|Damage||cth| -au- DISCONTINUED

|Fourteen|

this chapter was kind of a filler but yeah. I think I should actually have like an updating schedule instead of randomly updating. I have to decide so I can update consistently.

Dakota:

Luke hung up on me. Luke dead ass just hung up on me. I sighed and threw my phone on the floor. 

I felt so bad. Just after I thought things were okay with Aria and me, I was far from right. Things had gotten worse. She could barely get out a word at Calum. I messed things up with Ashton even further. He hadn't talked to me all day. I mean I was ignoring him even though he told me multiple times that he told Calum about what happened to Aria. Calum was only talking to me because he wanted to piss off Luke. I kind of thought it would be funny to see his reaction but he didn't do anything.

 Aria obviously thought something was wrong. I should have sent or a text— anything to make sure she wouldn't freak out. Today, Aria skipped school. She left school. She would never have done that. 

Suddenly thinking of Ashton, I picked up my phone and sent him a text.

hey...

hi

i'm sorry. I know you won't believe me but it wasn't what it looked like

k

k?

k

& btw I believe you told Calum. I'm sorry for dodging you all week. I'm just worried about Aria and Luke.

that's where you're wrong. you're just worried because she's spending time with someone else other than you. if it wasn't for him, she'd be home, doing nothing. probably waiting for you to need her again.

why is everyone taking her side? you're the reason all of this is happening.

you obviously aren't here to apologize. You just wanted someone to wallow in your self-pity with you. This isn't about you and Luke. Stop making this about you. This is much bigger than your white people family problems.

that's not true

 Don't be selfish. Start acting like a friend to her. 

I didn't respond.  Was I being selfish? 

Seconds later, I heard a door close from downstairs.  

"I'm home!" Luke yelled. "Anyone?"

I left my room and ran downstairs.

"I guess it's just the two of us," he said.

"Nope," I intervened.

Aria stayed quiet and barely made eye contact with me.

"Hey," I said to her.

She simply pursed her lips.

"I'm sorry about today, Aria," I said. "It wasn't what it looked like."

"It's fine," she said.

"Don't lie, Aria,"  Luke said. "It's not okay."

"Do you ever shut up?" I asked.

"I'm not going to sit here and continue to watch you mistreat her."

"Calum was just trying to piss you off, Luke."

"It didn't work but in the end, you got your best friend crying. I hope you're happy."

"Can you two just stop arguing? Please," Aria spoke. "I get it. All of this is just too much. I should go home."