Running into the player

Chapter 23 - Grief

CHAPTER 23

My phone slips out of my hand, falling to the ground. I barely notice anything around me, time stops still and I can hear my heartbeat thumping painfully loud in my ears. My mum? It can't be true, it just can't be. I feel a hand on on my shoulder, I don't flinch or move, I stay standing there with wide eyes.

"Callie, you dropped your phone. What's wrong?" I hear Nat's voice, it sounds as if he's another world away when in reality he's standing right in front of me. I don't answer, I can't answer, I just can't get my mouth to form words. "Callie, please answer me." I blink and my eyes lock with his, my breathing picks up and I know i'm about to cry. My phone starts ringing again and I snatch it from Nat's hand, ending the call without looking at who it is. I find Nat's eyes again in a failing attempt to make him understand without words. A sob rattles in my chest and I burst, tears spilling from my eyes and loud sobs escaping from my lips.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Everett's booming voice bounces around the basically silent office. "Callie? What's happened? Nathaniel?" His tone changes immediantly, turning soft and worried. A tone I had never heard from Everett before. Tears blind me, blinking them away only to have more gush out.

"I don't know, she just broke down." Nat tells Everett, stroking my arm in a comforting way.

"Callie, listen to me." It was Everett now, standing next to me I was guessing. "Do you want to come into my office?" I shake my head, I want to run away and hide forever. I hear him sigh and place a hand on the small of my back, warming me up immediantly despite my current state. "Please, tell me what's wrong." He pleads, worry making his voice sound so wrong.

"M-my m-mum." I gasp, trying to blink away more tears. His hand massages my back, telling me to keep speaking without the need for any words.

"What's happened? Is she okay?" Nat asks, causing me to sob louder than I already was. I drag in a shaky breath.

"She's d-dead!" I cry, my whole body shaking with the grief I am stricken with. I don't want to be here, I need to leave. I will my legs to move and stumble towards the lift, ignoring the hand I assume to be Everett's try to grab me back. I get into the lift, relieved when the door closes without anyone else stepping in. As soon as the lift doors open I'm out of there, running like a mad woman out of the front entrance. I breifly hear Beth call out to me but I ignore her, running until my legs give out under me.

*Everett's POV*

I watch as she crumbles, sobbing loudly as I try my best to calm her down. If someone's done this to her I swear to god they better hope I don't find them! She stutters on her words and takes in a breath, shaking uncontrollably.

"She's d-dead!" The words spill from her mouth, I instantly regret everything I have ever done to hurt her. All I want is to hold her in my arms and assure her everything will be okay. She turns suddenly and stumbles towards the lifts, I reach for her hand to pull her back but Nathaniel pushes me away.

"Leave her, it's what she needs." He says, not looking at me but at the now closed lift door. How can he let her run away? She doesn't know where the hell she's going, she could be killed! Everyone knows she's a magnet for trouble, I can't just leave her alone at a time like this.

"I can't just leave her!" I snap, wary of every person in the office staring at me. I couldn't care less what they thought right now, my girl's just had her heart broken. Hold up! My girl? "My office." I say, turning around before Nathaniel could answer me. "Get back to work!" I growl at the rest of the stunned office workers before stalking angrily into my office. I spin around and see Nathaniel closing the door, standing awkwardly in front of me.