Song of the chapter: Gravity - Sara Bareilles

The rest of the afternoon went by considerably fast - I left work after girls bombarded me with questions, asking me if Eoin was as sexy in person as his myth supposed and Josie ultimately begging for his number. I'd never ever seen such in my life: it was the most hilarious thing to date.

I got back to Ty's at around 10 pm, and the apartment was deserted - Ty had texted to say she'd stay over at her mom's; Rae was going to come check on Min in the morning and take her shopping, whining and hair pulling much anticipated.

Min wasn't there, either, which scared me a little - I feared she decided to go back home and give in to her parents. There was a note taped to the refrigerator door written in her handwriting. It read: Hey. I went out with Carla. She's taking me to Brooklyn for her daughter's 18th birthday party. I really need this and I promise I'll be back after 10. Love you guys, Min.

This meant I had the house all to myself, the spacious four bedroomed and two bath roomed penthouse Tyler called home.

I didn't know whether to strip naked and prance around the balcony, what Min would do on a good day, or to wear my sweats and eat ice-cream all night, what I'd do on a good day.

My phone rang, interrupting my decision making - it was Mitchell requesting to FaceTime.

"Howdy, partner," I greeted, perched on the kitchen counter in my work clothes.

"Howdy, mate. Looking good as always. Are we going out somewhere I should know about?" he asked, lying in bed in his hotel room in Austin, Texas.

It was early evening there but he looked extremely exhausted. Why he tortured himself by checking on me so much, I could never begin to understand.

"I just got back from work and I have Ty's house all to myself. I was thinking of stripping and dancing on the balcony but I'm scared someone in their high-rise office will see me and document it," I said, standing to make some coffee. His face lit up and he laughed at my pragmatism.

"I will never understand why you always have to be such a realist. Just do a little run around singing something really loud and go back inside," he offered, and added, "And even if they see you naked, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I'd know this because I have the privilege of stripping you down myself."

His eyes smiled at me and he did his silly sexy smirk which I swooned over constantly, making me blush a crimson red.

"I love you so much more than you'll ever know," I replied, wishing I could kiss him right then. He made a kissy face and all the accompanying noises, reading my mind. I laughed at how silly he was, shaking my head at his childish tendencies.

"I wish you were here with me. I'd sleep easier," he pouted.

"Why are you up and calling me, anyways? You should be asleep. You look awful."

"I couldn't stop thinking about you and not being able to kiss you goodnight made me restless. I miss you, baby."

I felt a lump in my throat preceding the deluge of tears his words were prompting.

"Mitchell, you're gonna make me cry. I miss you too but I want you to have fun and stop thinking about me constantly. Your fans need your full attention," I scolded. He always did this, putting me ahead of everyone and everything.

"But you're my number one fan and you're the most important to me." I had begun crying, the tears falling slowly down my face and wetting my shirt.

"Mitch, stop saying all these things. You're making me miss you so much and it hurts," I sobbed.

"Baby, it hurts me too. It hurts me to always have to leave you and sometimes not see you for weeks or months on end. The only thing that keeps me sane is seeing your face or hearing your voice."

He ran his shaky fingers through his hair, something he did to keep himself from crying. "I love you, Zoe. I'm insanely in love with you and it's all your fault for being so beautiful and amazing."

I laughed at that, and grinned at him.

"I just never want to leave you. I know we've been together for under a year but I know I never want to leave you."

His words caught me off guard, knocking me off my feet. "What...what do you mean?"

"I mean I don't want to leave this, us, what we have. What we've built together. I want to be with you for the rest of my freakin' awesome life. Please say you'll never leave me?"

I was choking on my tears now, overwhelmed by this unfamiliar love for another human being and happiness for having found him when I did.

"I'll never leave you," I promised, and kissed the screen.

"Don't cry, Zoe. You look gorgeous right now and it's kinda turning me on," he said to cheer me up.

I wiped my tears and flashed him a shaky grin. "I aim to please."

"If I die because of keeping it in my pants for two weeks, it's all on your parents for creating you," he whispered, slowly drifting into a deep slumber.

I watched him fall asleep before ending our call, to make sure he actually did sleep. Did I mention how adorable he looked when he was sleeping?

"I love you, too. Sleep tight, baby."

Min arrived with Carla an hour later when I was in the shower and they prepared a late dinner for Min and I. Carla had left when I stepped into the kitchen, having run downstairs after smelling the delicious aromas dancing in the air.

"Ooh, what did Carla make?" I hopped over to Min's side on the bar and squeezed her for a while.

"The usual greasy goodness," she said with her mouth full. She smiled at me, revealing chewed up morsels and apologised for not waiting for me.

I grabbed a plate and threw heaps of a hearty bean stew and quesadillas onto it, devouring them in under ten minutes because yes, I was Min hungry.

"She didn't know whether to make dessert for us or not. I told her if we really wanted some we'd order in," Min reported, clearing the cutlery and crockery into the dishwasher.

She looked much better than the previous night, and she had stepped out of her onesie into a pair of white cut-offs and Mitchell's band vest Lyle got for her on her birthday. "I don't want you to forget me," he'd said with a kiss on the cheek. She had been ecstatic that day and the sentimental value of his gift made her day extra special.

After cleaning up, we lay on the couch, her head on my lap and she began to cry. I was prepared though - I had a box of tissues beside me and some ice-cream to feed her in between sobs.

"I should call him," she finally said. "I've been avoiding him for almost a week and I think he's really worried. He called Rae and Ty to ask after me."

I grabbed her phone from the breakfast bar and dialled his number. I put her phone on speaker; after three rings he picked up, his concern clear in his shaky voice.

She explained to him why she had been avoiding him and told him that she missed him. He was very sympathetic and loving, assuring her he'd always be there for her whether her parents approved or not.

Before she ended the call, she told him she loved him - I muffled a gasp and a big smile. He sounded surprised as well when he told her he loved her too. She started crying again. I told him that he could call later and cut the phone for her.

"I love him, Zoe. But my parents hate him. Wh-why do they hate me so much that they...they have to hurt me li-like this? Don't they love me, Zoe? Does anyone love me?" she sobbed, choking on her tears.

"We love you, Min. Lyle does too."

At the mention of his name she wailed more, clutching my leg and balling her eyes out. I grabbed a bunch of tissues and wiped her tears away, reassuring her that we cared about her.

She fell asleep on the couch due to the exhaustion of shedding a bucket-load of tears, and I put her up in the guest bedroom, sleeping beside her for her own good. A person could only take one emotional breakdown per day before completely losing their mind.