when to let go | l.h.

six

"you need to leave." i hear luke's voice say sternly from my place on the couch.  i sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, confusion coursing through my body until i heard the voice of my boyfriend.

"one last time hemmings, where the fuck is my girlfriend?"

i froze. why would daniel show up at luke's? he was mad at me.

memories from last night came flooding back to my memory. after our little game of truth or dare, we spent the rest of the night eating pizza and reminiscing on old college memories. i was starting to sober up, at least i thought i was until michael began telling a story of  some random party i had brought daniel to in sophomore year. the whole night he was glaring at calum as if he wanted to kill him and calum had started crying when daniel finally went off on him. that was the first time daniel had met the other boys and drunk calum could be sensitive and clingy and daniel didn't like that calum seemed "too excited" to see me. the story earned michael a punch in the arm from calum as he grumbled. "i'm not sensitive."

i on the other hand frowned at the memory. i had been so excited for daniel to meet the boys and he ended up hating each and every one of them for no reason at all. i thought i was sobering up but sober me wouldn't be crying over such a silly memory. i may or may not also be a sensitive drunk.

calum and michael's drunk bickering kept everyone from noticing the few tears that slipped down my cheeks. well, everyone except luke. he gave me a small smile resting his hand on my back before speaking up.

"hey guys, i think i'm gonna head home." he said standing up. "you wanna stay at mine?" he asked turning to me.

so we walked back to luke's in a comfortable silence and it wasn't until we stepped inside that a few more years had fallen. my best friend stsyed and comforted me until i had fallen asleep on his couch which is where i am now.

"it's better if you leave daniel." luke growled once more.

"so she is here, i should' fucking known. move." daniel retorted. although i couldn't see what was going on, i could picture the unamused look on my boyfriends face.

"you're really that selfish? you don't even realize how  badly you treat her! how upset she was all night! how often she comes to me upset over your dumb ass. really daniel? your own anniversary? your own girlfriend's graduation? you don't think we missed your messy hair and swollen lips yesterday did you? i swear to god if you are cheating on her again i won't hesitate to-" luke was seething, each word that left his mouth seemed to be dripping with more and more hatred but danny cut him off.

"you don't know shit, so how about keep your mouth shut about stuff you don't know about."

i hadn't noticed the tears that were once again running down my face as i stood up with wobbly legs and made my way to the boys.

daniel was first to see me, sending me a chilling smile. when luke noticed he too turned to look at me, his hard gaze softening.

"hey, don't cry.." luke whispered gently, speaking to me with a completely different tone than he had seconds before. he then took a step closer to me to wrap his arm around me but i placed my hand on his chest to stop him.

"this is n-none of your business luke."  my voice came out sounding even smaller than i intended. i didn't know what to feel, i just felt overwhelmed. he was never meant to confront my boyfriend for me; i could handle him myself. 

daniel stepped past luke over to me with a smirk playing on his lips. "yeah, hemmings. maybe keep your mouth shut about my relationship."

his arm slipped around my waist but i again placed my hand on his side and pushed him away. "we need to talk daniel."

both boys looked at me with furrowed eyebrows but i didn't wait from a response from either before i wrapped my arms around myself, gripping the fabric of luke's shirt i still wore in my hands and turning to walk out of the apartment. a few seconds later i heard the door shut behind me and quiet footsteps following.

we made it out of the building and i was planning on walking the rest of the way home but daniel gently grabbed my wrist to stop me and pointed to his car. i pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and only nodding before silently getting in the car and sinking into the seat.

the drive was quiet. and not the comfortable kind either. the air was thick surrounding me and i felt as if my head was under water yet my mind was running a mile a minute. i was so distracted i hadn't even noticed when daniel parked the car.

"laila-" he started but i cut him off keeping my gaze forward.

"you're cheating on me again aren't you.." i trail off. the tears had stopped the second i stepped out of luke's apartment and my mind started running.

why couldn't luke just keep his mouth shut?
why did he have to yell at daniel for things that were already behind us?
why did he have to put the notion in my head that my boyfriend was cheating on me?

the second daniel opened his mouth, my thoughts stopped. 

"lai, i was so drunk... i didn't mean to."

{author's note}
so i kind of hate this chapter but i had to get some things out there.
i promise it will pick up soon.
thank you again to anyone who's been reading! i enjoy your comments.
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