I told you I'd start updating faster again. I was pretty pleased with the way this chapter turned out, but truth be told—it doesn't matter what I think about it, only you guys. One thing I want to let you guys know, is that this story contains some mild Crellie stuff. Just in case you're nervous about it, it doesn't affect the Sellie-ness in this fan fiction in the slightest, so don't be angry. I just felt like there was some unresolved Craig/Ellie stuff, so I had to write it in. I promise there will be some Sellie in chapter 15, so don't loose all hope in me just yet. I also might bright Ashley into the 15th chapter for a little bit, but I'm still not sure. I wanted to see if anyone thought it was a good idea. Anyways, I think this chapter is pretty good, so if I'm delusional, please let me know. I don't want to be delusional…
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Fourteen:
As I woke up, it took a while for me to adjust my eyes. They were still pretty swollen from the procedure, but at least now I could honestly and non-rhetorically say that I have, "Cried tears of blood." I told Marco that, but quite frankly I don't think he found it very funny. He's to busy being worried about me in a big brother sort of way—but still not in the "watching me" kind of way, if that clears anything up. He's just—protective. My eyes became soar once again as I looked around the room. I saw that my mother was with me, bending over and laying her head down next to mine. I guess we must've fallen asleep. I find it strange how close I feel to her now that I have obtained her sincerity—something of a new experience.
I silently set a quaking hand on her back in hopes to wake her—but no avail. Instead she just sunk her face deeper into the pillow that she had set up for herself and remained sound asleep. Something told me she really was awake and just didn't want to leave but for some reason I found myself dying to see Marco—my best friend. And so, I nudged her again, this time whispering to her. "Mom, wake up—Mom." She then jerked awake with a disbelieving grunt. "Mom—Um, Marco came in a while ago and told me he had to tell me something…" I lied.
"Oh, Right. Okay." She said sadly, almost making me want to change my mind, or take back what I said. Almost. Like I said, I really wanted to see him.
She sat up, getting the hair out of her dark eyes. She then took her purse off the nightstand and gave me one last undeserved smile before getting to her feet. "I'll go home and get cleaned up a bit, and then I'll come back in a couple hours. Does that sound alright?" She asked me.
"Definitely." I replied. As she was just getting to the door, I added, "Can you send Marco in for me?" She nodded, as I returned her smile. A false one, of course. Just a little something to hide away my guilt.
I had to share everything that has been going on lately with my best friend—my other half better summing us up. It sounded weird out loud for me to rely on one person so much, but I can't really help it. Our relationship put into purely simple and unsentimental terms—is kind of like a business deal. I scratch his back, and he scratches mine. We're always there for one another when we need it the most. We also, very importantly, speak the same language. After everything I've gone through he's the only one I can—and want to talk to. I don't even have to make sense, he just gets it. He gets me. When the door began to open, I smiled genuinely for the first time in days, only for that smile to be replaced by a cold and soulless look of both confusion, and slight disappointment.
"Craig?" I asked questionably, in the same winded and breathless voice I've had all morning. I thought he obviously must have taken note of how awful I sounded when he shifted his sorrowful eyes towards me in a regretful glance. "Ellie." His voice was soft and coarse.
"What are you doing here? Where's—" I began, sitting up and leaning my back on the headboard of my bed.
"Marco?" He asked. I nodded as he took a couple steps closer to me. "He's just outside in the waiting room. He told me I could see you first." This angered me a little. If I specifically asked for Marco, why would he send somebody else in for him, like he didn't want to talk to me? It's not that it wasn't nice to see Craig, but still. I decided to ignore these feelings, which were eased after finally Craig added "It took some persuading, though."
It went silent for a while, with him just taking quick and uncomfortable glances at me making me wonder why he even wanted to see me so bad if he wasn't going to talk. Suddenly I heard some music playing in the next room, so I listened closely.
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And the hardest apart
Was letting go not taking part
Was the hardest part
And the strangest thing
Was waiting for that bell to ring
It was the strangest start
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I could feel it go down
Bittersweet I could taste in my mouth
Silver lining in the clouds
Oh And I
I wish that I could work it out
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And the hardest part
Was letting go not taking part
You really broke my heart
And I tried to sing
But I couldn't think of anything
And that was the hardest part
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I could feel it go down
You left the sweetest taste in my mouth
You're a silver lining the clouds
Oh, and I
Oh, and I
I wonder what it's all about
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Everything I know is wrong
Everything I do it just comes undone
And everything is torn apart
Oh and that's the hardest part
That's the hardest part
Yeah, that's the hardest part
That's the hardest part
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"The hardest part." I said softly, my lips curling up into a smile. "I love this song."
Craig smiled back at me and then took a seat in a chair at my bedside. "I forgot about how much you liked Coldplay." I nodded and tried to catch back onto the melody. He continued, stretching out his neck by rolling it into little circles. "I could never really understand why though. In my opinion, there a pretty poor excuse for an alternative band."
"You'd think they'd be right up your Ally then, Mr. Manning." I giggled uncharacteristically. He didn't seem very amused, but continued anyway, "But I forget that you're to busy listening to Bon Jovi, Red Hot Chile Peppers, and other bands that died in the nineties.
"You have no idea what you're talking about, Nash. Bon Jovi is not dead, and besides—you like Bon Jovi. You told me two summers ago when we were talking about how much we wanted to see a concert." He ranted, trying to sound convincing. I just shrugged with him.
"To bad they're wicked expensive." I replied, getting a bit off-topic. He widened is eyes to express his agreement as he nodded his head with me.
"That's because they're classic." He added, making his last point and ending his case with a success. It went silent again making me realize that we are only completely comfortable talking when it's about music. That's something we have never had any trouble with, even when I had a major crush on him. I think that proves that music can cure anything—even awkwardness. It's like a melody remedy.
"Ellie—When I left Toronto—" He was bringing up the one thing I wanted to talk about the least. The one thing that made the air between us thick of everything unresolved."
"Craig—you really don't have to explain anything." I said, trying to get him to drop it. I should've known he wouldn't give up that effortlessly.
"No, Ellie—I want to. I know I hurt you with everything I did—about the drugs and everything. But Ellie, when I told you I loved you, I meant it." He stared at me, making me feel like I was supposed to say something, but I remained silent, so he continued. "It's funny. I told Ash once that I only say 'I love you' at airports, and you're the only one I've actually—"
"You didn't say it—technically. You just—"
"Very strongly implied it." He cut in, continuing to stare at me. I didn't speak. He left me speechless—which very rarely happened. I didn't know what else to tell him. Everything he was saying to me was in our past. I loved him so much, but I've finally moved on. I think he knew that, and he just wanted to be the good-guy. He must have some sort of hero complex or something.
"So—" He began again, cutting into the quiet. "When I was trying to talk Marco into letting me see you first, Sean kept glaring at me. At first I was wondering what I had done to him last time we saw each other, and now I think I know why he was acting that way. Are you and Sean—You know—"
"Yes." I replied, having no need for him to continue his question. "I mean, I think so." I added, feeling slightly uncomfortable for where this conversation was going. But Craig is always filled with all kinds of little surprises.
"Well then I'm very happy for you Ellie—really." He took my hands within his, and smiled at me. I tilted me head, smiling back at him. Craig gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before whispering in my ear. "I love you El". I gave him a friendly hug before he got to his feet. "I'll send Marco in."
As he left my room, I felt justified. I had been thinking a lot about Craig lately, and now that we have some clear air, everything seems right. I can finally let him go, which is something I've been needing to do since he left Toronto. The first, or the seond time. Take your pick. Just as I started to get lost in my own thoughts again, Marco opened the door and immediately sat down at the foot of my bed.
"What was that all about, Ellie?" He asked curiously, leaning over to run a hand through my hair. "He looked pretty—expressively exhausted." He said slowly, trying to find the words.
I laughed at him and took his hand within mine. He then laid in bed beside me. Yes—It was a little cramped, but definitely worth it to be close to my best friend. "He told me he loved me." I laughed a little when Marco went all wide-eyed.
"So now he says it." This made me laugh even harder. He began stroking my hair back and added, "You know I love you to, right? You're my best friend Ellie. I even think Eric gets jealous sometimes."
"Please Marco. I've been told by to many guys this week that they love me." I laughed. "I guess everyone's just making up for lost time…"
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And there you have it! I just had to have some Crellie in there. Nothing to big, but still. The next chapter is a little less dramatic and a little more—silly? Well parts of it, anyway.
I've gotten you all to review by cliffhangers, bribery, trivia, ransoms, poems, entrapment, reference-hunts and playing the sympathy card. How 'bout this time I just ask politely? Please review? =]
Once again, a great big heap of thanks to Greg Styles, hudsygurl, S.L. Gunn, ScreamsInTheDark, Brooks's-Babey, Dahlia Faith Black,XALLOWspuffyBuFf, breathe-in3, rocklesson86, carrebear14, tribalranger, 1992, sparkle587, Chelsey, Allie, fiercebiatch, iLoveyou and MAGRADY03! Your reviews are lovely and so are you! And also thank you to the 8 people who have added this story to there favorites list, and the 13 people to add it to there alerts. I'm up to 1,909 people who have read this story, so let's try to make it 2,000!