Locked (l.h)

Thirty one

"I'll be back in a couple months." Luke says, wiping the tears from my beneath my eyes.

"It won't be the same without you."

"You'll cope. You coped without me before."

"That's not the point." I groan. "I didn't know what it felt like to be kissed by you, or to have your body against mine as we sleep. I didn't know your voice and how something could be so beautiful."

"You're so soppy and romantic sometimes." He smiles.

"Sorry, I don't mean to do it."

"Don't apologize, it's cute." He grins, ticking my hair behind my ears.

Liz taps Luke on the shoulder. "Honey, that's your flight, you really need to get going."

I wrap my arms tightly around his body. "Call me when you land?"

"I will." He promises, placing a kiss on my forehead. "I'll see you in March."

The torturous sound of his shoes slapping on the tiles stands out against everything else. I can't help but focus on only him until he's just another head in the distance.

Liz places an arm around my shoulders. "2 months isn't long, it'll go in a heartbeat."

-

Stepping through the school gates on Monday morning was by far the worst experience of my life. Unlike normal, I entered alone, not surrounded by the four boys that made everyone else forget how odd I was.

The looks I got seemed weirder than before. Stares that pierced through my skull and judged every inch of my body. Eyes following me across the cold, hard concrete that surrounded the building and watching after me even after I was out of view.

I didn't go and wait at our normal spot next to the back gates, instead I sat on the bench that was concealed by bushes, the bench where I used to sit with Sarah and James. This seemed like the only place where the stares wouldn't stab me, and the looks wouldn't strangle me.

Math was the worst part. The loud chatter of Ashton, Luke, Calum and Michael was replaced by the neglected silence screaming out around me. I had to watch everyone else laughing and talking while I was left with no option than to get on with the work.

Walking home wasn't the same without Luke, my hand felt empty with his wrapped around it. I couldn't help think of how many snowballs Luke would've thrown using the snow that was instead now coating my boots.

I kick my shoes off at door, leaving the snow to melt off in the gentle warmth of the sun.

"How was school?" Liz asks.

"It sucked." I reply, throwing my satchel onto the table and sliding into a chair.

"It'll get better, I'm sure."

I shake my head in disagreement. "I don't have any friends and I'm no good at making them. They all think I'm a weirdo."

"Why don't you call Luke?" She suggests. "Have you spoken since he left?"

"I called him last night."

"Go call him now. I'm sure it'll make you both feel better."

Giving Liz a small smile, I make my way to my room. As I reach for my phone I can't help but have a feeling of doubt. What if he doesn't care about me anymore? What if he's found someone new? Or he's realized how worthless I really am? I'm being stupid, I only spoke to him yesterday, surely he's not forgotten me yet.

The dial tone feels never ending and I have a small moment when I think he won't answer, but then I hear the all too familiar sound of his hello.

"Hey, Jane!"