Dark (The Past Never Changes)

Chapter 56

Luke's POV

I've tried calling Raven and everyone associated with her about 100 times already. She isn't calling or texting back, and for the people that did answer, none of them have seen her. They said that the last they heard, she was isolating herself and wouldn't talk to anyone.

"Luke, man, stop worrying. It's only been a day, what if she's at work or something?" Calum asks.

"She lied to me because she didn't want me to know that she's not okay. And she didn't get hired yet, she would've told me before." I tell him.

"Okay, okay. Well we have a lot to get done, and the faster we get it done, the faster you can go check on her." He chuckles. I try to avoid him, but he's right.

I have to find out if she's okay. Or what if she doesn't want to be with me anymore? No, I cant think like that. She's okay, I know it. I hope so at least. I can't waste any time at getting to her to make sure she's not in danger. I have to know.

Raven's POV

My breath catches in my throat. I can feel my heart stop for at least two beats. This is not what I expected, and not what I was prepared for at all. How am I supposed to tell everyone? Most importantly, how was I so naïve to believe that nothing was wrong with me when I knew that something was; when I felt it? I guess I just didn't want to believe it. No, I didn't want Luke to worry about me. I didn't want him to delay moving here more than he already has.

"It's okay, Ray. We'll figure it out." Alicia tells me as we leave the doctors office.

"No, it's not okay Alicia. What am I supposed to do?" I ask.

"You're supposed to listen to the people around you, and most importantly, to your doctor." She tells me.

"How am I supposed to tell people?" I look at her.

"You don't yet, until we know how serious this is. Wait to get the results, and then hopefully Luke will be back." She says. FUCK, I almost forgot about having to actually tell Luke.

"Luke..." I say softly.

"He'll stay with you." She assures me.

I don't say anything, but I really hope so. He won't want me, I think. Not anymore anyways. Now that I'm incapable of actually living an easy healthy life, he'll want to get out while he still can.

Kaylee's POV

It's really hard to wrap my head around everything that's happened since I met Ashton. It feels like my entire life has been turned around. I know that this has turned out to be the best for me, but I still can't believe that I am lucky enough to have him, to finally be living the life I used to imagine as a little girl. Except for the whole boxing dream. That started after the brutal betrayal of my father. Even thought he left me to live alone, I think that there could be some type of relationship with my father.

Ashton doesn't think that's a good idea, but after hearing about Bree's parents again a few days ago, I think I should try. Not necessarily for me, but for her. She wants nothing more than to see her closest friends get along with their parents because she doesn't have hers anymore. That was the first time she's ever told me that, but looking back, I should've been able to tell. She is my best friend, I should've known. And it hurts so much to think that the only people she had after her loss have been constantly hurting her this entire time.

I can see it now. Now that I've thought about it. She used to always disappear when we got in fights with our parents. She would always say it's okay and we would be too selfish to realize what it did to her. And to think that she kept it in all this time and never said anything makes this entire situation even worse. It makes me feel even worse. And then all the hatred and selfishness I've been putting on everyone about my dad for years. She never fell. She never shut herself out completely, even though she wanted to. She was still there for me.

All those nights I would cry about the hatred I felt for my dad, she would hold me and tell me that I was only saying these things out of anger. That I didn't actually hate him, it was all just in my head. That one day we'll have a relationship and it will be something that I'll be okay with. She was right. She said those thing because she broke inside hearing me go on about hating my father, while she didn't even have a father to love. She didn't even have a father for that matter. She was strong every second that I needed her to be strong. Every time that I needed her to hold me and cry with me, she was there for me. And since the day her parents passed, she's never once been held by anyone while she cried. Not after the day she told us why she was crying.

She used to always tell us that she was okay, and that she didn't need anything from us. Maybe she didn't need those things in order to be okay in the end, but she was silently hoping for one of us to break down her door, and bring her good vibes. She was always so short when we brought it up and now I realize that it was because she wanted to see if we would believe her, and see her pain from the outside in.

I feel so stupid, and most importantly, I feel selfish.

"Bree." I say.

"Kaylee? What's wrong?" She asks.

"When will you be home?" I ask.

"Soon, why?" She continues to sound worried.

"I need to talk to you." I tell her.

"Okay.. Are you alright?" She says softly.

"I'm fine. I just need to tell you something." I tell her.

"Okay. Is Harry still there?" She asks.

"No, he and Ashton went out." I say.

"They left you alone?" She half yells.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine. I mean I am fine." My phone vibrates. "I just got a message." I say looking at it.

"Who's it from?" She asks.

"My... Uh. Just hurry home." I tell her.

I hang up the phone and look at the message.

Dad: hey kiddo.

Me: Hi..

Dad: how ya doing?

Me: Good.

Dad: good. I was wondering if you would like to come over for dinner sometime next week.

Me: Uh, sure.

Dad: great I'll let ya know when. Will that boy of yours be comin?

Me: Ashton? Yeah.

Dad: see ya both soon.

The line between Ashton not wanting me to have a relationship with my father and Bree desperately wanting me to try is defined with my own selfish pitty. I disagreed with Ashton because of the forgiveness I've gotten for treating people the same as my dad treated me. I disagreed with Bree because I thought that I would always hate him. I can't describe the need to try for Bree. As if Ashton understands, he'll want to too. Bree has been a disaster since her mom and dad left, and yet she lived all these years acting as if she was getting better, when who knows how she really felt. And now that I think about it more, I still think my father deserves a second chance with me, because I got a second chance with my friends. Everyone deserves a second chance.