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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Nov 26, 2017 7:44:24 GMT
232 Words
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It's not unusual
but when I see you hanging about with anyone
She knew Haden well enough that there was no talking to him anymore after his last text and though she felt guilty for ditching him almost at the last minute, she also knew that Haden could have handled the situation better. She was sorely disappointed that she wasn't going but she wanted to make it work with Ben. Although lately, she wondered why. Ben not being around should have raised a red flag but Ella still thought they were in love. Why else would Ben fight so hard for her to stay?
She also loved Haden and she knew this must be a huge blow for him. So she decided, like always, she would apologise face to face. There had been about two times before that she angered Haden enough to garner a proper apology. Both times, it had been a different approach. She had been bingeing on a lot of romcoms lately so she went on a very cliched route. She had bought a bouquet of flowers beforehand and packed her wireless speaker into her bag along with her phone.
The drive over to his place was filled with Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" just to pump herself up. She just hoped Haden was actually at home. Once she arrived, she put her wireless speaker on the floor and played The Breakfast Club's most iconic song and knocked on the door.
It's not unusual to see me cry
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944 posts
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0 likes
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Nov 26, 2017 8:00:12 GMT
316 Words
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Take Me Home
I'm only happy when I'm with you
Haden didn't know why he expected anything less. Of course she would stay with the guy that she was madly in love with, despite the fact that she'd practically said he was boring. She'd been so excited about Europe, about dancing again with purpose. And he'd stuck his neck out for her with Sidney, talking her up, talking them up. As a pair. Now he was just a dancer, easily replaced if they couldn't find him a partner with which he had genuine chemistry.
After the final text message to Ella, Haden had blown up. The overwhelming familiarity of rejection made him damn near lose it. He threw his packed clothes across the room and flipped his suitcase off the bed. What did he think would happen? She'd go off to Europe with him, finally see him for what he was, her best friend and the person who could love her more than anyone else in the world. He was delusional for believing it, but there was always that minimal shred of hope. It was fine, she was going to miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime just so that she could get knocked up by some douchebag that wouldn't stick around. It mattered not to him.
Lie.
Just as he began to pick up his clothes from the floor, he heard the song blasting from outside his door and the knock that soon followed. Immediately, he knew it was Ella. He shook his head and reluctantly walked to the door. He opened it, his face still set in a completely unamused expression, "What are you doing here? Ben say it was okay for you to come see your best friend off? Since he clearly dictates what you do."
Home for me is where you are.
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Nov 26, 2017 8:19:32 GMT
192 Words
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It's not unusual
but when I see you hanging about with anyone
Her hand fell to the side when Haden answered the door, his words stinging her even more than she had anticipated. But she wasn't going to let him stew in his anger because she knew he went to very dark places when he did.
"Aid...don't be like that." She said softly, picking up the speaker and shoving it back into her bag before pushing herself through the door. As she walked to the kitchen to get a vase for the flowers, she started to speak. "It was a decision we both came to. I'm sorry it looks like I'm bailing on you but I'm not. I'm just..." she took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she filled a big jug with water and stuck the flowers in. "I have priorities now. I can't just..." she knew she wasn't making things any easier. Whatever she said, Haden was going to remain obstinate and take it the wrong way.
"You're going to do great on your own, Haden. You're an amazing dancer. I'll only slow you down." Ella added, even though that was not true. They had always been better together.
It's not unusual to see me cry
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944 posts
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0 likes
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Nov 26, 2017 8:30:55 GMT
301 Words
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Take Me Home
I'm only happy when I'm with you
Haden moved out of her way when she pushed past him and closed the door behind her. They had the type of friendship that was unstoppable, it didn't matter how angry he was with her, he'd never keep her from coming into his home. And yet, the more she spoke, the more he wished that he'd already left. He couldn't take listening to her talk about the collective way that they'd come to a decision. Or about her priorities that no longer had anything to do with him. She was all he had, the center of his very small world, but he was starting to be pushed out of hers. Replaced by a guy who didn't care about her dreams, only himself.
"Ella stop," He groaned and shook his head, "I can't fucking take it anymore. I get it, he's wonderful and important and you think that you have obligations here, but it's all bullshit." There was no point in trying to argue with her or change her mind because she'd already been thoroughly brainwashed. It was so typical for her to find someone that made her oh so happy whenever he came home and had no one. Not even a minor distraction from his feelings for her. He didn't have a hope in the world of enjoying himself after he left and frankly he didn't care.
Haden leaned against his kitchen counter and folded his arms across his chest, "I never pegged you for the type of girl to throw it all away on some guy. It's only all you've talked about since we joined the dance team together, but what do I know?"
Home for me is where you are.
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Nov 26, 2017 8:48:35 GMT
128 Words
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It's not unusual
but when I see you hanging about with anyone
Ella let him speak, even though her anger was flaring up just as her heart broke with every word he uttered. She shook her head and let out a shuddered breath before walking towards him and punching him on the shoulder.
"You're not allowed to take your anger out on me, Aid." She reminded him. "Not like this. Not when you're about to go and have a journey of a lifetime." She forced a wide grin on her face and cupped his face in her hands.
"I am not that girl. Don't reduce me to that. My life is perfect right now and you going to follow your dreams is the right track for your own perfection. Don't get angry because I can't be with you for it."
It's not unusual to see me cry
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944 posts
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0 likes
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Nov 26, 2017 9:18:11 GMT
210 Words
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Take Me Home
I'm only happy when I'm with you
He wanted to pull away when she grabbed his face, but he didn't. He just refused to meet her eyes. He looked everywhere but at her. And with every word she spoke, the more it ripped into him. The stinging beneath his eyes irritated him, but he couldn't push back the water that brimmed, hard as he tried.
When he finally looked at her, he shook his head and the tears fell, "That's not fair." His voice broke and he cleared his throat before attempting again, "You're life is only perfect because I keep leaving, right? That's what this boils down to." Haden reached up and pulled her hands from his face, but hesitated before dropping them. It wasn't fair that she got to have everything she wanted without him, but that he couldn't have everything he wanted without her.
He blinked and swiped his arm across his face to wipe away any tears that had fallen, "It's just getting easier for you to let me go because of him. Which is exactly what he wants." And yet it made everything harder for him.
Home for me is where you are.
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Nov 26, 2017 18:07:54 GMT
402 Words
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It's not unusual
but when I see you hanging about with anyone
Haden's words made her hands on his face slack and she looked at him in disbelief. When he pulled them down, she let them hang by her side. There had never been a time when being apart from him felt good.
Yes, they started out as rivals on their dance team but the moment they realised they were better together, Ella had stuck to Haden like glue. They applied to the same colleges and they made sure they lived close by to each other. Being apart from Haden was always torture. During the times she was with someone, and especially when she was alone.
There was always something keeping them apart though, ever since she realised her feelings for Haden went beyond friendship. They kept missing each other and every time he was single, she was with someone she thought she loved. And every time, she was single, he was too immersed in his troupe. And a couple times, in another woman.
That he would think she was happy without him was absurd. He was lashing out, that was it. He always did this and she knew how to calm him down but somehow, this felt different.
"How could you even think that, Haden?" She asked, her own voice breaking. "It is stupid hard for me to watch you leave every damn time." She stepped back and ran her fingers through her hair. "And you leave a lot." Feelings of abandonment were not new to Ella. She knew Haden felt them too. It was one of the things that oddly bonded them when they were children. They had made promises and sacrifices when they were younger to make sure they didn't do exactly that. But Haden always got offers and she was left at home.
She loved her job at the studio, she wouldn't trade it for the world, but having to watch Haden leave to do what they both had always wanted to do was always hard. Especially because all she wanted was for Haden to be there with her.
"I don't want you to leave thinking that I'm doing this because it's easier without you because it's not. It's never easy without you, Haden. Never." She took a deep breath and stepped back into Haden's personal space before pulling him in for a hug. "I love you, dammit. There's nobody else in this world that I would love more than you."
It's not unusual to see me cry
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Nov 26, 2017 19:38:02 GMT
261 Words
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Take Me Home
I'm only happy when I'm with you
Haden's heart broke seeing her so hurt. But when he was angry, he aimed for the insecurities and they both had the same ones. He'd learned early on about her own abandonment problems, but he never thought that his traveling had affected her the way that it did. He'd been begging her to come with him for years, but there were some things that always held her back. The fact that it was a guy in this case only made it worse for him. He stared at her as she spoke, but looked down when she stepped closer.
She said she loved him, but he couldn't accept it in the way that he wanted to. She loved the other guy enough to say no to him and that was all he could focus on.
He deflated, his anger and his frustration fell flat the moment that she hugged him. Even as reluctant as he was, he wrapped his arms around her loosely because he knew he wasn't going to win this fight. Nothing he said was going to change their circumstances and he was just going to have to go it alone. Haden couldn't find words, none that worked. None that made a difference. He stroked her hair and took a deep breath, "I love you, too, Ells." But it didn't seem to matter much because she was still staying and he was still leaving.
Home for me is where you are.
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Nov 26, 2017 20:15:33 GMT
162 Words
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It's not unusual
but when I see you hanging about with anyone
Ella was still angry, vehemently so, but she hated leaving Haden on a sour note. He was what tied her to whatever place they were in. Now, she had another anchor. She didn't want Haden to be tied down to her and her dance studio so she had to let him go every time.
She always wanted him to come back, and that was the problem.
When he hugged her back, she tightened her hold around him and buried her face on his shoulder. They stayed there a while before she loosened her hold on him. The urge to kiss him was undeniable as she moved her face from his shoulder. They were so close, just a breath would press their lips together.
Ella pursed her lips and moved a bit further away from him, forcing herself to be jolly as she clapped her hand and looked at Haden. "So...are you packed?" She asked, the grin on her face tight and forced.
It's not unusual to see me cry
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Nov 27, 2017 6:10:42 GMT
163 Words
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Take Me Home
I'm only happy when I'm with you
Haden always hated the draw between them. She hugged him tighter and when she began to pull away, it was like they were magnetized. She pulled back and moved further away from him, attempting to lighten the mood. His posture went rigid, but he let her go on with her show.
His hand went to the back of his neck when he realized that he had been packed...up until he flipped his suitcase over. Along with that realization, he knew that he couldn't leave again with them upset with each other. "I uh...I was," He sighed and laughed a little. Without hesitating, he grabbed her hand and dragged her along to his bedroom to see the mess he'd made. "I did something dumb, as you can see. And honestly, I think I'm forgetting something anyway."
Home for me is where you are.
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Nov 27, 2017 17:29:29 GMT
108 Words
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It's not unusual
but when I see you hanging about with anyone
Almost like something in the air changed and things went back to normal for the two when Haden grabbed her arm and pulled her to his room. The mess made her genuinely laugh before realising exactly why it must have been a mess. Though Haden wasn't exactly meticulous in his daily life, she knew he had a system to his packing. What with all the trips out of town, he had packing down to a science.
She sat on the edge of his bed and plucked his boxers from under her to give to him. "Want to go through the list with me?" She offered with a smile.
It's not unusual to see me cry
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944 posts
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0 likes
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Nov 27, 2017 20:25:04 GMT
219 Words
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Take Me Home
I'm only happy when I'm with you
He didn't bother taking offense to her laughter because he now felt much much more ridiculous for flipping his suitcase across his room. His anger would always get the best of him which was his main reason for going into dance to begin with. He rarely ever showed that explosive side to Ella and he was thankful that she hadn't been present for his flip out. The aftermath was nothing comparatively.
She sat on his bed and he grabbed his suitcase from the floor, pulling it over to begin organizing it again. He grabbed the strewn clothing that had scattered when he threw it, refolded and placed it in the suitcase again. She offered to go through the list with him again and he sighed in relief. Before he did that, he walked back over to her and hugged her again, "You're seriously the best," He whispered.
Once he pulled back, he cleared his throat and laughed awkwardly before nodding, "Okay, let's do it. I've got plenty of street clothes, boxers, socks, footwear. I've got my dance gear, footwear for that. I've got headphones, my laptop and a charger. What am I missing?"
Home for me is where you are.
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Nov 29, 2017 19:13:09 GMT
156 Words
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It's not unusual
but when I see you hanging about with anyone
The hug surprised her but she quickly returned it happily, beaming when he pulled away. "I know." She lifted her shoulders and tilted her head in a cutesy shrug.
Pouting her lips and pushing it to the side in a contemplative gesture, she tried to think of what he was missing before snapping her fingers. "Are you planning on going to sleep in your street clothes? Because if you're not, pack a little extra tees. Oh! And toiletries. Even if you're gonna be put up in a hotel, doesn't mean your own things aren't gonna feel better having around." She reminded him.
Just like that, the rest of the day was spent like they normally were with the two. Haden finished packing, they ordered in and with a promise of sending him off (duh), Ella went home happy. Well, as happy as she could be with the thought of not seeing her best friend for months.
It's not unusual to see me cry
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