when we collide ✰ l.h.

Chapter 20

I don't know how long I've been pacing and I don't know how long I've been thinking, but I do know that my mind is just as tired as my legs.

It was half past one in the morning which means Luke had been gone for 14 hours which was 12 hours longer than I expected. He was never one to run away from his problems, but he was one to run away from his fears. Maybe this was something that he was afraid of too. It was obvious that it was not for the same reason, but maybe he was more afraid of my unsuspecting answer.

My guilt and worries had been troubling me to the point where I had physically felt weak. I finally sat myself down on the couch as I kept thinking to myself how this isn't something that I should be getting worked up about. But at this point I was beginning to get more worried about him and his own safety.

I slumped down onto my side, tugging my knees into my chest. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and still hadn't gotten any replies from the few texts and calls I had sent to Luke. The phone slipped from my hand, falling to the floor with a soft thud. I sighed lightly as I stared at the blank wall ahead of me, blinking a few times before I felt my eyes get heavy and I could feel myself becoming more exhausted by the second.

I've been up for nearly 24 hours and it was just now starting to hit me. My dimly lit living room wasn't making it any easier to stay up and wait for Luke, even though I had the gut feeling he wouldn't be coming back until the morning.

I was half asleep, noises still able to be heard but my eyes were shut and my body stayed still. It was then when I heard the rattling of my front door. It had been going one for a few minutes, but I had just woken up to it.

I shot up from my spot and ran to the door as I knew the only person who could be there was Luke. He was the only one that would realize he'd forgotten his keys at 2am which has sure enough happened more than once.

I yanked the door open to reveal my frazzled self to a blank faced Luke. I took a quick step outside and threw my arms around his torso, pressing the side of my face against his chest.

"Were you sleeping?" He quietly asked. He hadn't put his arms around me yet, but I could tell they were hovering over me as if he wanted to.

"I was going to." I mumbled. The cool air from it being so late hadn't mixed well with my short sleeve t-shirt. The only heat I was getting was from being so close to Luke.

"Oh." His plainly said. A few seconds passed and I still hadn't released from him as he hadn't wrapped me in just as tight. "I didn't mean to-"

"Goddammit Luke, just hug me back." I practically demanded. A sense of relief washed over me once I was pulled in tighter to him. I'm guessing that my ultimate worry was him being safe rather than if he was mad at me.

"Can we go inside?" I felt him tense up as I did the same once a breeze came by. I nodded my head and dropped my arms, backing into the house as Luke followed. I watched as he stepped inside, looking around as if he's never been in here before. He gently closed the door and finally looked back down at me.

I waited for him to speak up, to say something, anything, but nothing came out. We stood there just looking at each other and that's how things seemed to be. A lot of looks and thoughts, but nothing was said.

He brushed passed me, making me spin on my heels and watch his back as he walked towards his room. I wanted to stop him even though I had no idea what I was going to say or do, I just didn't want to be left with the feeling that he didn't want to speak to me.

Luke stopped as he reached the beginning of the hallway, looking over his shoulder at me. He looked me up and down before nodding towards his door which implied that he wanted me to come with him. I walked to him as he wanted, probably a little faster than I had intended.