Done

CHAPTER 5

Luke was back. Did I head that? Luke was actually back? 

The phone slipped out of my hand and landed on the floor with a clatter. I stared out the window playing those three words over and over. Luke was back.

Annabelle knocked gently on the door.

"Till, you ok?" she asked.

Was I ok? Luke was back. What did that mean? I snapped out of my daze and picked my phone up off the floor. I ended the call not caring that Mike was still on the line.

The door slowly opened and Annabelle walked in.

"Mike text me last night when he couldn't get hold of you, he told me about Luke" she explained as she put her arm around my shoulder. "Tilly, I really don't want to push you but we really need to leave for work" she remarked.

"Luke's back" I croaked.

"I know sweetie, but we really need to go" she said and she ushered me out of my bedroom.She picked a coat off the rack and handed it to me. She gently pushed me in the direction of the front door and we left.

"Are you ok?" she asked as we got into the lift.

"I'm not sure. If he's back, why didn't he call?" she looked at me with sad eyes. I had seen those sad eyes so many times since Luke had left. We had been friends since primary school. We had done everything together. He was my first for pretty much everything.  We went to the same college  and university together, something we had always said we would do. We were inseparable. I always thought we would eventually end up together. Like they did in the films. 

Then, the night of my 27th birthday he left. He didn't explain. He didn't leave a note. He didn't even call. He just left. I hadn't seen him in a year and a half. The lift came to a stop and walked out. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out. It was a message from Mike.

I'm sorry I dropped that bombshell like that. I was intending to tell you tonight. Don't do anything stupid. Come for tea tonight and we can talk about it.

I stuffed my phone back in my pocket and was grateful for the cold air that hit me when we left my building. We walked the few streets it took to get to work. I had worked at Top Quality Recruitment for 5 years. 

I just about got by. I really was surprised I hadn't been sacked but I'm pretty sure our manager had a soft spot for me. I made a lot of mistakes. I was always late and I didn't pull my weight on the team. Thankfully, everyone liked me. So I was given more free passes than I deserved.

"You gonna be ok today?" Annabelle asked looking worried. I shrugged. We got to our desk with exactly one minute to spare. My computer loaded up whilst my mind wondered to the fact that Luke had come back. My phone buzzed again in my pocket. We weren't supposed to have our phones at our desks but it was rare I followed that rule either.

It was Jake.

Tonight?

One word. That was all it said. The meaning behind that one word was clear though. A chance to forget. Forget the fact that my old best friend had returned but hadn't been arsed to get in touch. Quickly, I  typed out a response.

When and where?

I knew I should go to my brothers. That was the sensible thing to do. But I didn't want sensible at that moment. I waned to forget. I stashed my phone and cracked on with the array of tasks I had to do for the day. My mind whirled and I body screamed in agony from the abuse it had suffered the night before. Before I knew it, people were leaving to go to lunch. I wasn't sure I could face food at that point. The come down from the night before was in full swing. I felt restless and my body was exhausted. I stood up to get a glass of water from the kitchen.