A Cherry Sunset

My pulse hadn’t stopped racing since I booked my flight, even during the several hour delays and waits I had to sit through. As much as I hated planes, I wasn’t that anxious for the actual ride. I just wanted to be in Sheffield already. My heart jumped into my throat when I found one voicemail on my phone after I finally landed in Manchester. It was from Oliver.

“Hey Emileh. I was realleh wantin’ teh talk teh yeh. ‘S been a while. Mostleh meh fault, I suppose. I’m serreh, Em. Please call meh back, soon. I miss yeh.”

There was a long pause where all I could hear was his breathing, and then the message ended. I frowned and bit my bottom lip. I really wanted this whole thing to be a bit of a surprise, but there was no way in hell I was going to be able to find Oliver on my own in fucking England. I sighed before scrolling through my contacts quickly.

“’Ey, this is Tom. Leave a message.”

I groaned and tried again.

“’Ello! I can’t answer the phone cause meh boyfriend’s home an’ we’re too busy fuckin’ teh answer this bloodeh thing! Try again la’er sweets.”

I scrunched my nose up. That was definitely December. I sighed as I closed my phone and tucked it into my pocket. I could attempt calling the rest of Horizon’s members, but I was sure I’d get just about the same response.

I was still trying to wonder how I was going to get anywhere as I went to pick my luggage up. It took a damn good hour to fucking find my bag and grab it. I managed to find a jacket in one of the stores at the airport and I quickly pulled it on before trudging outside.

Of course, the wind cut right through the jacket like I wasn’t even wearing it. I was surprised by the lines of taxi cabs. It looked more or less just like when I came out of the New York airport. I smiled at that, but my thoughts were interrupted by my phone vibrating in my back pocket.

I hurriedly fumbled for it before I was able to see the name. Oliver. I breathed in deep before answering it.

“Hey Oli!” I tried to act as casual as I could, but it was an epic failure.

“Em? Yeh okay?” I smacked myself mentally for letting the nickname slip. It always seemed to happen when I was trying to keep something from him.

“I’m fine, just fine. I was taking a walk is all. The phone vibrating scared me just a bit.” I rambled and then closed my eyes. Keep it together, Hale!

“Jumpy, are yeh?” He chuckled softly and I sighed with relief. “’S there somethin’ yeh want teh say, Em?”

I swallowed hard and looked towards the sky. “Uh, no. Nope. Nothing out of the normal.”

He chuckled again. “How’s yeh California visit coming?”

“Brilliant.” I smiled and snickered a little myself.

“’Ow long are yeh stayin there again?” His curious tone made my stomach flutter around.

“Um, I’ve got vacation for the next four weeks still, but I don’t think I’ll last that long here. I’ll probably go back in a few days.”

“Back teh New York, then?”

“Yeeeaaah.”

“Why’d yeh make tha’ sound funneh?” He laughed and I bit my bottom lip as I looked around at all the cabs.

“I don’t know. I’m tired and I’m anxious.”

“Anxious?” Nice going Emily.

“You know, big crowds make me a little anxious.” I fibbed and started toward a cab. My shoulder was starting to ache from the weight of my bag.

“Big crowds? Em, we were on Warped fuckin’ Tour together. Yeh’re not afraid of crowds. What’s goin’ on?” Oliver questioned worried and I started to panic. I was only moments away from ruining the surprise and just blurting my feelings. I wasn’t much for surprises anyway. I did, after all, still need someone to guide me to Sheffield and then to wherever Oliver was. I suppose it wouldn’t make much of a difference any more. “Emileh?”

“I’m here, Oliver.” I chirped in as I stepped into the street to get to an empty cab. “I’m actually here here.” I restated and saw the lights from the corner of my eye. My arm went out instinctively and my body tensed. The impact still hit me on my right side and knocked me back into the front of another cab. I hit the hood with enough force to knock the phone out of my hand. My head slammed against the hood too, making my vision a little blurry.

I wanted to pick the phone back up and tell Oliver how I had come to see him, but that was impossible. I was barely able to sit up, let alone talk or grab my phone. I could make out the figures walking toward me hurriedly and the loud voices asking if I was okay.

I winced at the pain in my hip and closed my eyes. This can’t happen! I felt someone’s hands around my neck, trying to lift my head. “Miss? Miss, are yeh okay? Miss? Miss!”

I felt like crying, both from the pain and the fear. I whispered the only thing that brought me comfort. “Oliver.”