Luke's Diary: An Unlucky Man In A Zombie Apocalypse. Entries 957 - 1157

Entry 979: Sunday 2nd June 2019

Entry 979
Sunday 2nd June 2019

I ended up speaking to Ash today – I say "speaking", it actually turned into quite a heated argument!

I was sat in Sails Cafe with Sci-Fi Cyn having a cuppa and catch up, I was telling her all about what happened yesterday with Naomi, when halfway through the conversation Ash walked in. I saw him and he saw me. I turned to Sci-Fi Cyn and rolled my eyes. "Oh God," I quietly said, "This is going to be awkward." "It doesn't have to be," said Sci-Fi Cyn, "Just be civil. He might not even talk to you." I turned and looked at Ash and he was looking right over at me. "Cyn, he's looking right at me," I said, "I think talking to me is exactly what he wants. I bet he wants to have a go at me because of what happened yesterday with Naomi." "He's coming over," Sci-Fi Cyn said quietly, "Just be civil and polite." Ash approached me with a serious look on his face. Luke, can I have a word?" he asked. "Well, I'm just having a cuppa with Cyn," I said. "It's OK," said Sci-Fi Cyn, "I don't mind." I frowned at Sci-Fi Cyn, angry that she didn't throw me a bone. I rolled my eyes, stood up and Ash and I walked over to the corner of the café. Before either of us had a chance to say anything Trudy stormed over from behind the counter. "Oi," she snapped, "What's going on here? I thought you two had fallen out. Is there going to be a fight?" "You don't need to worry," said Ash, rolling his eyes, "There's not going to be a fight." "I'm not bothered," said Trudy, "I just want to know so I can get a good seat." "Trudy, we don't want to fight, we want to talk," I said. "Talk?" said Trudy, looking at Ash and I like we were both weird, "It's a café not a counselling service. Buy something to eat or drink, or f*ck off. You've got five minutes." Trudy left leaving me with Ash who had a serious look on his face. "Luke, Naomi's really upset," said Ash. "Well, I'm sorry," I said, "But I don't know why you're telling me." "She's my sister," said Ash, "I care about her." "Oh, don't give me that sh*t," I said, "You didn't speak to her for years." "Luke, I'm not here to argue with you," said Ash, "Can you just come and sort it out with Naomi and apologise to her, please?" "Me apologise to her!?" I loudly exclaimed, "Are you having a laugh!? That's not going to happen. She punched Nikki in the face." "Yes, because Nikki was goading her," said Ash, "Nikki wanted you to see Naomi punching her." "Ash," I said, "I heard all this conspiracy theory sh*t from Naomi yesterday. It was far-fetched then and it's far-fetched now." "It's not a conspiracy," said Ash, "It's true, and what's far-fetched is THAT Nikki telling the truth." "According to who?" I said, "Naomi? The woman who punched her in the face, and then a few days later punched her again?" "Luke, you've known Naomi for ages," said Ash, "Ever since the outbreak started. You've known THAT Nikki for two minutes." "Ash, I saw Naomi punch Nikki with my own eyes," I said. "Yeah, and as I say she goaded Naomi into doing that," said Ash. "She insulted Nikki who only went over to Naomi to sort things out," I firmly said. "No, Luke," snapped Ash, "She went over to Naomi to sh*t-stir, goad her and insult her, her late daughter and Sophie." "That's not true," I snapped, "You're taking the word of your sister. You're biased." "And you're taking the word of your girlfriend," said Ash, "You're biased. "No," I snapped, "I am going on what I saw and what I heard. I SAW HER whack Nikki and when I tried to talk to Naomi, she said some pretty horrible stuff about Nikki." "That's because Naomi can see what THAT Nikki is doing to you," said Ash, "She's brain washed you." I was getting angry at Ash referring to Nikki as 'THAT Nikki.' "Ash," I angrily said, "If you keep calling Nikki, THAT Nikki I'm just going to walk away." "Fine," said Ash, "OK. Sorry. I just want this sorted out." "That's what I wanted," I said, "But Naomi wouldn't apologise." "Luke, she has nothing – absolutely nothing to apologise for." "Really?" I said, "Insulting my girlfriend and then whacking her in the face. You don't think that warrants an apology? Sounds to me like you're the one who's been brainwashed. Oh, do you know what, it doesn't matter. This can't be sorted now anyway. To be honest I don't want it sorted. If Naomi's going to behave like this, I don't want her in my life." "You're behaving like an idiot," said Ash, "Acting without thinking. Just like you did over on the mainland with Jed and Smudge." "Oh f*ck off Ash," I snapped, "I'm not going over all that again. This conversation is pointless. Me and Naomi used to be friends. We're not anymore." "God, are you so desperate for a girlfriend that you'll take any old psychotic, compulsive, narcissistic liar who'll look twice at you?" This really made me angry. I wanted to wallop Ash, but instead I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, opened them and took a step closer to Ash. "GO ON!!!" yelled Trudy from the behind the café counter, "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! KICK THE SH*T OUT OF EACH OTHER!" Trudy's rant actually helped to calm me down. "Ash," I calmly said, "I am just going to say this once. If you say anything like that about Nikki again, I'm not sure I'll be able to be held responsible for what might happen." "Oh?" said Ash, "Threatening me? Violence? I'm starting to see a different side to you. Maybe this is the real Luke coming out." "A guy that stands up for his girlfriend, and does what he has to in order to stay alive?" I said, "Maybe that's the side you're seeing. An assertive, confident, in-control Luke, and you don't like it?" "Luke, I don't care," said Ash, "I care about my sister." "And I care about my girlfriend," I firmly said, "And I'm telling you straight; whatever you think about her, or whatever comments you want to make about her, take them somewhere else. I don't want to hear them and if I do hear them, I won't be happy." "OK," said Ash, "You've had your say, now I'm going to have mine. If you stay with Nikki, you'll end up miserable and alone. You've lost Kyle, you've lost me, and you've lost Naomi. Stay with Nikki and you're going to lose even more people." Ash then walked over to the café door, opened it, then turned and looked back at me. "Don't say you weren't warned," he said. He then left. I breathed a sigh of relief and Trudy and Sci-Fi Cyn came over. "You OK?" asked Sci-Fi Cyn. "Aaaaaw," said a disappointed Trudy, "I was hoping there'd be a scrap. Love a bit of arse kicking."

After my exchange with Ash, I wasn't in the mood to sit and chat with Sci-Fi Cyn, so I slurped the remains of my tea, said bye and then went round to Nikki's. I told Nikki all about my interaction with Ash. She wasn't happy. She said Ash should mind his own business, and that Naomi should fight her own battles. I tried to calm her down, but she got a lot angrier than I thought she would. "It's over now," I said, "Don't let Ash or Naomi get to you. They're in the past now. We need to focus on our future." I gave Nikki a kiss and a cuddle and it calmed her down. I made out I wasn't too bothered by Ash coming to talk to me, but I suppose I was a bit. I don't know if Naomi sent him or if he came of his own accord, but like Nikki said, he should mind his own business. He wasn't there for Naomi before so it's a bit late to start acting like the protective brother now. Anyway, let's hope that's him done and dusted with.

I'm staying at Nikki's again tonight, but I think I need to sleep at mine tomorrow. Mum and Auntie Meryl are starting to join forces, and gang up against me for leaving them with Leo all of the time.