Break the Distance

Chapter 26

Wednesday 7th of September, 2016Toronto, Canada

Noah Williams

2 days after the party and I'm still exhausted from it. I woke up Mondaymorning not knowing what happened the evening before and with a huge headache.I slept the whole day and that's basically all I did yesterday too.

Just less than a week and we'll be going on tour again and hopefully I'llget some time to forget about Richelle. The party ended up being a pretty gooddistraction, though I still regret going to it. I know that I kissed a girl,but I have no idea who she is and if I'll ever see her again and I feel prettybad about it. That is not how I am. kissing with a girl isn't exactly what I'vedone many times before, let alone a random girl. I'm not such a party freak. Igo to parties sometimes, but a lot less than what you should except fromsomeone my age.

I'm just about to take a shower when I get a text from Michael. 'Didn't sawthis coming,' it says and I open the photo he sent with it. It's a picture ofme making out with that same girl.

Wait. I thought I just kissed her. I didn't knew the kissing got thisintense.

My face start to heat up and as quick as I can I text Max. 'What did I doat Eldon’s party??' I send him and tap impatient on the back of my phone whileI wait. 'You want to know everything?' he sends after a few seconds. 'Yes' Isend, nervous about what's about to come. 'You made out with this girl namedSara,' he says, 'you were pretty drunk.' 'Crap,' I send. 'You should've seenJenna's face, it was hilarious. She was so jealous!' he sends. 'More important,which i***t took a picture of it?!' I send him.

My life is done. This is literally the worst what can happen. 'Someonedid?!' Max sends, 'dude you're doomed.' 'Thanks,' I send, 'I didn't know thatyet.' 

I bury my head in my hands as I look at the picture again. Thankfully youcan't really see my face so hopefully nobody will see it's me. I can handle itif my friends know it's me, but if the fandom figures it out my life will belegit over. Or if Richelle sees it, that will be even worse.

Seriously, where have I got myself into?

When I walk out of my bathroom my mom is sitting on my bed. " Noah,"she says, "we've to talk."

I feel my hands getting sweaty and my face heat up. "A-aboutwhat?" I ask nervous. "That picture," she says, "holding upher phone." Now I realize that Michael sent it in the groups chat of ourfamily. That stupid guy! I'll get him back for this!

"I can explain," I say defensive. "Really?" my momsays. "No I don't," I say and look down. " Noah please sitdown," my mom says and I hear in her voice that she's worried, "isthis the girl you've been texting lately. And please be honest with me."

"No," I say and sit down on a chair. " Noah what'shappening?" she asks, "you were acting weird Sunday and then you wentto a party and this happened."

I don't say anything. I don't want her to tell, but I also don't want tolie. Thinking about Richelle is painful, like I lost someone who was more thanjust a friend.

" Noah I'm your mother," my mom says after a while, "you cantell me what's going on."

"I just messed things up with a really good friend Saturday eveningand then I got drunk at Eldon’s party and did some stupid things," I saynervously looking at the ground, scared for my mother's reaction. "That'snot the way to deal with that kind of stuff," is all she says. "Iknow," I say and feel a tear leave my eye.

I'm glad she didn't get angry, but I know that she's disappointed in me andI don't know if that's any better. "Sorry," I say. "It'sokay," she says and walks over to me pulling me into a hug.

"How bad did you mess things up with her?" she asks still huggingme. "I never told you it was a girl," I say pulling away from thehug. " Noah I'm your mother, you were acting different than normal and Ijust knew something was up. So how bad is it?" she says and pulls me backin a hug. "Really badly," I say and sigh, "she's never going toforgive me." "So do you like her?" my mom asks. "No,"I say instantly. "Then why are you so broken about it?" she asks.

I take a deep breath. She's right, why am I so broken about her? "Thenmaybe I do like her," I say, "I just don't know. It'scomplicated." "You can at least try to fix things," my mothersays, "if she means so much to you it's worth a try." I nod slowly.

"Just so you know, you can't go to her trying to fix things lookinglike this," she says and laughs slightly. "Oh I'm not going toher," I say, "I'll just text her." "But I'm sure she wouldappreciate it more if you say it face to face," she says a littleconfused. "Yea," I say, "but I told you things werecomplicated." "Okay," my mom says pulling away from the hug,"if you say so."

"Thanks mom," I say when she's about to walk out of my room."Any time Noah," she says and smiles slightly.

When my door is closed I grab my phone. I take another deep breath beforegoing to our chat, but when I'm about to type her a text I see that she sent mesomething. 'Seriously,' it says, 'thanks for proving my statement that you'rejust like every other stupid boy.' I instantly know where she's referring to.

The picture. She has seen it. "Crap," I say out loud and slamwith my fist hard against the wall. I messed up. I really messed up. I didn'tthink I could even make things worse than they were, but they just got.

'I'm sorry,' I send. It's never enough, but at least it's something. Ican't just say nothing. 'I know you told me to never bother you again, but I'mtruly sorry. I messed up. I didn't know what was going on and I was confusedand frustrated. I should've never let it out on you,' I send.

'Please forgive me'