The Next Best Thing

Chapter 17

Song of the chapter: I Miss You (Cover) - 5 Seconds of Summer

The drive from La Guardia back to the city was the longest and most dreaded. The typical city noises tried but failed miserably to block out the thoughts swirling in my head. I sought after my iPod, plugging in my earphones and turning up the volume, only to drown in a sudden flood of tears as Mitchell's favourite songs flowed from the playlists saved on it.

I must have been choking out the tears now - the cab driver cast me a confused glance from the rear-view mirror, his eyes darting to my blotchy face and puffy, red eyes. I flashed him a small, awkward smile before paying him, jumping out of the car. I didn't need sympathy for something I'd screwed up on my own.

I walked up the few flight of stairs leading up to the doorman manned door to Tyler's swanky apartment building, who tipped his head in recognition and offered to help with my luggage.

"No thanks, Charles," I declined, avoiding the darling old man's steely gaze.

I took the elevator up to her home, applying a rational amount of make-up to conceal my dishevelled appearance. She greeted me in her silk, comfy looking bed clothes, her blonde hair tied up in a neat pony. How she managed to look this good so early in the morning, I could never begin to understand.

"Hey you. I was contemplating picking you up but I didn't know what time you'd land," she said, helping me with my bags.

I made a beeline for the kitchen, feeling hungry all of the sudden. Having starved myself for almost two days because yes, all types of food reminded me of Mitchell, I craved some comfort food.

"Do you have any ice-cream?" I grabbed a spoon from the cutlery rack.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure Mitch and Min didn't finish it all last night," she answered, perching on her black marbled countertop. "Or at least I hope they didn't. There was something off about Mitchell, but Min was just Min. The appetite on that girl is very fascinating."

So they had come over and he was upset. Great. I zoned out after the mention of him, my heart sinking further into the dejected and darkened abyss of my depressed soul. "Mitchell? He was here?" I asked, tightly clutching the refrigerator door keeping me steady.

"Yup. Aidan invited himself over to devour all my food and the rest just happened to flock over here too. You missed them. They left at I'm guessing the same time you arrived and should be in Chicago right now."

I felt tears trickle down my face, landing on my light lace sweater. I quickly wiped them away and sucking in a deep breath, I muttered an "Oh".

I grabbed the family sized cookies and cream flavoured ice-cream staring at me. I was going to need it, my trusty Häagen-Dazs, perfect for making you feel better than shit on the inside.

...

Tyler left a few hours later, promising to call as soon as she arrived in Los Angeles for a magazine photo-shoot. She'd asked me to housesit, which was why I was sprawled on her silk couch, munching on Chinese takeout at noon and watching Pretty Woman.

I was on my second box of Kleenex, the coffee table cluttered with used tissues damp with tears. I'd taken a break from the showers to grab more food a few blocks away and to buy more tubs of ice-cream, Ty's supply having been exhausted by my stress-eating.

The credits were rolling when I heard my phone ringing upstairs, the ringtone I'd assigned to Rae reverberating through the empty apartment. I wasn't really in the mood to go for any poetry slams or having lunch with her - I waited for it to go to voicemail before dragging myself to the guest bedroom.

I picked my phone up, dreading the sound of her calm and collected voice: 'Babe, I need you. I'll be over in ten and I want you to pack some overnight clothes. I'll explain when I get there.'

Oh god, I exclaimed. Where was she taking me this time? I really didn't need to be road-tripping in my state of vulnerability.