Moving Trucks
Leyla
Popping my earbuds in, I press the green call button on Hazel’s name. I figure there’s no better time than now to tell her all that had happened. I haven’t even filled her in on my abduction. I don’t think I could ever tell her about what happened with Cameron’s dad and my parents, but I think that in some fucked up way, even if I did, it wouldn’t even phase her.
Nope, do not.My internal monologue is screaming at me, knowing that I could never tell her.
“LeyLey?” Hazel’s panicked voice sounds in my ears and a small smile blooms on my face.
“Hey, Haze–”
“No fucking way, Leyla Joy Clarkson. Don’t act cool and casual right now. Where the fuck have you been?! You turned off your location, and I nearly called Detective Alexandra to put out afucking missing person report on you!” Hazel’s voice sounds panicked, and in that moment I know that I can’t even tell her about the kidnapping.
It’ll only scare her more and I honestly don’t know how she would react to something that serious.
Probably try and get me microchipped like a puppy.
“Fuck, Haze, I’m sorry. My phone died, and I’ve been spending so much time with Cameron that I just never got it off the charger and turned it back on. We made up, and things have been honestly good. Better than good, actually. We talked about everything… And there’s something that I wanted to talk to you about.”
The line on Hazel’s end is silent, and if I didn’t hear the crinkle of a blanket just now, I would have honestly thought that she hung up. Her voice was small when she answered, sending a pang of guilt through me.
“Hmm?” The questioning sound hurts me more than it should, but I continue on.
“I’m moving in with Cam.”
I know this is probably the worst possible time for all of this seeing as not even 10 days (about 1 and a half weeks) ago he had tried to choke me out during his PTSD attack. Silence on her end. “Hazel?”
Fuck.
“Hazel, please,” I plead with her, even though I know that she has every right to be mad at me. Years ago, we promised to always let the other know where we are, what we’re doing. Then when tracking came around, the Track My Friends app on my phone isalways on, 24/7, knowing that I was always safe, that she would always have my location.
So much for that peace of mind.
“What happened, Leyla?” Her voice is lined with the slightest tinge of anger, but the overarching feeling is pain— and that kills me.
“I walked over to Cameron’s house, we talked, we argued a bunch… then we talked some more... Hazel, I know what happened at the rage room was fucked, but I don’t blame him for what happened. He wouldn’t ever purposely hurt me. He wouldn’t purposefully do anything to– and I, I think I’m in love with him.”
I do love him. I am in love with him, and I don’t know how but right now he is the only thing in my life that truly makes sense. As if on cue, Cameron knocks on the door, a smile on his face as he walks in, nodding as he sees that I’m on the phone.
“Leyla, are you absolutely sure about all of this? This is a really big step.” Hazel’s logic and trepidation flows through me and honestly, I wish I had it in me to argue, but there is no going around this. I am moving in with him.
“Hazel, it would be a different story had we not been friends growing up. I’ve known him since I was fourteen, so I know he’s a good guy.” She knows this, but saying it out loud somehow made it seem more real, more… official. “I’m already almost packed, and my lease is up today anyway. I… I think a change will be good for me.” I heard the moment that she realized that I wasn’t going to be changing my mind.
“You weren’t really friends back then, but fine, fine. Leyla, just please be safe? I don’t like this one bit, but you know I love you andjust want you to be safe, babes.” Hazel’s resigned sigh came through, silence pursued. “I love you Leyla, you are my only family, and I need it known that if he ever does anything to you, I will make his life a living fucking nightmare.”
The laugh that escapes Cameron’s lips, I quickly slap a hand over his mouth— he bites my palm and I hold in a yelp. I really hope she didn’t hear that, but I cover it up with a cough.
“Babes, Hazey, I promise you— nothing is going to happen to me. We’re good together and though it sounds crazy, we just make sense together.”
The silence over the line sends a shift of nerves that I didn’t know were there. Cameron gently rubs his fingers over my back, and I lean into him.
“Okay, LeyLey. I still don’t like it, but I trust you to be smart.” She sighs but I can’t help but smile.
“Haze? I love you, like so much.”
“I love you too, LeyLey.”
I suddenly feel like everything will actually be okay, she approves of us, and it makes me feel so much more confident about all of this.
