Right Person, Wrong Time - Chenford AU

Chapter 4 - Hugs

Lucy's POV:

It was him. His face, his voice, attacking her mind.

She couldn't get him out of her head.

She walked out of the room, heading towards her trailer. She just needed to be alone for a bit. Let herself relax and focus. Forget.

"Lucy?" Tim called out from behind. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She mumbled back, picking up pace. 

She couldn't break down in front of him. 

She could feel her heartbeat thumping in her chest, her hands sweating, her breathing shaky. 

"Is this about the fake dating thing? It's not a big deal if you're not comfortable with it-" Tim said, still following her.

"No- it's not about that, it's something else. I- I would really like to be alone right now, if that's possible." She said, hearing his footsteps halt.

"Yeah." He replied softly, "Just let me know when you're feeling better, okay? I want to make sure you're okay." 

"Yeah, I will," She mumbled, then locked herself in her trailer without looking back. 

She fell onto the wall and slid down to the floor. Her hands were shaking. 

Was that all it took? An idea to fake date, emphasis on fake- for these horrible memories to resurface?

Hours of counseling and therapy, all gone to waste now that he was back.

"Caleb." She whispered, playing with the syllables. She gripped the hem of her jacket, swallowing hard. 

She stared at the wall, trying to focus on the things around her. 

A table. A chair. A couch. The door to the bathroom. The packet of paper that was her script for the day. A window with the blinds closed. The tiled floor. 

Blink. She would have to blink.

She didn't want to. If she closed her eyes, even only for a second- she would see his face.

She would see all the horrible things, the threats, the knife, the duct tape- his face when he was dragged away. 

Breathe. Please. Just breathe.

She sucked in a shaky gasp. 

Her phone. Her phone. 

What time was it?

Not time yet. 

Could she pull herself together in time for people to not notice?

---

Tim's POV:

There was definitely something wrong with Lucy. 

He could see it with her body language and hear it in her voice. 

Now he was worried. She locked herself in her trailer. 

Was it something about the fake dating? It wasn't a horrible idea, and it was fake. 

Tim didn't see what the problem was. 

Unless the problem wasn't about the fake dating or the dating rumors.

What if it was something else?

Who knows Lucy well enough to know what's going on?

"Tamara." He whispered under his breath. "Or John, or Jackson. But those two don't know her as well as Tamara does. They practically act like a mother and daughter duo."