redamancy // l.h au

sixteen

"Has he called?" Sam asked when I had woken up the following morning. We both sat at the kitchen island, shoveling Lucky Charms into our mouths.

I lifted my hand to show him my phone, "Turned it off. Not in the mood." I wiped excess milk that dripped from the corner of my mouth and Sam rolled his eyes at me, handing me a tissue.

"Do you need a good ugly cry? Because I am very good at those." Sam raised his eyebrows, putting his chin in his hands. I shake my head and he sighs, "You're oddly calm."

I shrug, "I don't know, drowning myself in Netflix and chocolate seemed to be doing the trick." I looked up at my best friend, "Look, I am completely fine, alright? He's just a boy."

"Oh, really, Rhea? Turn on your phone."

"Fine," I breathed, pulling out my phone and pressing the power button for a few seconds. The slick screen blinked once before showing my home screen. I lightly tapped in my password and scrolled through my notifications, nervously.

Sure enough, I had sixteen missed calls and twenty-one text messages.

"Jesus," Sam exclaimed, taking my phone from my hands, "That boy—" He was interuppted by the sudden ring of my phone. The phone vibrated in his hand for a few moments before he realized, and his eyes widened. "Should I?"

"Who is—" I asked, stopping myself. I didn't need to ask to know. Before I could grab the phone from the boy's hands, he answered the call.

"Hello?" Sam asked, "Luke—" My heart pounded at the sound of his name. The image of him kissing Lindy flashed through my mind. I shut my eyes, putting my head in my hands and listened.

"She isn't here." Sam deadpanned. A voice mumbled something incoherent on the other end. "Well, she left her phone."

"What do you want, Luke? You want to apologize?" Sam rolled his eyes. "She doesn't want to talk with you."

Then I heard his voice and it shattered me. "Rhea, are you there?" Sam looked up at me and tilted his head, silently asking me the question I had dreaded.

I nodded, taking a deep breath, and took the phone from him, slowly putting it to my ear. Almost immediately, he speaks, "God, Rhea. I don't know what I—"

"I don't know, either." I blurted. "It doesn't matter, though, right?"

Sam and Luke spoke at once. "What?"

I looked up at my best friend as I slowly uttered, "We weren't together, Luke."

"I can't have this conversation over the phone, Rhea. I need to see you." His voice broke and so did my facade.

"Okay."

"The theater?"

"Okay."

I hung up before he could say goodbye, afraid that my voice would betray me. I needed to be strong, but I felt far from everything, but weak.

"Do you need me for support?" Sam asked. He'd made his way to my side of the island and put his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it for reassurance. I shook my head, and he pulled me in for a hug, "If he hurts you more, I'll punch him."

"I know you will."

______________________

I followed the address that Luke had texted me with. It was strangely cold today, and the clouds were grey and covered the sky. I had pulled on a maroon UIC sweatshirt and jeans before I had left the apartment. My sneakers squished against the sidewalk as I made my way to the opera house.