the last petal ≫ c.h. (discontinued)

t w e n t y

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I see Luke grab the pill bottle I scream and try to grab it,

"Luke don't! I need you, I love you. Why don't you love me enough to stay?"

He looks at me with a sympathetic smile, "Oh Carter. Innocent, naive, Carter. Don't you see it? I'm already dead inside. There's no going back now, love. My heart has been broken to the point of no return."

I'm sobbing, uncontrollably shaking. This is my chance to save him, and he's not letting me.

"Why are you so broken? You have me, you have your parents! You have so many friends... I just don't understand."

He looks down, "I can't handle it anymore... I wanted to tell you before, but I was too afraid."

I furrow my eyebrows, "What didn't you tell me?"

He lifts his shirt and I see bruises scattering his toned stomach.

I gasp, "Who did this?"

He hung his head, "My dad."

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I woke up with a start, still shaking like crazy.

The dream felt so real... Like Luke was really telling me these things.

"Mom!" I call.

She bursts into my room, "What's wrong honey?"

I hug her close, "When grandma died, did you ever... Have dreams about her? Did she talk to you and tell you what happened when she died or anything?"

She nods, "Yeah. One week after she died, I had a dream. She was in the hospital bed, and she told me all about the plane crash. And she told me she was happy. She wanted me to be happy, and my dad to be happy. She told me she'd visit him in a dream too."

"Do you think it was really her? I mean, like, her spirit?" I ask.

She sighed, "There's no way to be sure... But I think when something like that happens, don't question it."

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That day, I didn't talk to anyone. I didn't want to leave the comfort and privacy of my room.

I wanted to go back to sleep, hoping Luke would visit me again.

Eventually, I managed to fall back into dreamland.

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Me and Luke are in his room.

"You could've called the police." I whispered.

"I was too afraid," He sighed.

"You could've told me. I would've helped you. I can't believe that was going on, and I didn't even know... Oh god," I put my head in my hands.

"There was nothing you could've done. He wouldn't have listened to you, he would've just been angry with me for telling anyone."

"Why does he do it? How long has it been going on?" I question, still so confused with this new news.

"I have no idea why. He's always had some anger problems, I guess he just took it out on me. He'd been doing it since I was 6," He mutters.

"11 years. Your father has been abusing you for 11 years and you didn't think to tell your girlfriend?! Thats kind of a need-to-know sort of thing!"

"You're right, and I'm sorry. But there's nothing anyone can do now. I'm long gone. Like I said, there's no going back."

I feel tears rolling down my face, "Are you happy you did it? Are you happy you ended your life and left me here, all alone?!"

"No, I wish I hadn't. But you're not alone. You have your friends and family, you have Calum. I've been watching over you, I see how much you love that kid. He's no me, but he's alive, so that gives him a bit of an advantage," He chuckles.

Despite the situation, I laugh along.

"I do really like him.."

"Remember what I said? I want you to move on by the time the last rose petal falls. Its about to fall, and I think you've moved on. You just have to let go. Let go of me, it's too late for you to change anything. There's nothing holding you back now."

I nod and wipe my tears, "You're right. I need to let go."

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My eyes fluttered open and as soon as they adjust, I see the rose on my window sill and watch as the very last petal silently falls to the floor.

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