When Two Worlds Collide

Chapter 4

"I can't believe he just threw me out," Chloe huffed, pacing her apartment, "like I didn't mean anything to him."

Chloe's mother, Jackie, rolled her eyes at her daughter. Chloe loved being dramatic, especially when it came to Eddie. She seriously needed a wake up call. Eddie was with someone else; she wasn't ever going to get him back.

"Chloe, you lied to him multiple times and then cheated on him. What did you think was going to happen?" Jackie exclaimed, ignoring the menacing look that Chloe was sending her, "You seriously need to get over him. He's already moved on."

Chloe rolled her eyes, "With that little kid? Yeah, right. I bet he doesn't even love her."

Jackie stood up, shaking her head at her daughter, "She's eighteen years old, hardly a child. Besides, he wants her, Chloe. Not you, but that Loren girl."

Chloe huffed, dropping down to sit on her sofa. Life just wasn't fair. Sure, she had lied and manipulated Eddie, but that didn't mean that she didn't love him. She had to find a way to break them up. There was no other option.

"Uh-huh, I know that look. You're ignoring everything I'm saying and trying to figure out a way to break them up, aren't you?" Jackie groaned, her daughter turned out to be the most spoiled girl in the world. Jackie could still read her mind, though. If she couldn't have Eddie, then nobody could.

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Loren sat in her bed, just staring at the ceiling. Eddie and Max were getting something to eat from the cafeteria, after much convincing from Loren. She needed a little time alone to process the news. A knock on the door interrupted Loren's thoughts.

Surprisingly, it wasn't either Eddie or Max. It was Melissa.

"Melissa!" Loren cried out, suddenly not wanting to be alone anymore. Her tears that she had been trying so hard to get rid of, fell down her face as Melissa rushed into her room.

"Oh, Loren! Thank goodness you're alright!" Melissa hugged her friend, unaware of Loren's hurt ribs.

"Ow," Loren laughed, "You're squeezing a little hard, Mel."

Melissa immediately let go, apologizing furiously. Loren gently laid back into her pillows, smiling softly at her friend.

"It's okay," Loren said softly, "I'm fine."

Melissa frowned, taking a good look at Loren before asking, "What's wrong? There's nothing wrong with you is there?"

Loren nodded her head, tears free falling from her face. She still couldn't believe the news. It was still so hard to process.

"Lo, you're scaring me," Melissa said after a few minutes of Loren not saying anything.

"I'm sorry," Loren mumbled, "It's just really hard to tell you because that makes it real. It was hard enough telling Eddie."

Melissa sat down, "Are you... are you pregnant?"

Loren rolled her blurry eyes, blushing, "No! Melissa, me and Eddie haven't... yet."

Melissa looked a little shocked, a smirk on her lips. She desperately wanted to make a joke, but something about Loren's expression made her hold her tongue for once. Whatever this was, it was serious.

"My mom was in a plane crash," Loren finally said, looking at Melissa with tears still falling, "there... there weren't any..."

Loren finally broke down in sobs, hands over her face. Her ribs ached with pain, but the pain in her heart was so much worse. Her mother was gone forever and she couldn't do anything about it. Melissa, shocked, sat back and took in the information for a few seconds before she got in the bed with Loren and held her friend gently.

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"Are you hungry?" It was a nurse this time; Melissa had been long gone. She hadn't wanted to leave, but Loren insisted she was in good care with Eddie and also the nurses. She had a feeling that Eddie wasn't going anywhere that night.

Loren nodded, "A little, but I think Eddie's bringing me something."

The nurse smiled before quickly exiting the hospital room. Loren sighed, knowing that she was now on her own. Sure, she had Eddie, Max, Adam, and Melissa, but it wasn't the same. They each had someone to help them. Adam and Melissa had both of their own parents. Eddie had Max. She had no family. The door opened, but it wasn't the nurse. It was Eddie.

"Hi," Eddie said softly, "I brought you some soup."

He set down the soup onto the moveable tray. He quickly adjusted Loren's bed before sliding the tray towards her.

"Thank you," Loren replied, eagerly taking the spoon and taking a sip of the soup. She nodded with approval before eating a few more bites. Eddie sat down in his designated seat beside Loren's bed. Loren put the spoon down, looking at Eddie.

"It's really good," Loren commented, nodding towards the soup, "for cafeteria food, anyway."

Loren ate her soup in silence; neither of them knowing what they should say. Loren put her spoon back in her now empty bowl and gently sat back against her pillows.

"Do you have my phone?" Loren asked, looking up at Eddie and watching as he bent to get it from the bedside table, "I want to see if Adam called me or anything. He was out of town with his parents."

"Here it is," Eddie handed her the phone, "I turned it off because you were sleeping."

Loren gave him a soft look, which Eddie recognized. He leaned in and kissed her gently before returning back in his seat. Loren turned on her phone and it wasn't long before it let out an obnoxious sound signaling that it was on. Loren sent an apologetic look towards Eddie; she had turned it up loud so she could hear it in the club. She didn't want her mom to call and miss it.

"One missed call and a voicemail," Loren muttered, clicking some buttons before looking right up at Eddie, "It's from my mom."

"Loren, you don't have to do that right now," Eddie said softly, "If it's too—"

Loren's brain was racing; what if her mom never even got on the plane? What if the voicemail was from her saying that she would be late getting back to LA? The rational side of her knew that it was probably not logical, but she couldn't help but hope her mother hadn't gotten on that plane. Loren didn't voice her idea, but she did interrupt Eddie when she put the phone up to her ear to listen to the voicemail.

"Loren, just know that I love you and I'll miss you. You have become an amazing young woman who will do great things. Whether your future involves music or not, I just want you to know how proud of you I am. I love you"

Loren kept the phone up to her ear, frozen as she listened to screams.

"What was it?" Eddie asked gently, not wanting to scare her.

Loren put the phone down, not even looking up as she told him, "My mom left me a voicemail, right before she... I could hear the screams of everyone around her. I..."

Loren broke down into tears, not caring that Eddie saw her cry for the millionth time that night. Eddie immediately got into bed with her and held her for the rest of the night.

Days passed quickly for Loren, although she never did get much sleep. She could picture her mother on the plane with the sounds of those poor people screaming on her voicemail. Loren shakily ran a hand through her hair as she looked in the mirror. Today was the day she had to put her mother to rest. Tearing up at the thought, Loren was thankful she had gotten waterproof mascara. The doorbell rang and she knew it was Melissa. It was time. Once at the funeral home, Loren could tell that everyone was staring at her. She took a deep breath, not wanting to just completely fall apart in front of everyone. Melissa wheeled her up to the front and putting her wheelchair on the end of the pew. Loren smiled gratefully at Melissa, despite all of the sadness and depression inside of her. The service was beautiful, just as Nora would have wanted. After an hour of regular service, Loren and Melissa headed out to the burial service, which was just for close friends and family.

Melissa wheeled her up to the front and muttered something about Adam.

"I'll be right back, okay?"

Loren just nodded, having not spoken at all the entire day. Melissa could read her mind anyway, so it wasn't like she needed to talk.

Loren caught sight of her mother's casket and almost hyperventilated. I can't do this, Loren thought to herself, It's too much. She was about to have an emotional breakdown when she saw Eddie and Max. Eddie gave her a look, one she was sick of seeing by now but it meant so much more coming from him. He was sympathetic, knowing exactly how she felt.

"Hey," Eddie said softly, "How are you holding up?"

Loren looked down at her shaking hands; she couldn't stop wringing them she was so terrified. Before she could say anything, Eddie sat down and covered her hands with his own. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, just shaking her head and letting a couple tears fall.

"I can't do this, Eddie," Loren whispered, finally voicing her fears she had been feeling all day, "it's too hard."

"I'll be right here, okay?" Eddie finally replied, squeezing her hand, "I know this is hard, but I'll be here."

Loren nodded, not saying anything. Not too long later, Loren watched as her mother's casket was lowered into the ground. She felt her heart break all over again. She felt the tears come, but she couldn't stop them at this point. Her vision blurred, but she could feel Eddie squeezing her hand, letting her know that he was still there for her, even though her mother was gone now.

"It was a beautiful service," Loren had heard that phrase over and over again. She never thought she would get tired of hearing it, but she definitely was. She muttered a thank you for coming and watched as the guests filtered their way out of the cemetery. She almost broke down, but then she saw Melissa and Adam walking up towards her and knew she had to be brave.

"Thanks for coming," Loren felt awful that those were the only words she could think of to say. She had barely said anything to her best friend all day yet those are the words she said.

Melissa nodded, smiling softly, "If you need anything, you call me, okay?"

Melissa had never seen her friend so broken-hearted. She knew Loren was trying to hide it, but she could tell. She could also tell that she needed some space to let down her guard, so both her and Adam got ready to leave.

Loren nodded, letting both Melissa and Adam hug her before they walked away. She waited until after everyone had left to completely fall apart. She cried so hard it left both her heart and ribs aching. It left her wondering if her heart would ever heal from the pain of losing her mother. Loren took a deep breath to calm herself and wiped her eyes, sensing someone was coming towards her.

"Loren," a voice gently called, causing her to stop wiping her eyes and look up. It was Max and Eddie.

Loren smiled softly, feeling their worried eyes on her. She muttered, "I'm okay... I'm okay."

"No, you're not," Max said gently, bending down to be on her level, "but that's okay. It's okay to break down, Loren. You don't have to be brave for us."

Loren couldn't stop herself after hearing Max's words. Max held onto her hand, knowing how hard this was for her. Loren broke down for the second time, but this time, she knew she wasn't alone. Eventually, she stopped crying and looked up at both Eddie and Max and smiled gratefully, "Thank you. I really needed that."

Max nodded, "I know you've heard this a million times, but... my door's always open, okay?"

Loren nodded, "Thank you, again."

Max stood up, leaving the two young people alone. Eddie took his father's place, bending down to be on Loren's level. Loren let out a shaky breath, reaching out for Eddie's hand.

"I'm exhausted," Loren finally spoke, "will you take me home?"

Eddie nodded, kissing her hand before replying, "Anything for you,"