Emotionally released

POV

Millie

Three years of pent-up frustration and despair were just released. I couldn't hold it in for a second longer as it was boiling over uncontrollably, spewing like a volcano and the pressure has finally been set free.

Steph has tears falling rapidly from her eyes as mine have stopped.

My heart is still going a mile a minute from my breakdown, I inhale and exhale the warm California air into my lungs as I feeling a weight has been lifted.

"Okay, I'm done," I say to Steph.

She doesn't say anything, just grabs onto me tightly and cries.

"I'm sorry you felt this way in solidarity Emily, I'm so sorry, I should've been there for you more," She sobs.

"No Steph, I did this to myself, you have nothing to be sorry for," I explain, now consoling her, the two of us are an actual train wreck.

Steph wipes away her tears, "so now what?" She asks shrugging her shoulders.

"Well for starters, I need a new phone," I laugh, surprising myself.

"Yeah, I'll say," Steph says rolling her eyes.

"And I need to find a hotel or something, I'm gonna stay the night here in San Diego," I explain and she nods her head.

"I'll stay too," Steph demands.

I nod my head "Okay."

"Alright," I say standing up, "let's go then."

…

Because the cell phone store doesn't open until 9 am, a new phone is going to have to wait until later. What does it even matter? I'm with the only person in the world I need right now anyway.

We arrive at a nearby hotel that Steph insists on paying for, with an extra cost of extra early check-in.

After we're all checked in, we go to the room that we'll be sharing for the night. The hotel room is nothing like X's. It's just a standard room with two queen beds, a TV, a bathroom, and a few lamps that sit on small tables.

We're both overwhelmingly exhausted at this point from the lack of sleep, crying, and drama. The only thing we want and need at this point is sleep. I curl myself into the fetal position on one of the uncomfortable queen beds while Steph takes the other. I keep my back to her, while I silently cry myself to sleep, never taking X's hoodie off of me.

…

I wake up around 3 pm and my face feels as though it's burning and chapped from the salty tears. I groggily sit up rubbing my eyes, Steph is up and typing something away on her phone. She notices me and sets her phone down.

"Hey sleepy head, how are you feeling?" She asks hopeful.

"Wishing that the last 12 hours were just an awful nightmare?" I say quietly shrugging my shoulders.

She gives me a half smile "I know hun."

"Do you think I can use your phone?" I ask.

"Yeah, of course," she says handing me her iPhone.

"Thanks, I want to Facebook message my old neighbor Mr.Daniels, I promised his little girl I'd come back to visit and since I'm in San Diego, I figure I'll see them," I explain although she didn't ask.

"Makes sense," Steph says.

I log Steph out of her account and log myself into mine. I'm typing out a message when a text from Julian pops up at the top of her screen, I really don't mean to read it but the X in the message caught my eye.

Julian: it's going ok. X was a complete disaster when we got back up 2 the room. Never seen him like that, dunno where he went. How's Millie

My heart hurts reading that.

Where did he go? Why do I even care? Probably went to finish what he started with Aspen.

God that name just kills me now.

It takes everything in me not to cry again.

"Should we go get you a new phone now?" Steph asks.

I finish my message to Mr. Daniels and hand Steph her phone back.

"I think I'll just wait until tomorrow," I suggest.

She nods her head in agreement.

A few minutes pass and Steph tells me I have a Facebook message notification that popped up on her phone.

She hands me the phone, Mr. Daniels has messaged me back.

Hi Millie,

I think it would be very helpful if you came to see Isabella. She's been having a hard time lately. I think she may need a girl to talk to, something is bothering her and she won't tell me. She's not doing well in school anymore and the school counselor can't get her to talk either. She's always had a bond with you, can you see if you can get something out of her? I'm desperate at this point. I understand if you can't and just want to visit. We're free tonight or tomorrow night.

Poor Isabella, I'm not in much of a position to be giving any sort of heart-to-heart considering I'm the one in need lately but I'll sure as hell try to be there for her as best I can. It'd probably be good for me right now to fake happiness.

I send him a message back.

Of course, be there in an hour.