Disconnected

Ten

To: Animal Girl
From: Band Boy

I'm starting our new email chain, since you're on an airplane today.

Thanks for making time to see me in New York, AG, it means a lot to me. And thank you for telling me what you did about your past. I'm honestly flattered and honored that you found interest in me when so many people could have been that for you. And I hope to do my part as best I can in helping you move forward. At your pace. I've been fine being single, it never bothered me, and I am a far more patient man than most. So slowly working towards something does not frighten me. I hope you know by now that you can trust me and rely on me for anything.

Our new album comes out in 2 1/2 weeks. It's called CALM. That's why we were in New York, the songs at the show were mostly off the new album. I think you understood that Friday but I'm telling you anyway.

We have a bunch of stuff to finish for tour and a few last minute things like interviews and such before the album so I'll be plenty busy once we are home in LA. And I'm sure I'll have a few stories.

Oh, my friends really did like you. They think you're cool, and different, and a totally Calum girl, whatever the hell that is supposed to mean. The girls seemed particularly drawn to you, which is nice. I like that my best friends girls get along with the girl who will maybe (hopefully?) Someday be my girl.

Sierra did tell me you told them about T dying. Sorry they pried a bit, I promised you they wouldn't. I hope it wasn't too much of a tough conversation for you to have with them.

I'm in New York still. Headed home to LA tomorrow. (Too bad it wasn't the same flight)

Hope to see you again soon.

Calum, the band boy

To: Band Boy
From: Animal Girl

Antsy to chat there, BB? (If you're calling me AG, I'm definitely going BB) That's okay, I enjoy getting emails from you. I'm back in Sydney, and everything is basically the same. It's been three days (sorry, blame working in the sun and jet lag) and I almost feel like my three weeks away didn't happen. I have a routine here and it's nice, but also a bit weird, I'm always so on the go it's different to be stationed. But part of me likes the familiarity if it.

The girls were fine, don't feel bad for a second. They really love you too, I hope you know that. They asked about that birthday trip, if I'd gone with my ex. When I told them it was complicated their minds jumped to where I assume most would with my closed off and almost hostile answers. They asked if he had been abusive or toxic, and I had to defend him. So then they got all defensive of your heart. It was sweet actually, how much they love you. Once I managed to tell them he died, and that's what's complicated things they just hugged me. For a very long time.

I needed that. I didn't know I did until it happened, but I did. It's been a long long time since someone simply held me and let me be not okay. So thank them for me.

I already presaved your new album on my Spotify account. I really enjoyed the songs you guys played at the show. It's music T and I would have listened to together actually. That's a complement, I promise. He was a massive music fan, he got me in the habit of listening to every genre and style. When we would travel, and I still do this now too, we would listen to the playlist of artists from the country we were in. We wanted to know what the people around us were listening to, and what people in that country were making musically. I've found some of my favorite songs that way.

I was listening to a playlist called Aussie's under the radar on my flight here and my favorite song came on. I had no idea you were the power house band behind it. And it made it all the better and all the worse at the same time. It came out about a year after T died and when I heard it the first time I literally fell to the floor bawling. Someone understood what my heart was trying to say, the grief and loss I was feeling was so perfectly encapsulated in the lyrics and emotion of the song. So thank you, Calum, for writing Ghost of You. It gave my grief tangible life, a way to share my pain with someone else. Who could have predicted that just over a year and a half later I'd be falling for you.