Lines // hemmings

Chapter 36

ABBY

The woman, who tells me to call her Anne, brings in a tray with two mugs of coffee and a plate with cookies. She sits down next to me in the minimized couch that barely takes more than two people. I take a cookie from the plate and take a bite. They taste much better than the ones I tried to bake earlier. Anne explains she owns a bakery a few blocks away and despite knowing how to bake all kinds of different cookies, the chocolate chip cookies are her favorite. And I must admit it, they taste delicious. So much better than the ones I baked for Luke for Christmas.

“I thought I recognized Luke’s name. Ashton speaks dearly about his cell mate. I’ve met him once, actually. Nice kid,” Anne smiles as she takes a sip from the newly brewed coffee. “But Ash told me he didn’t use to get any visitors?”

After fiddling with my hands for a bit I take a deep breath and start telling her everything from finding the magazine to why I’m sitting in the couch in her living room even though she’s already heard parts of it. She nods a few times, smiles when I tell her about the first meeting and gives me a sympathetic look when I get to the grounding part. I don’t tell her exactly what we wrote about, I don’t feel like spilling my heart out to her. 

“Calum probably had a good reason not to tell you, don’t you believe?”

“No. We’re best friends. We’re practically siblings. He’s always been there for me and I love him to death. We don’t keep secrets like that.”

Except for when I found out that Luke was in jail and I didn’t tell him. But thinking back on it now, it didn’t really matter. He had lied long before I did.

Calum’s always been there for me, through thick and thin. Whenever I needed a shoulder to cry on, he was there. And whenever he needed someone to talk to, I was there. If he called Luke the love of my life, then he must have known how much he means to me, so why would he keep this away from me?

“He probably did it because he loves you, too. We lie to protect the people we love.”

I look over at Anne again. She seems like such a wonderful woman.

“So you think I’m overreacting?”

“Not exactly. From what you have told me, you’re like family. I got mad at Ash when I found out he had lied to me about…certain things…but I forgave him because in the end, he was honest with me. He told me the truth why he did it and he apologized.”

Anne looks like she’s recollecting memories, her eyes not focusing on anything in specific and her breathing evens out. It must have been hard on her, finding out what her son did. From looking around the room and on the pictures, I think she lives alone and Ashton is her only family. Much like dad is to me.

“Oh, look at the time! I think I better get you home before your dad gets worried,” Ashton’s mom exclaims and I help her put all the things back into the kitchen after having chatted a little more. She really is such a sweet lady. She deserves to have her son come back home in just a few more days.

We walk out to the car and she follows the directions that the GPS gives her. We stay quiet most of the way over there. I think she notices my nervousness as we gets closer to our destination, so she reach out her hand to grab mine, and gives it a little squeeze. 

“It’s going to be alright, sweetie. Just remember what we agreed on,” she smiles.

We agreed on having her drop me off half a block from my house so I could walk home, if dad happened to stand by the window and wait for me. I’d also tell him that Calum had just realized he had to go buy something in the store so that’s why I came alone. It sounded like a good plan. But I also promised Anne I would talk to dad about Luke. How I really feel about him.

“We parents don’t know how our children feel. We’re no mind readers.”

But I think we both know I won’t do it. At least not in the nearest future.

She dropped me off, pulled me in for a small hug and told me to visit anytime. She even gave me her number, told me if I ever needed help again, I should give her a call. I put the note in one of the front pockets of my jeans before heading out and start walking down the street. I don’t see Cal’s car and the lights are off so I figure he’s not home yet. 

When I open the door and am met with dad, I tell him what I agreed with Anne and he seems to buy it. I wonder if he even notice my pale cheeks and the tired look in my puffy eyes. He doesn’t say anything about it though, just tells me dinner is ready in half an hour.

When I get up to my room, the first thing I want to do is to throw myself onto bed and fall asleep. I’m tired and just want to forget about this day. I want to forget about how Calum lied to me, how Luke lied to me, as well. How could they even keep this a secret with me?

But when I get to my room, I find my phone lying on my bed and my laptop put back on my desk. At least something good happened today.

LUKE 

I don’t even remember falling asleep, but suddenly I’m woken up by someone repeatedly saying my name while poking my arm. I don’t want to open my eyes. If I do, I know there’s a new day waiting for me and I’m not ready to start it yet. I don’t think I ever will be ready for it.

“Luke. Luke. Luke.”

I groan at the voice, turning around while doing so, only to have him poke me on my back instead.

“Wake up. It’s breakfast time.”

“I don’t want breakfast. I want you to go away.”

“I will in just three days, but now you need to get up for breakfast.”

The poking stops and I slowly sit myself up, feeling more tired than ever. I shoot Ashton a glare who frowns at me before throwing my red jacket at me.

“Are you seriously gonna stay mad at me?”

“Maybe,” I mumble, still glaring at him.

“It’s been three days, give me a break. I didn’t know, okay? I thought she already knew. You know what, I don’t care,” Ashton suddenly exclaims, throwing his arms up in the air. “I don’t care anymore. I’m out soon so you’re on your own,” he shrugs before the cell door is opened and he joins the line for breakfast, leaving me alone in my cell, but only for a couple of seconds before a guard storms in and takes me with him.

It’s been three days since Abby ran out of here and Ashton may think I’m mad at him, but I’m not. I’m mad at myself. I’m mad at myself for not telling her sooner about Calum being my friend. I’m mad for just letting her slip away like that. It’s been three days and I’ve realized she’s not coming back. I realized it right after Calum told me about her trust issues. 

He stayed until the hours were out and when he left, he left my dumbfounded. It took some time to grasp everything he told me. It made me want to have her near me, hold her tight and promise her that I’d never do such a thing, that I wouldn’t cheat on her, I wouldn’t leave her. I want to tell her she can trust me. I’ve never lied to her, I just haven’t told her the truth.

Calum also told me she had told him how hurt she felt after finding out where I was. She had already taken a huge risk, she thought, by trusting me and then I used that trust and broke it. If Calum hadn’t told me about it, I’d say she overreacted.

But she didn’t overreact. To me, she acted just the way she should have.

Because I would too if someone I trusted lied and used me. Especially someone you love.

-

Ugh. It's already Friday :(

Trust me, I love Fridays and weekends, but since I'm home all week (taking an online class) this means that EVERYONE will be home for two days and I don't like that.

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