Luke

Chapter 26

My phone startled me awake. I settled back into my bed when I realized it was just my ringer, taking a breath. The clock said 2:12. Shit. I missed school.

As my phone rang again, I reached over to pick it up. I moaned when I read the caller ID and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey mate! Are you in class?"

"Yes, Ryan. I answered my phone right in the middle of class."

There was a pause from the other end. "Are you joking?" Ryan drawled after a moment.

"Of course I'm fucking joking," I rubbed my face with my hand, pulling out my side drawer to grab my pack of cigarettes. "What do you want?"

"We wanted you to come hang out with us," Zach yelled from a distance.

"Why?"

"Why not? You're a friend, aren't you? We can have guys' night!" Ryan replied.

"It's 2 in the fucking afternoon."

"Gives more time to get drunk!" Zach yelled again.

"Are you seriously only focused on beer?"

"And girls!"

"You're already drunk, aren't you, Zach?"

"Maybe a little!"

"C'mon mate," Ryan started. "We've missed you at band practice. Just come hang out, alright?"

I sighed. "Fine. Where?"

"At Chesapeake Bar and Grill. At 3:30."

"K. See you there."

"Bye bye!" Ryan and Zach chimed back in unison. I hung up, tossing my phone to the foot of the bed. I didn't really want to go anywhere. I was sore from yesterday and my head was pounding.

I took a long drag and sat up, wincing. The pain was even worse when I moved. I got up and grabbed a change of clothes, walking into the bathroom. The bathroom became steamy quickly when I turned on the shower, so I opened up the little window to let some heat out. My clothes dropped to the floor with a thud and I examined my wounds. My abdomen was bruised pretty badly, along with a purplish tint to my right cheekbone. My neck was sore also from jolting backwards when I hit the lockers.

I stepped into the shower, sighing in relief as I sat down in the tub. The water ran over my back and through my hair, the water tinted a brown-ish red from the dried blood that was on my face. I liked showers. They were comforting. I felt alone, but alone in this nice, calming sense. Like I was alone but the water was there for me and would take care of me.