Come Again Later

Chapter 21

Perrie shivered against the harsh winds as she and the two other girls walked home from another day at Jade's (Jesy's car ran out of gas and Leigh-Anne was staying at her cousin's for the night). It was already December and the weather had started to pick up; the weatherman even predicted some heavy snowfall this month. The blonde didn't complain about the undesirable temperature as she would normally, however. After all, it was her fault she was cold.

"I can't believe you gave Jade your parka!" Leigh-Anne exclaimed, astonished and insulted. "You wouldn't even let me touch that thing, and yet you just gave it away?!"

Perrie stared at the ground and pursed her lips uncomfortably, feeling holes being burned in the side of her head by the dark skinned girl. She opened her mouth to reply but before she could get any words out, a voice interrupted her.

"She gave it to Jade, Leigh." Jesy spoke, smirking. "That itself should be an enough explanation."

The blonde felt her face redden as the curly haired teen nodded understandingly.

"I guess... But it's still pretty bogus." Leigh-Anne pouted, crossing her arms.

"For the last time," Perrie spoke up at last, "Jade didn't have a jacket and I couldn't -and wouldn't- let her freeze this winter. I was simply doing something good."

Leigh-Anne snorted. "You? Perrie Edwards? Doing something good?" The curly haired girl shook her head and let out loud, mocking laughter. "That's a good one!" She exclaimed, slapping her knee, causing Jesy to erupt in laughter.

Perrie had her mouth hung open in offense. "Rude!" She huffed as she crossed her arms and pointed her chin toward the sky.

"You've got it bad, sis." Jesy nudged her after she and Leigh finally calmed from their laughter.

Perrie blushed once again. "I do not!" She denied. A small period of silence followed before the pale girl added something else. "But, just theoretically," she began, "do you think she likes me too?" The blonde asked eagerly.

"Well, maybe we would've known if you would have let us follow through with our question!" Leigh-Anne grumbled, recalling back when she and Jesy had been alone with Jade and were asking her about her likeness towards Perrie, while the said blonde was outside the window, listening very intensely.

Perrie suddenly realized that she never explained why she didn't let Jade finish her answer on that faithful day.

"Oh," she started, "yeah, uh. There's a reason as to why I did that... It's very good too." The pale teen stalled. Perrie was having trouble putting her reasoning into words.

"We're waiting," Jesy said, placing her hands on her hips while Leigh copied.

"I, uh. I didn't want Jade to feel... Um, pressured into admitting... Er, something she doesn't want to." Perrie finished, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Oh," Leigh-Anne dropped her arms. "Now I feel like a proper arsehole."

Perrie chuckled. "Don't worry 'bout it too much guys. I didn't think about it until like, the second before Jade said something."

It didn't take much more walking for Jesy to reach her destination, and then Leigh-Anne, eventually leaving Perrie to walk to her house on her own.

--

Perrie flopped onto her bed, wrapping herself in her blankets as she did. The blonde sighed heavily as she took in the comfort and warmth of her bed. Perrie felt herself begin to doze off, when suddenly a blaring ring shocked her out of her bed. She whipped her head towards the source of the disturbance. Perrie watched as her phone jolted against her bed stand once again, notifying her that someone had texted her.

Rolling her eyes, Perrie grabbed her phone and looked through her messages.

Jesminda:

Hiya pez. Can't come over to jades tmrrw. Mum wants to have a spa day.

Perrie shrugged mentally, knowing Jesy couldn't control her mother's plans and that she and her mum could probably use a day off.

Me:

Ight. Tell ur mum I said he
*hey

The blonde scrolled over to her next notification, seeing it being from Leigh-Anne.

Lee-Lee:

i can't make it to jade's house. I need to babsit for my cousin.
*babbysit
**babyshit
Wtf
******babysit

Perrie giggled softly and replied back quickly.

Me:

Cool. Try not to shit on the babies for me, yeah? Thanks

Perrie honestly didn't really mind the absence of her two best friends. After all, that just meant more alone time with Jade.

After carelessly tossing her phone onto her bed stand and then quickly picking it back up to make sure it's okay, Perrie eased herself back onto her bed and waited for sleep to take her over.

--

Perrie flopped out of bed like a fish out of water.

A thin layer of sweat coated her body and a steady, salty stream of tears leaked down her face.

Sniffing loudly to unblock her synesis, Perrie groaned and wiped her eyes pitifully before making her way to the bathroom.

The blonde stared at her bloodshot eyes and cringed.

Why am I crying anyway? Perrie questioned, frustrated at her reaction.

It was just a dream... Or rather a memory- Point still stands! The blonde thought to herself.

Perrie rubbed her eyes as if she could rub away the memory of her dream. Unfortunately the images were tattooed to her eyelids. She squeezed her eyes shut as the images kept revolving around and around her head. A uncontrollable sob escaped from her throat that was soon followed by another and another. The blonde gripped the sides of the sink counter hard enough for her knuckles to turn into a sick pale color.

The wave of nostalgia and longing her dream had brought her was taking a greater toll on her than she thought it would.

Stop crying! Perrie demanded herself. He died 3 years ago! Why aren't I over this yet?!

Despite her effort to calm herself, the tears kept rolling down her face. They were picking up speed too, splashing into the sink below her as her brain replayed the dream over and over again.

"D-dad," Perrie sobbed pitifully, "why'd you have to go?" She wept into the silentness of the bathroom.

Images of her father caring a young Perrie on his shoulders as he took her for ice cream and memories of when she came out to her parents with him hugging her while claiming that he always knew it.

The blonde cupped her face as her knees buckled under her. She slid down to the cool tiles of the bathroom floor, sobbing into her hands, tasting the salty tears leaking into her mouth.

--

The alarm that Perrie had set up the night before was the one thing that took her out of her depressive cycle.

Gonna see Jade today!!! :O :DDD

Her phone read. Looking at it, Perrie couldn't help but smile. She picked up the object and turned off the blaring app.

Gonna see Jade today. She thought as she found the strength to unravel her legs and stand on them, although she was a bit wobbly. 

Gonna see Jade today. Echoed through her mind as she washed away her tears and picked up her blue, dollar tree toothbrush.

Gonna see Jade today. She told herself as she tugged on her light grey sweatpants.

Gonna see Jade today. Perrie promised herself as she stepped out her house and began the walk to the brunette.