Somebody That I Used to Know

Three Days Later

It hadn’t taken Mum long to get my tickets organised, that next morning I walked out into the kitchen to find all the information I needed printed out and sitting there waiting for me to read. I had two and a half days to get ready for my trip, and now here I am sitting in the waiting area of Heathrow Airport, my tickets clasped tightly in my hands hand luggage by my ankles as Mum and Dad were wandering around grabbing a coffee and something to munch on. I was too squeamish to eat.

Was I doing the right thing?

Of course I was. I shook my head and leant down to pull out a novel from my handbag. I had opened to the first page and began to read when my mobile tinkled in my pocket. Reaching into my jean pocket I produced my severely damaged phone and unlocked the screen finding a new message from Lisa.

I miss you already, she finished the message with a little smiley of a face crying, it tore at the chords of my heart and I quickly dialled her number. It was three rings before she picked up.

“Hello,” her voice was rough, she had been crying.

“Hey Lis,” I greeted in a soft voice, a sob resounded on the line and I looked down at my book. “Don’t cry.”

“That’s like saying don’t breathe, I can’t help it,” a light laugh left her lips and I smiled.

“Lisa, I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I know but I just don’t want you to go.”

“Lisa…” I began but heard Liam’s voice in the background. I went very silent when I heard him ask what was wrong.

It was silent for a while and a muffle on the mobile as it was pressed against some sort of material, I heard mumbling but nothing I could make sense of. Before I knew what was going on Liam was speaking into the phone.

“You’re leaving?” his voice was light and I heard another sob from Lisa, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.

“Yes, just for a while… I just need some space… some timeout.” I stumbled over my words trying not to sound offensive.

“Why, I thought everything was getting better?” he sounded genuinely confused as he spoke into the phone. I sighed and a tried to smile.

“It was… but something happened and I just need to get out of here.”

“What could have happened that would make you want to leave your friends,” his tone was harsher like he was starting to get annoyed with me. I heard Lisa whisper his name, it was very quiet but I still heard it.

“Liam please I don’t need you to be mad at me too, having Harry mad at me is enough, I don’t want to make anyone else hate me.”

“Charlotte you’re not making sense, why is Harry mad at you, he’s crazy about you.”

“Liam, I don’t have time to fill you in on what happened all I can tell you is that I am at a state where getting away and having time to myself is the only way I am going to be able to move forward.”

“You’re speaking gibberish what are you trying to say? Why are you leaving?”

“Because I want to, because I love Niall, because I hurt Harry unintentionally and because everything is so fucked up that I need to get out of here and go home!” I nearly yelled into the phone. The line went silent there was a shuffling sound before Lisa’s voice spoke into the line.

“I’m sorry Lottie,” she sobbed.

“No don’t be sorry, what are you sorry for? If anyone should be sorry-”

“They’re coming,” it was my turn to be silent, my voice stopped and my breathing almost stopped.

This isn’t what was supposed to happen.

I was supposed to be in Australia when they found out.

Not this.

“W-what do you mean they are coming?” I asked praying that the answer she gave me wasn’t the one I was thinking.

“I mean… they, we, are all coming,” my heart plummeted and a feeling of nausea washed over me, “I’m sorry…”
“How did-”

“Liam put you on loud speaker… They hadn’t heard from you in three days, they were getting worried…” she trailed off before whispering, “Especially Harry, his reaction when you said he was mad at you.”

“No! I don’t need this, not now Lisa… I can’t have them here… it’s hard enough leaving you how do you think it will be when I see them all again? There was a reason I hadn’t contacted them.”

“I’m sorry…” her voice was a whisper, I pulled my phone away from my ear and hit the end call button before chucking my phone in my bag as well as my novel. I slouched down in my seat and closed my eyes. I tired deep breathing but nothing was calming me. I jumped to my feet and walked to the nearest bathroom. Entering I bent down and made sure there was no other woman in there.

All clear.

It was then that I let the loudest scream erupt from my lips, walking over to the basins I started the water up and splashed my face.

This was going to be hard.



After my screaming fit I walked out of the bathroom, Mum and Dad were seated on one of their chairs as they munched on a sandwich.

“There she is…” Dad smiled as he got up and smiled walking over to me and wrapping one of his arms around my shoulders. I tried to smile as convincingly as I could as I looked up at him, I saw the way his smile faltered but he chose to say nothing.

I sat down next to Mum my stomach was doing flips and my hands were shaking, I hid them in the pockets of my jeans and tried to calm my breathing as I waited.

“Are you alright Lottie?” I turned my head and looked at Mum, her eyes locked with mine. I nodded my head and smiled.

“Yeah, I’m fine… just a little nervous… it’s gonna be a long flight, that’s all.”

Mum chuckled before speaking, “You’ll be alright Honey.”

I nodded my head and turned my attention back to where people were entering the waiting area my palms slick with sweat.



Time passed quickly and before I knew it my flight was being called over the PA, I got to my feet grabbing my bag. I looked at Dad and Mum before pulling them into a hug, my eyes filled with tears, I swallowed hard and tried to force them down.
“Oh, Lottie, you’ll be alright,” Mum soothed as she cupped my face with her hands and wiped the moisture from my cheeks. I nodded my head and mumbled a yeah. Dad wrapped a strong around me and placed a kiss on the top of my head.
“Now you be good for Nana Squirt, help her out as much as you can.”
“I will, I will be sure to go see Gran as well,” Mum nodded her head tears shined in her eyes and I pulled her to me squeezing her tightly.

Pulling away I looked at the two of them before saying goodbye once more and walking toward the desk where a woman stood a smile plastered across her painted face.

“LOTTIE!” I turned and there of black before her arms wrapped around tightly and she broke down into sobs on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her shoulder and held her tightly the tears that I was holding in spilling onto my cheeks, a strangling sensation took over my throat as I tried to hold in my sobs, when the pain became unbearable I let the fall from my lips. Pulling away from Lisa I looked into her dark eyes, her eyeliner was smudged under her eyes and her lashes were clumped together.

“I’m gonna miss you Lis…”

“I’m gonna miss you to Lottie,” she sobbed. I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning I saw Louis was standing behind me; looking at the guys I saw that all of them had glassy eyes. I wiped my eyes quickly and reached up pulling Louis into a hug, “Watch them while I’m gone…” I whispered into his ear, nodding his head he mumbled an okay in my ear and I squeezed him tightly before pulling away and reaching out for Zayn and Liam pulling the two of them into hugs. “Be good,” I stated gaining pained chuckles from them. I smiled and looked at Liam then at Lisa.

“Be good to her.” He nodded his head before grabbing her and wrapping her arms around her waist and kissing the top of her head. I inhaled deeply and turned to look at the two males who were standing there, Harry had his hands in his jean pockets while Niall was kicking the ground with his shoe and biting his bottom lip. Hesitantly I walked over to the two of them I wrapped my arms around Niall, his arms encircled around my waist and I felt the tears on his cheek as he buried his face into the crook of my neck and exhaled shakily.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed as I held him, he shook his head violently before speaking.

“You shouldn’t be sorry, I should be… because of me you’re leaving.” My heart broke at the tone of his voice.

“No, I fucked up pretty bad as well Ni…” I reassured him. He drew me closer and I had to be strong and not melt under his touch, “Be good while I’m gone… I’ll be keeping tabs…” A chuckle left his lips and I pulled away from him seeing his tears made me tear up again, I reached out and wiped them from his eyes and kissed his cheek sweetly. “and if you find someone else that might be the one don’t let her get away…take your chance with her,” he shook his head and went to speak but I shook my head silenced him, “Don’t wait, promise,” hesitantly he nodded and uttered and alright I smiled a watery smile as much as It pained me and unwrapped my arms from around him, his arms dropped from around me and I walked over to Harry who was looking at the ground, I bit my lip debating if I should hug him, before I had a chance to decide on anything he had reached out and grabbed my arm pulling me flush against him as he squeezed me tightly.

“I’m sorry Charlotte, I over reacted, I didn’t mean anything I said, please don’t leave because of me and my anger, I just… I love you so much that it…” his words we light as he whispered in my ear as if he didn’t want anyone else to hear, the tears fell again and I cursed I was sick of crying but he wasn’t making it easy for me. He just admitted he loved me and I didn’t feel the same, my emotions were a mess and I didn’t know what I felt anymore so all I could do was hug him tightly. “It just hurt to know that you would never love me as much as I love you…”

“Harry, now isn’t the time to be admitting this, maybe when I come back and you still feel the same then I will consider it… until then don’t wait for me, neither of you should find someone else, find a girl who will treat you right…”

“I don’t want to.”

“Harry, promise me you will,” he shook his head his curls tickling my face, “You have to otherwise I’ll have to whoop your arse,” I teased trying to stay light and not show a hint of pain.

“I don’t care, I will wait for you.” I sighed and squeezed him before uncoiling myself from him. Turning around I waved said my last goodbye before walking toward the terminal, turning around once more I waved to my friends.

My family.

Before disappearing out of sight and onto the plane.
The tears that were spilling from their eyes tore me apart but I had to do this. I swallowed took a deep breath and continued onto the plane.

Australia here I come.