Chapter Text
It’s been a month since Ramona arrived in New York City, a frenetic place with millions of new possibilities. She is still getting used to the cultural differences, the overwhelming unknown people and the new places.
She feels like it’s been ages since she last saw Annie and her friends. She misses home but also loves it here. She is fascinated by this city, she’s getting to know Connor and Steven a little better.
It still feels very awkward to talk to her biological dad, but they’re getting used to it.
Her friends call her when they can and some even write letters to her, but… she misses Oona the most.
However, she refuses to call her after all that happened that last night, the last time she spoke to her. She should be moving on because she knows that Oona has definitely moved on by now. The curly blonde is probably already flirting with another girl that’s visiting the town. Another one that adds up to the list in which Ramona is featuring now.
Ramona refuses to call Oona because she knows that she has already moved on.
Ramona refuses to call Oona but deeply misses her.
Getting to know the city is exciting (which is another word for distracting). After all the emotional impacts that she has encountered in these past few months, it feels good to start a new chapter because, honestly, it has been a lot.
She wishes that her grandpa could see her now. Old Gordon would be glad to know that she’s doing great and bonding with her newly found siblings.
The sun is already down and Ramona is lying on her bed, starting a new book, given that she finished the last one the night before.
When she was 30 pages in, her reading got interrupted by her ringtone. While she was stretching to pick her phone up from her nightstand, she thought that it was most likely to be Annie to fill her in on whatever she did today with Ellis or the news about town.
When she reads the caller ID, she freezes. Oona’s name urging her to pick it up.
But she doesn’t.
Instead, she just presses the red button and sinks further into her bed trying to gather her emotions.
She’s actually pissed about everything that had happened, feels completely angry whenever she thinks about the taller girl. She picks up her book and tries to focus on the words.
A few minutes later the phone rings again and this time she considers picking it up.
The faint glow of the screen emphasising the doubt written all over her face and then defeat when she decides to press the green button.
“Hello.” Oona starts, noise filtering through the mic.
Ramona remains silent, trying to figure out where Oona might be at.
“Are you there?”
“Yes.” Ramona answers, waiting for Oona to let her know why she even called in the first place.
“Okay” She pauses and a few voices are then heard from behind. Ramona realises that she might be at a party.
“I was just calling because I- “ Ramona becomes aware that she is now sitting on the bed instead of lying down. “I just wanted to know how you’re doing.”
“At 2 a. m.? You called to know how I’m doing at 2 a.m.?”
“It seems like I am, yes.”
“I’m doing well.”
“I’m glad."
It doesn’t make any sense that Oona is calling now. Ramona can’t seem to understand
anything about this conversation. They have hurt each other; Oona was the one that asked her to leave, to get away.
And Ramona did. She just said stupid things and got away as fast as she could, leaving that boat because she was furious about the other girl’s reaction. Oona seemed like she didn’t care about her, about them.
“Is that all?” Ramona asks, trying not to snap like she did that night.
“No, I… I also miss you. A lot, actually.”
Ramona is shocked and literally gasps out loud, the sound blended with a fake cough that tried to disguise it as a sore throat.
“I know that I don’t have any right to call and I promised myself that I wouldn't, but I’m… quite hammered right now.” A nervous laugh escapes her throat and then her voice turns serious again, like she remembered how heartbreaking this was for her. “I’m sorry.”
“Have you been drinking?”
“Obviously, Mona.”
Ramona was leaning against the bedframe, wishing this conversation was just a dream and not another layer of complexity towering over her life again.
She missed her a lot, her absence left a hole in her heart that she was managing to fill up with new people and places, but it was apparent that she still had a lot of work left. Breaking up with her also meant breaking contact with her best friend, the one who she promised not to run away from ever again.
Ramona has always been a natural at hiding and running away. A leopard can’t change its spots after all.
“I-“ Ramona wanted to say.
“No.” Oona stopped her.
“Wha-“
“Don’t say it. You deserve to be away and see what the world has to offer and meet-“
“Why can’t I-“
“Because I don’t want you to miss anything.”
The speed between their words suddenly stopped, leaving each other waiting in a pregnant pause.
“I wouldn’t stand knowing that I might be the one keeping you attached to this place.”
“I’m really angry at you.” Ramona pauses, her voice changing from anger to vulnerability quickly. “But I do miss you.”
Ramona feels a tear threatening to fall from her eye. She hears Oona sobbing and that tear falls, inviting lots of other ones to follow. She was still mad at her but also wants to hug her in a very strange way.
“I don’t… I should probably get going.”
“Okay.”
“I’m pleased that you’re happy in the city.”
“Thank you. Say hi to Maple for me.”
“Sure do, um…”
Both of them knew the other was crying but neither of them was brave enough to call it off.
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Oona was the first to hang up after a few seconds of just trying to hide their current state of trembling lips and shaky crying voices.
Ramona just lay on the bed after that, absolutely forgot about her new book lying next to her, eyes welled up.