You Left Me | l.h.

Friend or Foe?

Lena's POV

"48 Mariam Way. That's where the camp was." Jacob says. "Camp?" I say. "Yes camp. It's like a big trailer park where we all lived." He responds. A small smirk pulls at the corners of my mouth as I think about what I'm about to say. "So you were a hobo?" I say.

"Lena! Go to your room!" My mother yells at me. I get up without saying a word, and begin to walk up the stairs. But I stop at the tip where they can't see me, and I can listen.

"Why did you leave in the first place Jacob?" My dad says sternly. "I needed some time to figure things out." He responds quietly. "So?! You just left? Do you know how much pain and suffering you put us through?" My dad yells. My father doesn't yell often, but when he does, you'd swear there was a Tsunami outside.

"I know I got the same speech from Lena." Jacob says with that ugly sarcasm of his. "You had a life ahead of you! College, a job, but no. After warning you a million times you made a decision to do drugs."

"So tell me Jacob, now what?" My mother says sounding defeated. "I am 22 years old! I don't need you telling me what I can and cannot do!" He yells. "But the decisions you're making Jacob, they're not the right ones." My father says. I take a deep breath and go up to my room, as the yelling match downstairs continues. Guess it's time to try to hack Maya's computer open.

I open it up the laptop try all your basic passwords. 1234, pass, password, 4321, but nothing. Then I try things having to do with Maya. I try her name, initials, dogs name, my name, but still nothing. Think Lena, think. What could it be?

•••

School is school. Depressing and pitiful. I sit at lunch alone. Me and Maya used to sit on the bench next the windowsill when we ate. It was beautiful then, to see the blue skies and the meadow out the window.

But now, the sky seems to be permanently tinted grey, and flowers in the meadow are no longer pink and alive. But brown and wilted. I look down at my plate as a lump forms in my throat. Nostalgia seems to get in the way of eating these days. When I look up my eyes meet and familiar face.

It's Luke. "Hi." He says. I'm overcome with anxiety and fear. What does he want? "What?" I reply somewhat rudely.

He rolls his eyes and drugs down, "Okay listen, I remember you. I didn't forget that night but I didn't want Mrs. Snyder to know I've been around here for a while. She thinks I just moved from Australia. Which is true but, that was 2 years ago. Anyway, I don't know if Maya ever talked about me but we used to.....-" the rest is hazy to me because I'm too conflicted.

For some reason, I feel a strangely massive amount of happiness that he remembers me. It all makes sense now, I knew he didn't go here. "But wait she said you'd been in the school for years, not that you moved." I say surprising myself that I spoke out loud to him.

"Well yes the school in Australia was identical to this one like a sister school." He says. He looks so innocent, something about it makes me want to hug him, kiss him even. Not romantically more like in a puppy way. Ew. What's happening.

I stop myself when another thought hits me. It suddenly hits me what he said about Maya. She did talk about a Luke. Right before she disappeared she would go on, and on about his cheek bones and marine blue eyes. Which was weird for Maya. She's not the type to gush over guys. They were never together though. She said once he didn't like her that way. She definitely did though.

"So you're the famous Luke." I say with a sarcasm in my voice. Ugh I'm turning into Jacob, I think to myself as my stomach starts to turn at the thought of him.

Luke's face softens, I didn't realize how tense he'd been. He half laughs. "I guess she did mention me. Anyway it was hard for me too, it still kind of is. She was one of the people who really welcomed me here after I moved. That's why I came into the church, I knew she always went there and I thought maybe that where she'd be. But I found you instead. And I knew exactly who you were because she used to talk about you all the time." He finishes with a sigh.

I'm at a loss for words. "How long did Maya know you?" I say again with a hint of rudeness. "Two years." He replies. I'm shocked she'd only been talking about him for a couple weeks before she vanished. Why wouldn't she tell me about him?

"And why are you now just appearing at this school?" I retort. "My family moved a little closer to here for work and well, I had to change districts." He replies calmly. "Where did used to live?" I interrogate. "Australia." He replies. "After that!" I snap. "Oh right, um Downingtown." he replies a little startled.

Downingtown? That's nowhere near Philadelphia where we live. At least not for someone without a car. It'd be like a hour drive, and God knows how long a walk. I always did wonder how Maya got around so swiftly.

Probably one of the reasons she got "kidnapped" and ended up in Brooklyn. "So can we start over, like be friends?" He asks. I think about it. I could use an ally to help and he'd probably be willing. But if I do, I can't let him distract me from the real point.

Finding Maya.

I nod and stick out my hand

"Friends."

••••••••••••••••••••••
Heyyoo so kinda long but I neeeeeded to get Jacob and Luke's explanations in there. The pic is how the meadow actually looks and how Lena sees it. Anywayyy hope you enjoyed!
-Girlonline234👩💭❄️