Free Falling

Chapter Thirty-Two

I'm not at all surprised when the twitterverse is buzzing the following day with pictures of Michael out with the female lead of another band, the sightings giving life to the rumor mill and gossip hounds alike.

I'm not at all surprised when my phone stays quiet, no texts or calls lighting up the screen.

I'm not at all surprised that sleep didn't come easy, that the ache in my chest has grown, that no amount of crying or alcohol could dull my senses.

I am surprised when I arrive into work and am called into a meeting.

I am surprised when I'm offered a permanent position in the Florida location of my company.

I am surprised when I hear myself accept the position without hesitation.

The next few weeks are full of plans. Plans to pack, plans to tie up loose ends, plans to start over. The next few weeks are also full of silence. No calls, no texts... just silence.

When February 1st came, I found myself unpacking and settling into my new home in Florida. The sunshine, the palm trees, everything, just making the move that much easier.

By June I had established a core group of friends that I could count on in Florida to make the time when I wasn't working more enjoyable, to make the empty feeling in the shape of a ceratin someone, almost disappear. It was on one of those nights where the company was great and the drinks were flowing and the warmth of the sun plus the buzz of the liquor seemed to go straight to my head, that the overwhelming emptiness came crashing back in with the single strike of a chord over the radio waves.

My friends got up and danced in their tipsy haze, singing along with every word, laughing as they stumbled, while I- I couldn't breathe past the growing coldness in my chest.

"Come on, Charlie! Dance, girl! This song is meant to be danced to!" urged my friend Cady.

I gave a weak smile and shook my head, taking another sip of my drink.

"I can't wait to see them in concert!" Dell shouted over the music.

"I bet theyre SO good live!" Cady gushed as the song played on.

"They are," I whispered into my drink as the radio station announcer said "that was 5 Seconds of Summer with She Looks So Perfect. They'll be heading to our great state this fall and you can win tickets here on 93.3 FLP!"

"Charlie, you have to come with us to the concert! It'll be so much fun!" gushed Dell.

Stuttering through a half-hearted excuse I'm stopped by Cady with a hand over my mouth, "You're coming, no excuses."

I roll my eyes and pull her hand off my mouth as Dell laughs in triumph, pulling out her phone to look up on-sale times and dates for the tickets.

"What the hell!" Dell growled out, "The tickets are all sold out! When the heck did they go on sale?!"

"What?! Nooo" Cady groaned.

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was pure insanity, but I grabbed an open bottle, excused myself to the bathroom, locked the door, sunk down to the floor and pulled out my phone.

My thumb hovered over the call button for a good few seconds before I took a deep breath and pressed it.

"Hullo?" came a gruff voice over the line.

"Hi" I softly said in response.

"Who's this?"

"Charlie"