Everything I Didn't Say

Chapter 29

...

I finally got a job at a local pizza joint thanks to Mikey. Luke's got a job at a bowling arena which is the funniest thing I've ever heard. I mean can you image Luke working at a bowling arena? Anyways, I just got home from work and I smell like crap, so I walk up the stairs and walk into the shower.

After I get out, I run a towel through my hair and wrap it up, walking out to my drawers to throw on something comfy. "Hey there, can I come in?" Shelby's voice sounds on the other side of the door.

"Sure, it's open." I call. The door swings open and in walks in a frowning Shelby. "What is it?" I ask.

"You tell me." She sighs sitting on my bed.

"Shelby what'd you want?"

"What's going on between you and Luke? I mean it's obvious now that you two had a thing going on for a while before that stunt he pulled a few months ago, but they've been gone a while, you haven't seen him, and you don't even seem to care."

"I care.." I say quietly.

"What's going on?" She asks again, more impatient this time. "How come you got a job all the sudden and your talking about all this money. Are you planning on running away with him?"

"No, Shelby. And I'm 20 years old, don't you think I should start thinking about my future? I mean I didn't when I was in high school and look where I am now. Maybe I'm trying to save up money for college."

"I know your not doing that."

"You don't know everything." I mumble.

"I know enough to know that whatever your doing isn't fooling me, and I just want to know what your up to."

"Why so you can be nosy? This is none of your business."

"So this is about Luke?" Shelby raises her eyebrows.

"Ye-No!" I groan, knowing that she caught me. "Why do you want to know so bad? Are you going to tell on me?" I ask in a hushed tone like I used to in middle school.

Shelby laughs. "No I'm not five anymore. Just- I thought maybe you might want to talk to somebody about this."

I think for a moment. What makes me explain everything to her is the fact that she's only thirteen and she's snuck out of the house more times than she can count. She knows how to persuade, and maybe I could have some advice. "Wait, wait, wait. " She laughs. "You want to leave this country with a boy that our parents despise? "

"Exactly." I nod.

"Well then. I don't know if I could help you there, but keep in mind that their going to find out that you went with him."

"I don't want to hide it. I just want them to accept it." I speak the truth, but it shatters my heart.

"Fight for it, Adeline. If it really means so much to you, then fight for it. Plus what will they do anyways, forbid you to go? Your overage." Shelby shrugs. To be honest I'm sure they would forbid it. She walks to the door, but stops dead in her tracks. "You-You are coming back right?"

"Of course." I smile.

Shelby nods harshly, almost like she was pushing tears away.

~Xx~

"Look at you all dressed up in red. And whatever that color is." Calum laughs walking up to the counter, eyeing my uniform up and down.

"Thanks." I fake a smile. "What can I get for you?" I ask.

"Oh nothing. When's your break?"

"Uhh.." I check the watch I don't have on my wrists. I look back up at him with a smirk.

"It's 3:10"

"Then in five minutes, I believe. Why?"

"Because Ashton and I want to hang out with you."

"Why can't you hang out with me after work?" I question.

"Okay you got me. Honestly we were going to go by the bowling arena and make fun of Luke. We didn't want you to miss out on the fun."

"Aww!" I whine. "That's not very nice."

"You know you want to." Ashton comes through the door, making the bell sound. The smell of smoke surrounding us. Odd.

I sigh. "Okay, but after I'm off." I say and head back to my minimum wage job.

...

The deep smell of smoke still surrounds us, but we speak nothing of it as we walk down in the blazing sun to Luke. I still smell of pizza although I've changed my clothes, but I guess the smell seeped into my skin.

We arrive at the bowling arena and we walk through the door. Luke stands beside a small child helping her swing a ball that's way too heavy for her, and flinching every time she swings on her own. I giggle a bit too loudly as he turns his head to look at me in shock and embarrassment.

He says something to the little girl, and walks over to the three of us. "Where's Mike?" Was what he said.

You know what? I haven't even thought about that. "Not feeling to hot. Stressed out with school here lately." Ashton sums up.

Luke nods understandingly. "What brings you guys here?"

"We wanted to watch you make a fool of yourself."

Luke looks at me and fakes a hurt look. "Correction." I state. "They wanted to make fun of you. I wanted to come because you were here."

"Well I'm glad you came." Luke winks, bringing me in for a kiss, which makes the boys gag. Then Luke brings me closer to him and sniffs in deeply. "You smell like pizza and smoke. Why do you smell like smoke?"

I have no clue how to answer that. Ashton's the one that should be answering for it, but I take the hit for him anyways. "Someone burnt a pizza today, and it smelled up the whole kitchen." I lie.

Once Luke lets me go, I send a quick look over my shoulder for Ashton, which he awkwardly returns.

We spend the rest of his shift with him, and now where walking back. Luke and I linger towards the back and Calum and Ashton push and shove each other giggling like school girls. "When are you going to tell your parents?" He asks, keeping his tone low, seeing as we haven't told anyone. Well he hasn't.

"I've been trying to talk to my parents, but I can't get up the nerve to do it." He says.

"Luke." I stop him, letting Ash and Cal dumbfully walk on. "If you don't want to do this, we don't have to. I don't want you to think you have to do this."

"I want to. I would love to go to America with you."

"I'm glad you'd go across the world with me If you could." I slowly laugh, as we pick up the pace, catching up with them.

"Of course. I'd do anything for you, my love."

"I love you, Luke." I say. I can see my house in the distance, and Ash and Cal are now with us, not wanting to get spotted by my family.

"I love you, Adeline." He smiles, putting his hands on my face so that we firmly touch lips. "Every...Single...Day." He says in between kisses.

I laugh. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye Addy!" Ashton and Calum call in sync as I walk back to my home, not knowing how to spring this news on my family.