ELBINA

Chapter 15

June broke the news to me last night and I didn't sleep a wink just thinking about it. She was distraught but at this point, we had tried everything and there was nothing more we could do for him.

Thomas was going back to his parents today.

At noon to be exact, when I'd be in school.

I cursed when I realised, I never plugged my phone in, it beeped at me signalling it only had 5% left. Poor Lucas probably got very little sleep too just from me messaging him.

It was still dark outside, the lamp beside me providing the only source of light in my room but I think I heard movement downstairs so I got changed into my jeans and jumper. Throwing on some boots and going to the toilet.

After everything, I made my way downstairs, following the quiet movement to the back of the house in the kitchen. It was 6 am and there was only one person it could be.

She was filling up the kettle with her back to me.

"Make it enough for two, would you?" She jumped a little when I spoke from behind her, my smile twisted to one of mischief as she gave me an unimpressed look.

She finished filling it whilst I grabbed the mugs and teabags, preparing it on the counter ready for the hot water to be poured in.

I leaned my back on the counter, crossing my arms, sighing heavily.

"I can't believe today's actually happening."

She nods along with me, letting go of her own sigh. "I know, I always thought we'd get enough on them to stop it."

"If only he had spoken out about what they did." She nodded again, staring into nothing as she rested her head on her hand. She shifted in her seat at the table, bringing her feet up to rest on the bar of the stool.

It was a heavy silence, the only sound being the boiling of the water. My eyes drifted to the window into the garden, the darkness heavy and poignant in the mood.

Once the water boiled, I made the teas, signalling to June down the hallway. She agreed and followed me, grabbing her tea from my hand as she passed me into the living room.

I sat myself down in the single armchair, facing towards the large window that looked out on the drive. Nothing much to see at the moment but I wanted to look out as the morning light started to come in.

June sat herself down on the longer sofa on my right, resting her head back into the dark red material.

"Do you want a blanket?" She smiled and nodded, I reached over my left and grabbed one for her and myself from the stack.

I pulled off my boots and brought my legs up, leaning forward to grab my mug between my hands from the coffee table in front of me and enjoying the feeling of the warmth seeping through the ceramic into my hands.

I usually loved mornings like this but this was sad and unsettling knowing what was happening today.

I brought the mug up to my lips, blowing on the liquid carefully before taking a small sip. Deciding it was still too hot and I should wait a couple of minutes, I lowered it again between my drawn-up knees.

"That hickey healed well."

My eyes widened; we hadn't spoken much about it. I hadn't really spoken to Lucas about it since Sunday either, not that he hadn't tried. I really didn't want to relive it.

"I guess,"

I didn't really consider it a hickey and definitely not a love bite. Because that is surely not what that was.