Please Take Me Home

What Went Wrong

Please Take Me Home

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Chapter Sixteen

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What Went Wrong

I hate our favourite restaurant, favourite movie, our favourite show,

We would stay up all through the night,

We would laugh and get high,

And never answer the phone...

***

On the holidays Luke got a total number of nine calls from an unknown number. The calls weren't called in any pattern; some were during the afternoon and some late into the night. Luke didn't answer any of them, and they didn't leave any messages.

He wasn't sure if he should answer them though, who would put their number on private? It sort of made him nervous because no one ever called Luke.

It was during the last week of the holidays that Luke and his mum were on the way to the beach that Luke's phone rang loudly throughout the car but the same blocked number was present on his screen.

"Are you going to get it?" His mum said. Liz was in the drivers seat, as Luke didn't feel like driving after nearly ending both of their lives the other day.

"It's on private, I'm not quite sure I want a paedophile talking into my ear." Luke laughed at his own joke.

Liz just gave Luke a look; she didn't know what to think.

The ringing stopped and the two of them sat in silence, letting the music fill the car.

"You used to love the beach."

Luke looked at his mum who was looking out at the road.

She continued, "I remember I used to take you every week. My favourite time was when we took Michael-" Liz stopped dead and waited for her son to get defensive.

Luke's stomach pulled at the mention of his been name, if only Michael called Luke. It was different hearing his name out loud as Luke would only ever keep him to himself.

"You can say his name, you know." Luke has to admit, he found it oddly relieving.

"Oh..." That's all Liz could say. They were at the beach now and Liz was parking the car.

Luke knew that there was no way that he could continue the conversation without it getting to a not-so-stable topic.

Were he and Michael friends again?

***

On the holidays Michael called Luke a total number of nine times. He managed to get the number off Ashton back at the end of term. He didn't expect Luke to pick up so that's why he put his number on private. Not that our made any difference.

He didn't know what he would have done if Luke picked up, but he could imagine the range of different voicemail messages.

"Hey Luke, just calling because I think we should hang sometime..."

"Yo, want to hang...?"

"Its Michael, you know the guy who made out with you and you kissed back..."

"I think we should catch up..."

But none of these ever made it to Luke's inbox because Michael would hang up.

***

Michael woke up to his mother moving loudly in the kitchen. Karen was in the kitchen, getting ready for work, as that was her main priority.