As far as the Sky

Chapter Eighteen

Addison-Now

"Noah?" I murmur in the dark night, the phone pressed against my ear, preparing myself to hear the answer I fear.

"Addison? Oh, thank God, you're alive!"

Tears fill my eyes:

"But it can't be you. You're..."

I don't finish my sentence, because I can't. I still can't accept the fact that he's gone. Still, who is this?

Or is he really alive?

Or maybe this is just a dream? And all since the beginning is.

I look over at the table; in that case, it means Charlie's part of the dream too.

My vision is blurred with tears, I can't help but silently cry, my look locked on the best person I have ever met.

"I'm not. I'm not, Addie. I'm still here. And I'm so sorry they lied to you."

"What do you mean they lied to me? Don't you remember the accident?! Fuck, I am talking to a person that's not of this world."

"Addie, calm down. You're not, okay? I am real, I still am alive. I was in a coma for almost a year."

I listen to him, my curiosity being bigger than my fear.

"When I woke up, my parents told me you..."

He leaves a blank. I can hear his speed up breath through the phone.

"They told me you didn't make it."

"What?!"I exclaim "Why would they do that?"

"I assume yours told you that I was..."

"They did", I murmur, still processing all of this.

This would mean that all this time, they made me feel guilty of something that didn't have the consequences I thought it had? They lied to me!

Who would do that to their daughter?

Am I that mean of a daughter? So mean that they need to lie to me and take pleasure watching me suffer?

"Addie, are you okay?" he asks.

What a stupid question to ask when you just told me my whole life is a lie!

"Seriously?" I reply, crying.

"I mean, except all of this."

"Because you think I can just forget these past two minutes? I can't, Noah! Maybe my parents can lie to me, but I can't lie to myself!"

"It'll be alright, A-"

"No, it won't", I interrupt him, sitting on the sand.

"I don't have that much time, see you."

Is he serious? He's just gonna leave, again? Leave me alone, again? Leave me torn and broken, again?

"What do you mean?" I ask

"Have to go."

"I love you, A.", he says before hanging up, leaving me no time to reply.

But I know he didn't because he knows I wouldn't say it back. Honestly, those three words are the last thing I expected him to say.

Well, I didn't expect him to call in the first place, obviously.

Still I can't help but wonder how is it possible and why did my parents do that?

I stay here, sitting on the floor and crying without being able to stop.

I hear steps walking towards me, I don't lift my head up.