Where The Lines Overlap

Chapter 9.

Luke's POV

As I looked up at the blank white ceiling of my bedroom, Paige's words kept replaying over and over in my head and there was no way to make it stop.

Somewhere along the way, I actually thought Paige and I had something special, it wasn't normal and dull but exciting and unusual.

But boy, was I mistaken.

I thought of how I let myself get so hung up on some girl, like I was too attracted to her. But that was just it, Paige wasn't just some girl, she was a challenge, intriguing.

It's been a few days since I've made any contact with her. I almost called her and I almost I went down to her apartment and I almost went to see her at work, but every time I got on my feet I kept hearing her voice in my head practically telling me I meant nothing to her.

For three days straight I've been drunk with no intention of getting sober anytime soon. I never answered my phone, whether it was from Calum, or Charlotte, or anybody else who might actually give a shit about me.

I was surprised I hadn't gotten fired yet, I hadn't come in for a week and I haven't had the decency to call in and give some excuse as to why.

I just stayed right here in my unmade bed, accompanied by nobody and nothing except for my haunting thoughts and half empty liquor bottles. My tongue was numb to the burning taste of each drink by now.

If being drunk for days on end wasn't bad enough, I'd blown through most of my good shit in less than forty-eight hours. One hit after another until it was all gone.

But even after all the booze and weed, I still felt the same way I did when I left Paige's apartment.

I tried watching tv but most of the time it ended up watching me instead. It was hard to really focus on anything anymore, besides the shooting pain in my chest. I rarely got a good nights rest and sometimes I wondered if she did either.

Sometimes I tried to imagine how things would have ended up if I'd never spoken to her that night in the elevator. But being me, I just had to go and ask what she was listening to. I had a tenancy to try and make awkward situations a little more comfortable, but that was just me.

The only time I did get out of bed was to answer the door was for the pizza delivery guy, who I saw more and more of. We became friends sort of in the short time we've known each other. It's routine, he'll ask me what I'm up to, I'll say 'nothing', I ask him the same and he'll say something sarcastically like 'oh nothing, I'm just visiting you to say hi' and somehow it always ends up with us on the floor, high as hell and an empty pizza box.

Today I'd actually eaten something other than pizza and made myself a bowl of cereal, watched some tv and actually paid attention this time.

I thought maybe this was what moving on was but then again, I didn't want to move on just yet.

***

Paige's POV

My life went back to the way it was before I met Luke. But as it did, I realized how incredibly bland it was.

I lost my charisma and creativity. Work wasn't the same place it once was anymore. I thought that it would be my safe haven but instead it turned out to be nothing but a dreadful reminder.

Most nights I sat by my phone, going back and forth on whether I should call him but I couldn't erase the image of him walking away from my mind. He probably wanted nothing to do with me and I didn't blame him.

Ashton called more often and it was nice to have him around as my shoulder to cry on. After Luke had left, we reconciled, in a way. I wanted for us to be close again but I don't think you can ever really be friends with someone you were in love with. It was hard to forget about what happened but at least I was trying.

I'd also been going out with Cher to get my mind of things but no matter where we went I always seemed to find myself thinking of Luke.

My collection of sad songs came in handy at this point, it's funny how you relate to lyrics when you're experiencing the same thing.

It was stupid of me to let him in so easily, let him take me over. But I couldn't help it, Luke and I were an oddly perfect fit. He kept me balanced and he was so unexpected, like all of a sudden he was in my apartment and telling me random things and giggling like an idiot and I was right there next to him. He was too precious for me to loose.

I wasn't going to loose him.

I stood up from the couch that seemed even bigger without him there. I got over myself and decided to finally do something right.

After making myself look presentable and going over the million things I was dying to say in my bathroom mirror. I got out of my prison cell apartment and rushed down the hallway straight to elevators which had seemed to be waiting for me as they opened up right away.

Knocking on Luke's front door, my heart was in my stomach. I breathed deeply waiting for his arrival, each minute the anticipation grew. After a minute I was beginning to have second thoughts, he probably didn't even want to see me.

I sighed in defeat, turning on my heel and walking back down the path I came. But my steps came to hault when I heard a door open.

"Paige!"

My head popped up almost too quickly at the sound of his voice saying my name . It sounded good coming out of his mouth, I hadn't heard it in a while now.

I turned around slowly to face him, my hands were clenched nervously as I walked back to him. He leaned against the door frame like he normally did, with a beer bottle in his left hand and his right shoved into his pocket.

As I came closer to him I realized something was off but I didn't say anything upfront. His eyes were bloodshot and it looked like he hadn't slept. I thought he had just been smoking but the way he slurred his words made it clear that he wasn't sober.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in a while."

He said in a sing-song tone.

I laughed, shaking my head. I'd expected him to be angry and yelling at me or maybe he wouldn't even answer the door, but not this.

"Hey Luke." I say, going along with whatever he's doing.

We were standing rather close to each other at this point and I could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. I'd never seen him this way, it was both nauseating and entertaining.

He takes a piece of my hair and begins to twirl it around his finger. He is giggling, about what I don't know, but I found it to be quite adorable.

"You're so pretty, Paige. You're like Sam. You can be Sam and I'll be Charlie." His eyes stay locked on my strands of hair on his finger.

"What?" I ask, still amused by his state.

"They're from a movie I'm watching, they're like in love or something, you remind of Sam, Charlie likes Sam, so I'm Charlie."

He takes another drink from his bottle which is almost empty. I look into his apartment and see the TV playing Perks of Being a Wallflower,

A movie I'd watched with Cher a few years ago. His eyes are on my face now, as if he's trying to memorize my features.

"I miss you." He blurts out.

I look back at him and the tone in his voice changes from silly to serious in a matter of seconds. My eyes go down to look at our shoes and my smile shapes into a slight frown.

I'm taken by surprise as I'm pulled into his chest and his arms wrap around my smaller body. I take in his scent which I've missed as well as his hugs. I wrap my arms around his torso and hug him tighter, wishing I hadn't let him go in the first place.

I close my eyes, taking in this moment. I know he'll probably have a terrible hangover tomorrow, but I'll be right there to take care of him.

"I missed you too."