaya.
"Hey what's up?" She answered happily.
"Get Kellie and come to my house." She requested before hanging up the phone.
Half and hour later and the girls showed up to Adelaide's carrying a bag full of snacks. Kellie told Alaya about Brodie moving back to Australia and when Adelaide had called her, crying, she connected the dots. The girls rang the doorbell and were stunned to see Adelaide in a tear stained jumper, sweatpants and her hair tied back in a messy ponytail.
"What happened?" Kellie asked grasping Adelaide's arms.
"Brodie and I broke up." She whispered. Kellie pulled her into a tight hug and let her cry into her jumper. Alaya joined their hug from behind.
"I really need you guys right now, please can we just all sit here?" She pleaded.
Kellie and Alaya glanced at each other.
"Of course" Alaya said.
"Whatever you want" Kellie chimed in.
The girls sat in Adelaide's living room all evening, talking about what happened, then complaining about Brodie, then feeling bad about complaining about Brodie, then eating. It turned into a vicious cycle.
"I'm going to miss him" Adelaide spoke up. The girls gave her pitiful looks. "But I'm just so angry"
"It's ok to be angry! You have every right" Kellie reassured her.
Alaya excused herself and locked herself in the bathroom. She took out her phone calling Oscar. Alaya knew Adelaide wouldn't be too happy if she found out she told Oscar. When Oscar heard what happened, he felt guilty about their breakup. But there was nothing that he could be blamed for. Alaya told him to go check on Brodie, but he got a message from Adelaide.
"Girls are over at mine, I need you to come over. I owe you an apology." He read it out to Alaya over the phone.
Oscar ran to Adelaide's house. His heart was beating so fast as he rang the doorbell. Adelaide answered the door. He looked at her tear stained face, and felt a pang of devastation in his chest. He stepped inside, and asked her what was wrong, pretending like Alaya hadn't already told him what happened.
"Brodie and I broke up." She admitted sadly.
"Oh Adelaide, I'm so sorry!" He said pulling her into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She rested her hands against his chest and let him hold her for a minute.
"It's fine, I don't want to talk about it." She admitted.
"I'm sorry I called you a liar! I should've never jumped to that conclusion"
"It's fine Adelaide, you didn't know..."
"No, it doesn't matter. I was horrible."
"Adelaide" he held her out at arms length so that he could look directly into her eyes.
"It's ok!" He said sternly.
"I know you probably want to go see Brodie but I need you right now, I need my friends."
"I'm here for you." He replied kissing her on the forehead.