32. Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-One
Rory
A fter cleaning myself up, changing my underwear, and brushing through my tangled hair, I sit on one of the benches in the staff room and call Chrissie, hoping that she's not busy because I'm desperate to talk to her about everything that's going on inside my head at the moment.
"Hey, girlie! To what do I owe the pleasure?" she says as soon as the call connects.
"I need to talk to you about so many things, Christine."
"Oh God. You used my full name. Okay, this is serious. Let me get comfy." I hear a load of movement on the other line, a rustling of a bag, and the opening of a can. "Okay, I'm ready. Hit me with it."
"Did you just open a drink and snacks?" I ask her.
"Yeah, obviously. Now come on, tell me everything."
I shake my head and sigh before spilling my guts.
I tell her about my growing feeling for Jaylen, I mention the previous kiss we shared, and how he comforted me and calmed me down after I freaked out.
I tell her about the flowers, and how I've told him the truth about who I am, and then I tell her about us grinding all over each other and getting ourselves off .
She gasps and then curses while I sit in the empty staff room, chewing on the inside of my cheek as I wait for her to say something.
When she stays silent, my stomach churns and my hands start to sweat.
"Chrissie, please say something."
A beat later, she starts cackling so loudly I have to pull my phone away from my ear.
"Why are you laughing?"
Asking her that was a mistake, because she begins to laugh even harder, practically screaming down the phone.
I roll my eyes as I wait for her to calm down, and after what feels like forever, she finally stops laughing and instead begins to sniffle.
"Are you crying now?" I ask, confused as to what is happening to my best friend.
"I'm sorry, it's my hormones, they're all over the place," she replies, sobbing through the phone.
"I'm so happy for you. I know I don't sound it, but I really am, Aurora.
I'm over the moon that you've found a connection with someone that seems worthy of you, and I'm just so glad that you're finally happy. "
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"So, you think this is a good thing?"
"Yes," she states, taking a deep shaky breath as she finally starts to calm herself down.
"You deserve to be happy. You deserve to have someone that will look after you, protect you, cherish you, and help you.
I'm so glad you've finally found that. I'd also like to take credit for all of this because it was my idea to send you to London, and if it wasn't for me, none of this would be happening. "
"I guess you can take credit for it when you put it like that."
We both laugh with each other, and then I sigh as I stand up from the bench and look at the time on the clock, realising I should probably get back to work.
"Any updates for me before I go?"
"You're in a good place, Aurora. Let's not think about anything else for now, okay? Just enjoy what's happening where you are and forget everything here. If you need to know something, you know I'll tell you."
"Okay, well I'm gonna head back out, but I'll probably call you again later or tomorrow."
We bid each other goodbye and then I end the call put my phone back in my pocket.
As I'm about to walk out of the staff room, Lola walks in with watery bloodshot eyes, and when she sees me, she bursts in to tears, crumbling to the floor.
I rush over to her, and awkwardly pat her back as she sobs into her hands.
"Are you okay?"
I mentally facepalm at my stupid question.
"He was married!" she shrieks.
For a moment, I'm shocked and confused, but then I connect the dots and realise she must be on about the guy that she's been seeing.
She continues to cry in front of me, and I hopelessly look around the empty room, praying that there was somebody here who could help me because I feel useless in this situation.