Finding Luke

002

I needed to text someone. I grabbed my phone. I had one unread message. From Isaac. I felt my air leave my lungs.
8:47PM: Mimi, I'm so sorry. I don't know why I'm sorry, but I am. It's not your fault, there was nothing you could do. Everything was too much, I just couldn't do it. Mia, I love you so much. I really wish I didn't have to do this. I've just hit rock bottom and nobody understands. Please tell Luke that I don't hate him. It's not his fault. I want him to live a good life. I want everyone to live a good life. I'm so sorry. I love you. The amount of pain I am in is unbearable. Love you so so much.- Isaac Taylor
I can't breathe. My phone died right before he sent this. I could have stopped him. My heart is pounding. He texted me. I could have saved his life. My whole body hurts and I'm shaking. I don't know what to do. The tears stream down my face and drip onto my illuminated phone. I feel incredibly sick. I don't understand why he would do it. He had so much ahead of him. But you never know what anyone's thinking or feeling.
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I walk into school feeling numb. My face feels puffy and dry. I here footsteps rush behind me. Grace.
"Walk with me?" She tried to cover her red puffy face with makeup.
"Do you know where Luke sits in the morning? I need to talk to him."
"Luke Taylor?" She asks. I nod.
"Is..." She stutters and choked a bit, "He said that he talks with friends in the library."
"Well that's where I'm going."
"I don't think I can, Mia" She looks like she is about to cry.
"It's ok."
I rush to the library. My eyes dart around, as I search for Luke. He's sitting alone, hood pulled up, face in his hands. I slide in across from him.
"Luke?"
"Go away." His voice wavers.
"I need to talk to you."
"I don't care. Nothing you say will make me feel any differently."
I'm getting frustrated. "Luke, look at me!" His head snaps up. "I'm not joking. I'm hurting too. Look at this." I slide my phone over to him.
"He texted you?" I nod. "We got in a fight that afternoon. I felt like it was all my fault. But what if he's just saying that? What if I caused the last string to break?" He starts to cry.
"Luke, it's not your fault." I'm holding back tears myself. "A little fight wouldn't cause him to do this.  It seems like he was planning this for a long time."
Luke grabs his backpack and rushes out of the library.
"Luke!" I shout, but the bell cuts me off.
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As I'm walking out to my car, Lola comes up behind me.
"Luke left." She says, a tinge of fear in her voice. "No one can find him. He's not at home, school, any of his friends houses, the library. He disappeared."
"I was the last person to talk to him."
"Mia, you're in deep shit." She runs her fingers through her hair. "You're going to be treated as a suspect."
"But...I needed to show him what Isaac texted me." I pull out my phone and show her.
"Oh my gosh." She gasps. "You could have stopped him."
But I didn't.