ELI POV:
He’s going to be in London for more than a year. When he broke the news to me, I couldn’t help but break down. Sure, I knew that one day he was going to have to go on tour, but I didn’t think it would happen so soon. I couldn’t lose my best friend. I won’t!
Niall has been gone for a week now. Right after the picnic he made for me, I went straight to the phone store to buy a phone. The prices were very high. All I could think about while I was there was how many extra hours I was going to have to work. I wanted to get the cheapest phone there which was just a tiny flip phone but I felt kind of embarrassed. Everyone there was looking at the touch screen phones. Also, what if Niall found out somehow that I owned a cheap phone and laughed at me. I wouldn’t be able to handle that….him judging me.
I got a phone that looked like Niall and Sofy’s phone. The man that worked there told me that it was the newest version and other things that I couldn’t remember.
In total with all the plans, contracts, unlimited minutes, internet, worldwide service, and other things I spent about three of my pay checks. Just in one day. I may have to eat less and limit what I buy, but being able to talk to Niall everyday with no shame is worth it.
1 month since he left
Niall and I talk every day. We text each other throughout the day and talk to each other on the phone at night. With the rent and phone bills piling up I had to ask for another job in the hotel. Room service needed another person to fill in for Sam until he comes back from his month vacation to be with his new born son. I took the job in a heartbeat.
Right now it’s about seven at night. I just finished delivering food to rooms 114 and 68. When I’m back at the kitchen, Sofy motions me over.
She’s holding a spoon of a soup in her hand.
“Try this and tell me what you think.” She states while stuffing the spoon in my mouth.
It tasted delightful. I don’t even remember the last time I ate real food. My daily menu for myself has been coffee and maybe a piece of toast.
I gave her two thumbs up and was about to turn around until she grabbed my wrist again.
“Can you try this too?” she asked.
It was a spoonful of wild rice with a chunk of chicken.
I shrug and this time stuff it into my own mouth. I nod and tell her how it’s really good.
Every time I went back to the kitchen to get more deliveries, Sofy would ask me about how a certain food would taste until I finally couldn’t take any more distractions.
“Hey, since you’re here can you try th-“
“NO! Sofy I appreciate how you care about my opinion on your cooking but you are distracting me from my job. I need this money. You just don’t understand. I can’t get fired. I just can’t.” I say to her.
She looks down on the floor and back at me. “Eli I’m sorry it’s just that I’m worr-“
She was interrupted by my boss saying “Eli stop chatting and get working! We have three orders you need to deliver!”
“Sorry, I’m coming.” I retort.
I turn my gaze back at Sofy and tell her “Gotta go. Talk to you later ok?”
She sighs and nods.
Ten- Thirty
I just finished my shift for room service. I’m back at my room changing into my house keeping uniform. I have to now clean up the kitchen, the hall ways, and pretty much every other room in the hotel besides the guests rooms. I clean those in the mornings.
Sofy’s in the shower getting ready to go to sleep. I check the time on my phone and see how it’s ten thirty three. I smile to myself. Eight more hours until Niall wakes up and we can talk.
Since the time difference is five hours, I have to wait until 6:30 am to talk to him. That is the time he usually has to wake up at to do early morning radio interviews. He usually calls me before and after those.
I head to the kitchen and begin cleaning.
It takes about four hours to clean everything I have to clean.
2 months since he left
“I can’t believe you did that!” I say while laughing.
It’s six thirty eight in the morning. My late night cleaning shift ended at three in the morning. I usually go to sleep right after my shift and put an alarm on my phone to wake me up at 6:20 so I can go to the cleaning supply storage room to talk to Niall. I don’t want to wake up Sofy with my talking so I go there where no one can hear me.
I know three hours of sleep isn’t enough, but with the coffee I feel energized.
“I got to go ok. Need to get ready for an interview.” He says through the phone.
My smile turns into a frown. I whisper the next part.
“So soon?”
I hear him sigh and say “I know we haven’t been able to talk that long but don’t worry once I’m on vacation, I will be able to talk to you longer.”
“O-okay.” I reply.
We say our goodbyes and I hang up my phone. I look around the empty storage room and begin to cry into my cold pale hands.
I feel that he’s going to forget about me. Sure, we talk, but the longest conversation we had lasted ten minutes.
I wipe my tears and head back to my room.
I take a quick shower and start getting ready for my morning breakfast buffet shift. I help set up all the food and I take the drinks and such to the guests.
My uniform consists of a white polo shirt with the hotel name stitched on the top right close to the collar, black pants, and any shoes I want as long as they aren’t opened toe or flip flops.
When I’m putting on my shoes I see Sofy on the corner of my eyes walking up to me.
“Mornin.” I state.
“How many hours did you sleep?” She asked with a serious face.
“Three.” I say while looking down at my shoes.
Her eyes drown in concern.
“Eli, don’t you see what you’re doing to yourself?” she comments.
I raise my head and look at her with confusion.
“What are you talking about Sofy? You’re starting to scare me.” I add.
“No Eli, you are starting to scare me.” She states.
Before I could even say anything she continues
“Ever since that kid left you haven’t eaten, you haven’t slept, your over worked…don’t you notice.”
“Sofy he has a name! Okay he’s not just some kid.” I say defensively.
She grabs me and takes me to the bathroom and places me in front of the mirror.
“Look at yourself!”
“Let go of me!” I yell!
“LOOK!” she yells back.
I look into the mirror and see a different person. I’m very pale and have almost purple dark circles under my eyes. My arms are starting to look bony and I have lost a big amount of weight.
“So I’ve lost a little weight.” I comment.
Her face is in shock at my statement.
“A little? Eli your arms and your legs look like twigs. You need help. What would your mom say about this?” She comments.
I look at myself again and begin to cry. She wraps her arms around me and rubs my back.
“I-I can’t l-let him f-forget a-a-about m-me.” I say in between sobs.
“You have to let him go Eli. He’s not worth you doing this to yourself.” She says.
I wipe my tears and get out of her embrace.
“You don’t know anything about him okay! You don’t know anything and don’t pretend that you know me. You never will.”
I then storm out of the room and ignore Sofy the rest of the day. I won’t give up on him. He’s the only one that understands anything. He’s my best friend.

Notes