30 Days

Papers were flying everywhere when I heard the key slide into the lock. Quickly, I scrambled to catch all of them before Stacey caught sight.

My lyrics were a work in progress, and I like them personal until they're finished.

So, as fast as I could, I raced around the room catching all the crumpled scraps, and valuable scribbles before the door flew open to reveal not two, but three people. Confused, and momentarily dazed, I snatched a soaring scrap on the fly only to be rewarded my a small gash tearing my pinky.

I threw the papers in my hands up in surprise, "Crap!"
I stuck it in my mouth to be greeted by a taste that made me cringe, but I had to suck it up as the three females made their way across the foyer and into the living room.

I'm almost positive I stood out like a sore thumb in the midst of Stacey's surprisingly clean living room, just a red plaid mess in her delicately placed yellow decor. Although, it wasn't until after coats, scarves and other winter necessities were shed that I was finally looked upon with rather differentiated expressions.

Stacey gave me a sorry look, partly from the mess of her living room behind me, and for what she knew would follow.

Amelia, seemingly unphased by the atmosphere in the room, skipped along over to me and grabbed my hand, tugging me down in her direction.
"Talk to huh?" she whispered in my hear, after smelling my hair.

I sighed, this was not how I planned this to go.

Amelia took that as her cue to go grab June's hand and drag her along with me into her room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stacey head towards my sad mess, only after eye-ing our direction.

The butterflies erupted in my stomach as Amelia incessantly tugged on our hands, guiding us through the large apartment.

All the while, it was silent except for the vacuum going off in the living room.

Too afraid to say anything, I kept quiet, hoping she would too. Of course, she was never one to do as she was told.

"Hey."

I looked at her sideways, "Hi."
I honestly didn't mean to sound so fresh, but on the battle field, there's not that much to work with.

She sighed.
She stopped in her tracks.
She knelt down.

"Amelia?"

She grinned as the little girl let go of her iron grasp on our wrists. Instead, plopping both chubby hands on June's knees and giving her a peck on the forehead. I creased my eyebrows, wishing it was me, not Amelia.

"Mmhmm?" The little girl smiled as she tinkered with her lacey top.

"Can I talk to Chrissy alone, please?"

At this, both me and Amelia shot our attention towards her. The little girl seemed to answer for both of us as she nodded ferociously, pecked June's forehead and my tattooed hand, and retraced her steps back to the living room.

Refusing to say anything until she started, half afraid of getting her angry again but mostly the lack of communication skills in an awkward situation, I traced the anchor on the had Amelia had pecked.

"Listen.."June started hastily, placing a gentle hand on my arm. I looked at my arm and at the girl in front of me.

The girl that I had gone crazy over for weeks, no, months on end.
The girl that had waited for me when I told her I'd be back in a few days.
The girl that I had let down when I did nothing to stay connected for the real months I went missing.
The girl that stands in front of me now.

I shook my head. "No, you should."
She took back her arm slowly, her expression pained.

It remained quiet as she waited for me to continue.

"You didn't give me a chance to talk before, so please, just give me this." I looked at her pleadingly.

A simple nod gave me my cue.

"I know saying, 'It wasn't you, it's me,' it's going to cut it, but it's true." I paused. She let out an acknowledged, "Hrmph" to let me continue.

"I know I left. I know I never called, but did you honestly think, even for one second doubt, that you weren't on my mind all the time?" I started to talk faster, gaining speed with my train of thought.

"I know you're dying to say, 'Get out of here, I don't need you in my life anymore,' and you have all the right to, and if i was in your position, let's not lie, I definitely would, but you weren't the only one hurt in all this too." I sucked in air, finished, surprised at the light feeling in my chest after it was all in the open.

June's head was bowed, and I took that as an 'OK' to leave the area. So, I dug my hands deep and headed down the hallway.

My slippers echoing in the wide space was the only sound, that was, until more clicks followed mine, and a force turned me around quickly and wrapped their arms tightly around my torso. I was confused until a tuft of black hair got caught in my mouth.

June.

I wrapped my arms reluctantly around her small frame, and I felt her arms flex, squeezing me impossibly tighter, and uttered the first mellow words she'd spoken to me in more than half a year.

"I'm sorry."