Roommates » [Luke Patterson]-Au

Chapter 24

Reginald Peters

"Where is she?" I wake up to the sound of Alex's voice booming through the house. I sit up slowly, my eyes furrowing as I listen to the noise.

"I- I don't know?"

"What do you mean you don't know? Luke you hurt her so badly, I thought you were good for her, you did nothing but hurt her."

"Alex man-"

"No, there's no excuse. Last night- I can't even recall a time I've seen her so broken. That killed me Luke and you caused that."

I run my hand over my face and through my hair before standing up and walking into my bathroom.

I sigh, trying to block out the sound of my best friends arguing but it's like every word is clear enough for me to hear, no matter how hard I try to ignore them.

"She was with me last night, but when I woke up she was gone and I don't even know where. She won't answer her phone, how am I supposed to know if she's okay?"

My mind wonders as I brush my teeth before throwing on some clothes that were suitable to leave the house in.

I couldn't stand how the three of us haven't been the same over the last two weeks since Luke met Laura.

The fighting with Luke hasn't made anything easier. I know I didn't leave my house to escape the constant arguments, just to go through the same thing with my best friend.

I grab my car keys, making my way out of the house quietly before climbing into my car and reversing out onto the main road.

The drive is silent but my thoughts are loud enough to occupy the time until I pull up to a stop and park. I climb out my car, locking it behind me as I slowly make my way along the sand.

I keep my eyes on my feet as I walk along the beach that I knew all too well from my childhood.

As I lift my gaze from my feet, my eyes land on Tanna with her knees tucked into her chest and her head resting on her knees.

I watch as her gaze is fixated on the waves, just like the other night as she sits on the Boulder in an oversized sweater and sweatpants.

The next step I took, the sand crunched louder underneath me, causing her to lift her head and turn to face me.

My eyes catch hers and my whole body hurts at the sight of the overwhelming sadness in her eyes.

"I thought I'd find you here." I say softly as I step closer to her but not moving to sit yet.

"I'm sorry for coming here, I know this is your spot away from everything, it's just that I-"

"I shared it with you Tan, you can come here anytime." She nods slowly, her eyes not leaving mine before she moves up and gestures for me to sit next to her.

I step up onto the Boulder, sitting down next to her silently as she tightens her grip on her sweater.

"It's so peaceful here." Her voice comes out just below a whisper as if she was scared her words would disrupt the only peace she's found over the last two weeks.

Tanna Carson

"It's like a safe place away from reality you know?" I continue speaking, seeing his hesitation to speak. I lock my eyes with his, searching them while silently asking him to speak to me.

"That's why I spent more time here than in my own house when I was younger." I sigh as I struggle to read the emotions in his eyes. "Could really use that escape right about now again."

His voice comes out quietly as he breaks his gaze from mine and turns it to the crashing waves. My eyebrows furrow as I lean my chin back down onto my arms.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The words are hesitant, but I decide to ask anyways.

"How do you do that?" I lift my head up again, looking at him in confusion as he just looks ahead of him.

"Do what Reg?"

"You always care so much about everyone else, no matter how much is going on in your life. "

"I, I don't."

"You definitely do, it's even more confusing that you don't even realize it. You're incredibly selfless."

"If I was, I'd let Luke be happy right?" I choke the words out hesitantly, not knowing if I should talk about Luke with him after listening to their conversation.
"I miss him and I wish I didn't."

"Sometimes, you need to be a bit selfish." He finally takes his gaze off of the ocean and let's his eyes meet mine that have been on him.

My breath catches in my throat as we both sit dead still, our gazes locked but neither of us do anything.

"You aren't." I whisper to him, breaking the silence.

"I can't be." I watch his gaze briefly drop from mine and I follow it as his eyes land on my lips before lifting to meet mine again.

"Would it be so bad?" The words escape my lips quieter than before as I lean a bit closer to him.

"Tan." I don't say anything, waiting for him to do something as my eyes run across his face. "Do you think this is a good idea?"

"You like me don't you?"

"I- I don't want you to be upset with me or yourself because you rushed into something for the wrong reason." I can sense his hesitation as he speaks, but I nod slowly, understanding what he's saying.

"I'm sorry Reg. That was so wrong of me, I didn't ev-"

"No, don't do that okay? I just want you to be alright at the moment, nothing more, nothing less yeah?"

"How did I let myself get to this point." I can't help but let out a pained laugh at my own stupidity. "I miss someone that wasn't even mine to begin with."