Close as Strangers

Chapter 7

I woke up from a deep sleep and sat up, remembering going to get smoothies with Luke, I smiled. We finally came to an understanding with our careers, well at least his career and my soon-to-be career. I glanced over at my pink roses, watching them start to dry up and die made me sad, but I know that even though flowers die, love doesn't. I smiled, standing up and heading to get a shower.

A week had passed since Luke and I went to get smoothies and I was happy. i was glad that we were talking again and that things were going great. It was better then before.

We had been hanging out all week and I was glad. I was getting ready when I heard noise in my parents room.My dad, he was back from a business trip for bringing his restaurants to other countries! It's been two weeks since I last seen him.

"Dad?"

"Hi sugar!"

"Dad!" I ran into his arms for a hug, yes I am daddy's girl, even though he's rarely here. He kissed the top of my head.

"I'll go make you some chocolate pancakes." I laughed.

"Dad, you do realize I have school, one month from graduation still." He looked surprise, completely forgetting about school.

"Then we'll have them for dinner!" He said and let me off to go finish getting ready. My dad really tried to act cheerful and happy for me, though he was mostly, he was still devastated from Ben's death and he wanted to be there for me.

I finished getting myself together for the day and headed to school, tea in one hand, my bag in the other. My phone started going off and I reached in my bag for it and pulled it out to see that Luke was calling me.

"Hello?"

"Hey Izzy, I have to talk to you, can we meet up later?"

"Um, sure, is everything okay?"

"Yeah I just wanted to talk."

"Okay, I'll see you after school then?"

"Yeah."

"Alright.."

"Okay, bye Iz."

"Bye." I hung up, slightly confused, wondering what Luke needed to talk about, but continued on to school.

The day slowly went on, I was thankful when lunchtime had arrived. I headed to the art room, meeting up with Caitlin.

"I can't believe the boys are going on a world tour, it seems like they just got back." Caitlin said in between of bites of gluten free pretzels. I started to choke on my apple, though Caitlin didn't flinch due to me choking at least once a day during lunch.

"They're going on tour?" I managed to say between choking on bits of apple skin.

"Wait you didn't know?"

"No! Of course I didn't."

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew."

"I didn't, Luke didn't tell me."

"I'm sure that's what he wants to talk about later!"

"Yeah but he should've told me when he found out." I stood up, throwing the remains of my lunch away and walked away to class.

The end of the day came and I walked out of the school, intending on walking straight home, if Luke didn't intend on telling me until today then it shows that things clearly aren't meant to be if he can't even tell me something this big.

"Izzy!" I shoved past him and his big blue eyes and kept walking. "Izzy wait!" He said next and I kept walking, why should I wait when he waited this long to tell me? "Izzy stop." He caught up and grabbed hold of my hand in attempt to stop me, I kept myself turned away from him.

"Just stop Luke. Let go of me."

"Why? What's wrong?" I turned around to face him, his eyes taunting me unintentionally.

"You didn't tell me you were going on tour when you found out last week! That's what's wrong Luke." I shoved him, trying to separate myself from him. He stood there with a look of pure shock on his face.

"How'd you find out?"

"Don't act like I live under a rock Luke, I was going to find out sooner or later. I can't believe you." He stood there, dropping my hand, hurt in his eyes.

"I didn't know how to tell you I'm going to be gone for a year next week."

"Next week! Are you kidding me? I cannot begin to even fathom how you didn't think to tell me this!" I shouted this at him, venom in my voice, making other students look over at us. I turned away to walk home.

"Izzy! Stop. Please."

"Why Luke? Why? You're just going to leave me again like you're doing again anyways."

"I need you. I need you Izzy and I can't picture not having you by my side."

"Luke, you say you want me by your side, but you always leave me meters behind and expect me to be right there with you." I looked at him, devastation in his eyes.

"I want you to be with me, I'll make sure this time."

"Luke, it's over." I was angry and hurt, just like all the other times. I kissed him goodbye, all of my love to him. Tears of hurt slowly streaming down my face making my hair stick to my neck. He brought his hand to my back and I slowly pulled away, stopping myself. I turned and walked away.

"I'll always love you Isabelle Luft." He whispered when I pulled away.

I awoke that next morning, feeling a mass on my chest. I was breathless and my hair was sticking all over my face and neck. I slowly dressed and pulled my hair up, bringing myself down the stairs to face the day I didn't want to meet. My dad was still asleep and I thanked God for that. I headed outside to see Caitlin outside starting her walk to school hand in hand with Michael. My heart clenched and I had to fight back the tears remembering that he was leaving in a week.

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BAM. Chapter is over, I hope it was just as much of an emotional roller coaster reading it as it was writing it. Go check out my best friend's story called Change its amazing and her username is @the_5sos_rejects I'm sure you'll love it. Okay, no chapter until the weekend is over, I'll be up in the sticks where wifi is not present. So I'll post a chapter this coming week, for now enjoy this once, thanks!