A Second Chance

Chapter 21 - Not So 'Happy New Year'

You wake up the next morning feeling cold, you pull the duvet up and roll over to find Leah to warm you up but you're met with an empty bed.
You sit yourself up a bit, confused, and take in your surroundings. You spot Leah's pyjama's folded neatly on the end of the bed with a note on top, you reach forwards and pick it up.

Just gone to grab us breakfast my love, you stay in bed until i get back i'll be 20 minutes.
i love you x

You smile at the note, reading the last sentence over and over again.

You lazily flop back into bed before picking up your phone to look at the time, 9:24, hopefully Leah won't be much longer.
You spend half an hour scrolling through tik tok but Leah still isn't back, you open your phone to text her to see where she is.

Amelia: Hey, did you get lost on the way back to your own place? x

Another twenty minutes passes and Leah still hasn't replied, you decide to get up and get yourself ready for the day hoping she'll be back soon.
You jump in the shower and quickly wash yourself over, you stand at the sink to brush your teeth and get dressed before making your way down the hall.

You look at the clock on the wall, 10:30, it's been a whole hour since you've woke up and Leah still isn't back.
Panic begins to set in as you think of what could have happened to her, you pick up your phone and text Katie.

Amelia: Hey hope you're not feeling too rough this morning, any chance you've heard from Leah? She went out to get breakfast and hasn't returned.
Katie: Hey no i haven't sorry, i'll text around the girls see if anyone has heard from her.

Another ten minutes have flown by and you've heard nothing, you go to call Leah once more but you are interrupted by frantic banging on the door.

You jump up and rush towards the front door to find Beth and Viv stood there very out of breath, still wearing their pyjamas.
You raise an eyebrow, "are you guys ok?".
Beth lets herself into Leah's house and ushers for you to follow her, Viv offers a sympathetic looking smile before following you behind Beth.

Viv sits next to you on the sofa as Beth stands up infront of the two of you, you look between both of them before saying "you guys are scaring me now, what's going on?".

"It's Leah" Beth starts, "nothing has happened to her" she gets out obviously seeing the panic on your face.

"But something has happened" she comes over and sits next to you placing a comforting hand on your knee, "i take it you haven't been on social media in the last fifteen minutes" she asks.

You shake your head, "no i've been trying to find out where she is, i woke up an hour and a half ago now to a note saying she'll be back in twenty minutes".

Beth shakes her head, "i'm just going to get it out there, she's been spotted in a park with a girl. It's all over social media, there's pictures of them hugging, she's resting her head on Leah's shoulder, Leah's kissing her head and there's one where you can't really see their faces but they look very close".

You go to pull out your phone but Viv stops you, you stand up and begin pacing around the room. "Are you sure it's Leah, what if it's just someone... she might just be... i just.." you ramble on trying to find an excuse for her behaviour but failing.

"It can't be Leah" you try to tell yourself, "she's gone to get us breakfast, she told me she'd be back, she will be back".
"Me and Viv have had a really good look at the pictures Amelia" Beth sighs, "i'm sorry but we are sure it's her".

"Please just let me see one picture just to confirm it's her" you plead. Beth looks to Viv who takes a deep breath and pulls out her phone to show you.

Your fears are confirmed when you see Leah sat there in her beige nike jumper and navy blue nike hat with her arm around the small brunette girl, who's face you cannot see.
You take a shakey deep breath and shake your head to stop the tears from showing. "I... uh..." you stutter, not knowing what to say.

"Get your things you can come back to ours before she gets back, then we can go from there" Beth offers whilst putting a comforting arm around your shoulder.

You make your way upstairs, picking up your clothes and bag from last night. You fold up the note she left you and place it in your back pocket, just incase it may be the last thing you have from her.
You take one final look around Leah's room before pulling on one of her hoodies and making your way downstairs, holding back the tears that are threatening to escape.

A few minutes later you've arrive at Beth and Viv's, you sit down at the breakfast bar as Beth asks "is there anything i can get you?".

You place your head in your hands and finally allow the tears to fall, Beth rushes around and pulls you in for a warm comforting hug as you let all of the emotions out.

"Why would she do this, she told me she loves me last night" you cry out as your body shakes in Beth's arms.
Beth comforts you as you let out all the emotions you've bottled up since seeing the photos.

A few minutes later Viv walks into the room and stands in the doorway, "i'm just going to make a call" you hear her whisper to Beth before making her way upstairs.

"Is she going to call her" you ask looking up at Beth, she slowly nods her head. "She's been blowing up your phone for the last ten minutes, let Viv talk to her first then we will go from there".

Beth kisses you on the head before making her way over to start making coffees for the three of you, as you sit in comfortable silence you hear Viv's voice booming above you.

"Are you serious Leah, you are stupid. Stay away i mean it. She will contact you if she wants to talk to you".

"Fuck" you whisper shakily as you rest your head in your hands on the worktop.

You hear Viv approach the kitchen and look up, "Beth" she catches her girlfriend's attention and motions further her to follow her.
"Please just say it in front of me, i'd rather just know" you sigh tiredly.

Viv comes up behind you and places a comforting hand on your shoulder.
"She's just got home and seen all of the articles and is saying it's nothing like anything they've wrote. Apparently it's all been twisted to make her look bad. She told me the girl in the photos is one of her cousin Holly's close friends and they've known each other for years, apparently she found her boyfriend in bed with another girl this morning after she had been on a night shift and had been aimlessly walking around the park".

As the tears begin falling again you shake your head, "why couldn't she just text me" you cry.

Beth brings you in for a hug as all of your emotions come pouring out once more.

After you've calmed yourself down and thanked the two of them for everything they've done for you this morning, Beth drives you back to your place.

As you pull up outside your house Beth pulls you in for another hug before giving you a pep talk, she places a hand on each of your shoulders and turns you to face her.

"Right do not reply to her until you feel that you are ready, don't let her get into your head, stand your ground. You know where me and Viv are if you need us, we love you".

You pull Beth in for one more hug before stepping out of the car and making your way up to your door.

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