𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐞 - 𝐓 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐭

18

TW - OD/DEATH

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DECEMBER 27th

Real Life

Sophie was yet again back in the studio. December 27th was a very difficult day for her ever since that day, the studio became her safe haven. she normally turned off her phone and wrote using the grief as inspiration but this year she had Timothée calling her and as much as she wanted to disappear she wanted to see his smiling face twice as much.

INCOMING FACETIME : T <3

"hey you."

"hi"

"why are we at the studio?"

"peace and quiet. Hemsworth HQ is full of people right now."

"Hemsworth HQ?"

"mum and dad's house. everyones staying till new year so it's a bit chaotic with 7 children."

"i bet."

"yeah."

there was an awkward silence as neither really knew where to begin or what to say.

"i wish i was with you right now. you look upset and i want to hug you."

Sophie smiled at him swallowing the small lump in her throat and blinked back a few tears.

"oh love i don't want to see you cry..."

"you might want to put. the phone down now then."

Sophie gave a watery laugh rubbing away a stray tear

"are you sure you want to talk about it?"

"yeah... i trust you."

Timothee moved from the bed to the canopy window sill he had at his grandparents house putting the phone at one end and sitting at the other with a pillow in his lap twisting one of his many rings.

"okay... when i was of Jimmy Fallon i mentioned that my best friend passed away a few years ago... that wasn't for sympathy points as many people guessed."

Sophie chuckled lightly.

"Avery and I lived two doors down from each other - it was us two against the world for the longest time. When we started Middle School we met Mason and our duo expanded. the three of us did everything together and never let anything get between us..."

Soph looked up from her hands momentarily and caught Timothée staring at her intently.

"you okay?"

she gave a quick nod and carried on.

"three years ago Avery was out shopping with his mom - for my birthday present believe it or not - when she got mugged and stabbed in the throat... Ave was never the same after witnessing his mother's murder. he got severely depressed and irritable. he tried to push Mason and i away but we never let him forcing him to talk to us if he was feeling down and he started going to therapy after a year. He was doing so much better after a while - or so we all thought."

the tears were streaming down her face at this point and Timmy was doing everything in his power to stay calm and collected for her sake and not try to jump through the phone.

"in the December we were all together on christmas eve at the american style diner down the road from my flat. everything was fine and he seemed so happy and was laughing and joking with us about middle school. On christmas day he and his dad came over and spent christmas with us... the one thing i remember clearly now that at the time felt normal was just before they left he gave me this really long hug and whispered 'thank you'. i just thought he'd enjoyed his day - he loved christmas so much before and i wanted him to do that again. On the 27th he sent me a message at 5 in the morning saying i love you."

she stopped again looking away from the phone out to the window.

"I didn't wake up till gone 8. the doorbell was ringing and Liam and I were the only ones home. it was the police. I let them in they looked really solemn i was just confused. Liam came down by the time the three of us were sat in the living room. he sat right next to me - we were really close then. the policeman took off his hat and placed it in his lap looking directly into my eyes he told me Avery had been found in the woodlands behind our houses. he wasn't breathing... th-they said he overdosed at around half 5..."

there was a sharp intake of breath from the other end of the line

"obviously it hurt. i was inconsolable for month - depression and grief took over my life and i can't remember a lot of that time period because of it..."

"i'm sorry you went through that..."

"don't apologise. he's at peace."

"so i'm guessing that's why you don't like christmas much..."

"i love christmas. it's a time to remember him properly... Mason and I go back to the diner every Christmas Eve before visiting his grave... his dad moved himself into a mental health hospice after. i send him letters occasionally just. so he knows we all still really miss Ave and so he knows he's not alone."

"that's sweet."

"i try."

Sophie joked slightly lightening the aura.

"so... how does Liam fit into this?"
"you said he was why it was so awkward..."

"ah yeah Liam... in the february after it happened the four of us were at our parents and I was really low and didn't really want to do anything. Liam didn't quite get that it had impacted me so much to the point i was a little suicidal myself... Chris understood and never pushed anything but this one particular day Liam snapped."

Sophie laughed bitterly

"i was sat in the living room watching the blank tv and he turns to me and said 'if you're going to mope go back upstairs.' so dutifully i did. seems harmless right? well later that night the four of us had dinner together while our parents were out. he started up again watching me pick at my food. he threw his fork down on the table and yelled 'if all you're doing is moping - do it somewhere else i don't want to see you so sad.' - sweet. i went to stand but Chris put his hand on my arm stopping me while telling Liam to leave me alone. Luke said i was mourning and Liam looked over at me and said 'if you miss him so much why not kill yourself too?'"

"you're kidding me..."

"i wish... it happened three times so it's not even like it was an accident..."

"oh my god Soph thats awful..."

"I'm over it now - mostly. i just miss how we were before... but i'm not talking to him till he apologises."

"he hasn't apologised!?"

"no... unfortunately not." 

Timothée looked about ready to kill Liam and soph couldn't help but laugh. 

"it's over now Timmy. I've forgiven him now... he was grieving too in his own special way."

"i'm so proud of you for overcoming this love. you're amazing..."

Sophie smiled at him wiping the tear tracks from her cheeks.

"now, Angelina, tell me about this Netflix film..."