Play No More (Player Next Door sequel) ✓

90 | Anonymous

Welcome to Chapter 90. Remember to vote on your way in...

Thank you @_j.o.a.n.martha for this lovely, fun poster. And happy Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating!

Chapter 90: Anonymous

My mind is a sludge puddle of emotions. Guilt for what I've made Luke go through. Fear of the punishment that was waiting for us. And sadness for the argument we just had.

I would do anything to reverse time and undo this terrible day.

I grew up on the idea that a trusting, loyal relationship does not exist in real life. I haven't seen a single one work. But I want us to. I would love for us to be different.

I don't know how stable relationships work and maybe that's obvious from the way I've acted. I've been insecure because... I've never been secure before. I don't have a stable history of relationships to build off of. Has he?

I guess I have wounds I didn't even know I had. I try to think that my parents leaving me doesn't affect me... I try to think that being cheated on or teased and mocked at school doesn't affect me...

But it does.

It's hard to grow together. No one is perfect and, in a relationship, you start to see those imperfections. What we do, affects each other.

Luke's happiness is so important to me. Even though we were fighting a few minutes before, the idea that he could get expelled terrified me. He had so much more to lose. I'd rather take the fall.

I was starting to hate these hallways. Ever since I met Luke, I've wanted to run away from all of this with him. And I hate my urge to run – because I want to be the type of person that faces my own problems head on.

Like he does.

Luke calls it out, while I hide. I deflect and I don't recognize when I'm wrong. I lean on his strength. He's always so capable, so certain that everything will work out in the end. I admired that. Maybe I even envied that.

But now I understood that, sometimes, even he needs someone to lean on.

And I haven't been there for him in the same way he's been there for me. It's hard for me to realize that even strong people have their weak moments.

Was I too late?

I looked over at Luke, wanting to wrap my arms around him, to shelter the sensitive side that he'd shown me. But that side of him was gone. 

His expression was cold as he talked to the teacher who was escorting us to the principal's office.

"I told you Mr Dawson, that she has to come," Mr Laghari looked frustrated, "No amount of threatening or convincing me is going to work."

"I haven't gotten to the threatening part yet," Luke said.

"Yet?" the teacher snapped, "Luke this isn't the time for your backhanded comments. You and your girlfriend are in a boat load of trouble and the Principal will decide what happens."

Luke exhaled an audible sigh, "Just let her go. She has nothing to do with this."

I warmed at that. Even though we were in a fight, Luke was still defending me.

"She does," Mr Laghari said, "And like I said, I don't make the rules, so stop trying to kill the messenger."

"Who else am I going to kill then?" Luke replied with a smirk.

That little-

Did he learn nothing from our conversation?!

But hearing Mr Laghari say that we were in a boat load of trouble really sank in. Pun intended.