I woke up the next morning with a pounding head. I made it through the day and then repeated what I did last night. Drank more alcohol and then went back to sleep.

This cycle repeated over the weekend until I woke up on Monday morning, yet again to a pounding head.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes and staring at the ceiling. I woke up at around one in the afternoon and I was in no mood to go anywhere or do anything to do. I've been drinking too much and it's starting to frustrate me how I have to drink and sleep to avoid thinking of her. I probably think of her when I'm drunk too, I'm just too drunk to remember it the next day.

I looked at the window which had the blinds covering it and could hear the downpour of the rain. I sighed, staring at the ceiling.

Then her words replayed in my head. "Logan International Airport. The flight is at 6:40 in the morning, I have a layover in Seattle, and I'll get to Kauai at around 4:45. Anything else you want to know?"

I sat up quickly, scratching my head. It's already noon. She's probably long gone now, isn't she? Even if I wanted to see her, I would have to wait until the next year of college starts in the fall. I groaned and stumbled to the bathroom, taking a shower and freshening up.

I put on black sweatpants with a black hoodie, pulled the hood over my head, moved to my kitchen, and ate cereal for lunch. I gave Whiskey his food and then put my empty bowl in the sink, staring at the clock.

Each tick felt like it was taunting me. Each tick represented an extra second added to the number of hours. The number of hours that it had been since she probably left for the airport, how late I was, and how much I was fucking regretting it.

I don't know what happened that first night I got drunk. I remember Indie being here and tucking me in bed, we might have kissed but I can't be sure if I was imagining that or if it really happened. But I miss her, I miss her so fucking much. Too much to bear.

I grabbed my phone off the counter and tucked it into my pocket, grabbing the apartment keys. "Whiskey, be good. I'll be back later."

He stared at me and then tilted his head to one side in confusion.

"I'm going to tell her I love her." Because I can't fucking take it anymore. I can't be away from her any longer, especially when I know it's only hurting the both of us. I know that she's probably on her way to Hawaii right now, I know she's probably not even home, I know that it's raining and I'm fresh out of the shower. But I also know that sometimes long flights are canceled because of the rain, and it is showering outside with thunder crackling every so often, and beams of lightning lit up the sky in blue every once in a while.

I climbed into the elevator, pressing the button to the lobby about a dozen times.

When I finally got there, I ran to the main door, being stopped by the security guard. "Take an umbrella, Reece." He offered one from the public stand.

I shook my head and pushed past him, running out onto our sidewalk and pushing past people with umbrellas, trying not to bump into anyone.

"Reece!"

I slowed down to a stop, looking to my right where Caleb's car was as he rolled the window down. "Where the hell are you going? It's fucking raining, get in the car!"

"I can't!" I shouted over the thunder.

"Why? What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm going to see Indie!"

He frowned in confusion. "She left! They went to the airport this morning. I spoke to Chloe! Get in the car!"

I shook my head again. "She may have had to come back if her flight was canceled!"

"Reece—"

"Caleb, go home!"

"You'll do something stupid again!"

"I won't!"

"Reece, please!"

"I promise, I won't! Go back home, I'll be fine!"

"What are you going to tell her?"

I walked over, leaning through his window, resting my arms on it. "That I love her."

He stared at me for a minute before scoffing. "Took you long enough."

I chuckled, standing upright and stepping back.

"I don't know if they're still there or if they left," he said.

"I'll check it out!" I continued running down and to her apartment building. I was let in by security pretty quickly. I squeezed into the elevator with an old lady and pressed the button to Indie's floor.

I could feel the lady watching me while I shivered and dripped water onto the floor, leaving a trail behind me.

I got to Indie's floor first and ran out and over to her apartment, ringing the doorbell three times in a row. I didn't even wait for an answer, I just started knocking my fist on the door. Then I rang the doorbell three more times when I didn't get a response.

"What maniac is doing that?!" I heard Chloe shouting.

"I'm checking," Indie laughed as the door opened. She turned to me, blinking in surprise while her smile fell off her face. "Reece," she mumbled.

"Can I come in?" I asked, feeling my teeth chatter. "Please?"

She stepped aside quickly and I walked in, taking my slides off by the door.

"What psycho was—" Chloe stopped, stomping out of her room. She froze in her tracks when she saw me and spun on her heels, going back into her room. "I'll wear headphones, go ahead," she smiled, closing her door.

"Let me get you a towel," Indie sighed, running to her room and coming out with a bubblegum blue towel. She handed it to me. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you. I didn't know if you left for Hawaii or not."

"You still came running here in the rain? Couldn't you have brought an umbrella at least? You'll catch a cold," she scolded, grabbing my sleeve and pulling me into her room.

"Why aren't you in Hawaii?" I asked, looking at her over my shoulder while she pushed me into her bathroom.

"Our flight was delayed." She walked to her closet and came back with a pair of my sweatpants and my t-shirt.

When did I give her those?

"It's been raining since last night, on and off. It was just delayed at first. We waited at the airport for four hours before canceling our tickets and coming back. We'll just book new ones when the weather clears up. They even gave us refunds. Reece, why are you here?"

"To see you." I put the towel on the counter and threw my hoodie over my head, changing right in front of her. When I started to tug my sweatpants down, she turned around and faced the other way.

"And why did you want to see me? All of a sudden?" She sounded frustrated, almost annoyed. She has every right to be.

I've been flipping like a switch for the past few days. I've drunk-dialed her numerous times and I've asked her to come over every single time I called. But she would always just talk to me until I fell asleep. "Yes, all of a sudden," I huffed.

"Why? What do you want from me now?"

I fixed the shirt and then watched her from behind.

"Is it not enough that I stay up with you on the phone every night and have been doing so for the past three days? That I have to come over sometimes and make sure you're not dangling from the rooftop again? That I have to call Caleb and make sure you're okay? You had to see me too now?" She laughed humorlessly. "Reece, I am getting exhausted. I had a chance to run to Hawaii today but fate doesn't agree. And I can't do it anymore." She turned back around.

"Because we broke up, didn't we? We ended whatever was happening between us, then why do I still have to come running to you whenever you need and want me to when you don't do the same for me?" She shook her head before I could even say anything. "Just tell me why you're here."

"I needed to see you. And if you were in Hawaii right now, I would have booked the next flight to come see you. That's how important it is."

She stood straighter, looking at me with curiosity and concern, the perfect mix of both on her face.

Why did I take so long to get over my fears and admit how I really feel? Both to her and myself? Why was it even something I had to think about? How could I think that not having her at all could be better than having her with a risk? Even if the risk is there, I'm prepared to give it my all, to try my hardest to make sure it doesn't. To keep her for as long as I can.

"Are you drunk again?" She frowned at me.

I shook my head, trapping her between me and her vanity.

"What are you doing?" She sighed, looking away from me to avoid my eyes.

I rolled my eyes, grabbing her chin and bringing her face back to mine.

She threw my arm off and looked the other way again.

"Hey!" I grabbed her throat, gently.

She looked at me, tilting her chin up. "What?"

I leaned down and kissed her.

She barely kissed me back. Barely. But she did.

I pulled back, looking at her. "I love you."

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