Love

Chapter 81:

I rest with my back on my door, sobbing. I hear a soft knock on the door. I wipe the tears from my cheeks and eyes with the heel of my hand.
"Come in," I mumble, standing up and walking over to my bed where I sit cross-legged. My mum opens the door slowly and then when she sees me, she sprints over and engulfs me in a huge hug. I hug her back and start bawling into her chest. She pats my back in a comforting way and keeps planting soft kisses on the top of my head.
"I got a call from Sargent Gallos, he told me everything." She says softly.
"I thought it was a joke. I thought some sick person was prank calling me!"
"Sweetie, it's okay, he's in a nice place now."
"Why'd he have to go mum?" I sob. She doesn't answer that, she just starts singing In Memory Of... by Silverstein in her amazing singing voice.

"Fighting tears, trembling voice straight to my ear
A moment I'll never forget
Someone I love, telling me someone I love
Had just been called to his reward
17, a leader of farther undared
We'll never be with him again

Take me down to the garden behind the old house
Sail away with me

Words can be the most beautiful or the most cold
I didn't know what to say
To a father who suddenly loses his son
I still think about that every day

Take me down to the garden behind the old house
Sail away with me."

I cuddle closer to her and close my eyes.
I wake up in bed. It's dark outside and when I glance at my clock it says it's 2:04 am. I groan and sit up. My stomach rumbles hungrily. I throw the covers back and notice I'm in my underwear and my favourite oversized t-shirt Charlie had given me when I slept over at his place once. It still smells like him. I blink back tears and stumble down the stairs sleepily. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, I realise that there is light coming from the kitchen already. I walk in and see Bradley standing at the fridge, peering in.
"Bradley." I whisper. He jumps and clutches his chest, laughing.
"Millie, you scared the shit out of me!" He whispers back. I smile and giggle quietly.
"Up for a midnight snack, hey?"
"Well, it seems you are too." I nod and flick the kitchen light on. I blink a few times before walking over to the pantry. I open it and notice three things...
1. A mouse had been eating the chips
2. We were running low on Nutella
3. Connor had left a shopping bag full of refrigerated groceries on shelf
I roll my eyes as I chuck the bag into the bin. Then I grab the bread, Nutella, and Doritos and place them on the bench. Bradley glances over at me and the ingredients and nods.
"Interesting combo." He admires. I laugh and shake my head.
"I'm having a movie marathon at 2 am, wanna join?" I ask. He nods his head and grabs a bottle of coke. We gather the stuff and run up stairs. We place the stuff down on the ground and I turn the TV and Xbox on.
"Wait, do you want to play Xbox, or watch?" I ask.
"Let's play a bit and then watch scary movies." He suggests. I nod and insert Street Fighter. I hand him a controller and hit play.
After playing for about an hour switching between my two favourite characters Cammy and Seth, I inserted the Scream DVD and we started watching.

I wake up to the sound of strong wind. I look around and notice I'm snuggled up with Bradley under my doona on the floor. I slowly get up and stretch. I look at the time.
9:38 am
I didn't have to go to school, but Bradley did. I jump onto him and start yelling.
"GET UP!!!! YOU'RE LATE!!!! REALLY FREAKING LATE!!!!!" I yell. Mum and Connor are both at work obviously because the house is silent. Bradley pushes me off him, jumps up and runs I into the bathroom. He starts the shower and gets in, leaving the door open. I scream and rub my eyes.
"Too much fucking information!!!" I wail. I hear him chuckle and turn off the shower. He dries off and runs into his room. He stumbles out with boxers on and attempting to get his jeans on. I laugh and run down the stairs after him. He manages to get them on and grabs $15. I grab an up and go for him out of the fridge and chuck it at him. He grabs his bag and is about to leave when I burst out laughing. He gives me a quizzical look and kisses my cheek.
"See you after school, behave yourself and if I don't see that Xander dude at school, I'll know exactly where he is!" He says.
"He's going to be at school, and aren't you forgetting something?" I look down at his perfectly chiseled body. He hasn't got a top on. Is it weird to think that my stepbrother is hot... Oh well, he is. Bradley laughs and runs upstairs for the last time, coming down in a fitted white t-shirt. He finally leaves and I have the whole house to myself.
I start my day of fun, by putting the radio on and singing at the top of my lungs to my favourite songs. A song called The Weigh Down by my favourite band The Amity Affliction comes on and I start screaming the screamo parts super loudly. I head bang and do some air guitar and scream. My phone rings half way through the song. I turn the radio down and my heart drops into my stomach as I see the caller ID.
Charlie's Mum
I reach for the phone with a shaky hand and answer it.
"Hello?" I say.
"Hello, sweetie, how are you?" I hear Charlie's mums warm voice.
"I'm okay, how about you?"
"I'm trying my best to get through this tough time, but I know I will. Now listen, we're going to have Charlie's funeral next week, and I know this is a big thing to ask, but would you like to come?" She asks. Tears brim my eyes and my bottom lip quivers as I start nodding.
"I would. I would love to come. It'd be what he wants."
"Oh, thank you so much Millie. We can pay for the plane ticket." I shake my head.
"No, no you can't and you won't. We've got enough money to do so, and you need to save your money for a relaxing spa that me and you are going to when I get to Australia, okay?" I hear her let out a sob.
"That would be lovely. I'll pay for the spa, I don't care what you say!" She laughs through sobs. I laugh as well, blinking back tears.
"Alright, I'll book my ticket now and should be there before Wednesday."
"Okay darling, take care."
"You too, Sally." I say. I hang up and sigh. Then turned the radio back up as Lips are Moving by Meghan Trainor came on. I danced around trying to forget the sad conversation I had just had and grabbed my MacBook Pro and searched up lowest air flight fares for Noosa. The lowest flight fare ended up being $1,132. I booked my seat and ordered my meals using my mums credit card. I was leaving on tomorrow, on Tuesday, at 2:30 am, which meant I had to leave home at about 12:30 am. I picked up my phone and texted Xander.
Me: hey, I'm going to Charlie's funeral. The plane leaves tomorrow night at 2:30 am, I know it's a big favour to ask, but could you drive me to the airport?
Xander: of course, are you sure you're okay to go? I can come if you want.
Me: I'll be fine, thanks, you don't have to come. It's probably something I have to do by myself.
Xander: do your parents know?
Me: no, but if I tell them, mum'll want to come and I don't want her to. Please don't tell
Xander: okay, but you're in debt to me and I have a pretty good way for you to pay it off 😈
Me: anything for you babe, thanks heaps xxoo
Xander: love you, xxoo
Me: love you too, and shouldn't you be paying attention and learning?!
Xander: oi! when I saw that you had texted me, I put my hand up and asked to go to the bathroom
Me: okay, get to class!
Xander: will do, have a good rest of the day and keep positive, cya! xxxxxooooo
I lock my phone and run up stairs. In my room I can still hear the music blasting so I song along as I grab my big sports bag that I kept from footy and chucked some clothes, underwear, bras, toiletries, 4 pairs of shoes (ugg boots, flats, heels, and runners), pyjamas, a brush and my hair straightener. Then I grabbed my purse and grabbed $1,000, storing it safely in a secret compartment. I zipped up my bag, shoved it back under the bed, and placed my purse on my bedside table. I grabbed a pen and paper and ran back downstairs where I then began to write Charlie's eulogy.