Trust Fall // l.h

Chapter 6: The Job

Luke's POV

Calum and I fell asleep pretty quickly after stuffing ourselves with pizza. We slept until ten in the morning and it was some of the best sleep I'd gotten in a while. I rubbed my eyes, not from crying for once, but from a genuinely fulfilling sleep.

I was actually starting to feel kind of hopeful that this move was going to be good for me. I was deep in thought about how I would ever repay Calum and his family, who were probably making breakfast in the kitchen that was the source of the warm aroma of maple syrup and pancakes.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of movement from the bunk under mine. Calum yawned loudly and stretched his arms out wide, which let me know he was awake.

We stayed lying there in silence for a few minutes until he finally spoke up. "Hey Luke," he said quietly. My heart started racing from the thousands of thoughts that cluttered in my mind as to what he could ask.

"Yeah mate?" I answered hesitantly.

"Not that I don't love the fact that we get to spend the summer together, but..." his voice trailed off. "Why did you decide to come all the way to Queenstown, New Zealand to celebrate the three month holiday? I mean... it's a bit random, don't you think?"

My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking, the beginning signs of a panic attack, that my recent therapist informed me of.

"Hey Cal, do me a favor and hand me the prescription bottle in the side pocket of my backpack," I said unsteadily, but quite forward.

He jumped up quickly to grab a water bottle from his mini fridge as well, noticing the urgency in my voice. After I'd taken two pills and a swig of water with an anxious Calum staring at me the whole time I shut my eyes and leaned my head against the wall.

Rather than getting back into his own bed, Calum climbed the ladder up into mine and sat beside me. I could tell he wasn't going to ask me any more questions until I felt up to answering them.

I tried that breathing exercise my therapist told me about: inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale. My mind was clear of everything but my need for oxygen. I squeezed my eyes shut to keep tears from spilling out.

My eyes opened and I kept my gaze on my hands, trying to keep the rather gruesome images of the story that I was about to tell from manifesting their way into my head.

"Well... I really have been wanting to catch up with you mate, but some things happened at home that kinda caused me to jump on the first flight here."

"What do you mean? What kind of stuff happened at home? Is your mom getting remarried? Does she have a new boyfriend? Is it your Dad? Are you fighting with Lily?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I felt the dreaded words rising up in my throat. I felt like I was going to puke, but when I opened my mouth opened three words fell out that I never though I'd hear myself say.

"Lily is dead."

That's when the reality of it hit the two of us. Calum went pale as a ghost and even through my own dizziness I saw his lower lip began to quiver.

"Sh-she's what?" I expected myself to answer with a whimper and a nod, but for the first time since I lost her, every emotion came out in a flash of hot white anger.

"SHE'S DEAD! OKAY! D-E-A-D DEAD! AS IN NO LONGER LIVING. NO LONGER BREATHING. SIX FEET UNDER. FLAT LINE. DEAD," I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I was fuming. It wasn't specifically because of Calum's pressing questions, but everything. Within a week's time life seemed to crumble right in front of my eyes and I took out my frustration on the poor guy.

Calum's face turned from terrified to crushed and finally concerned. I let myself cry as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"It was an accident- I swear-but it's all my f-fault, she didn't have to die, she didn't deserve to die, it's all my fault. All my fault." My hands went back to trembling.

"Luke, mate. I'm so sorry, but I know nothing was your fault. It's just- it's just that she was so young. I really cared about her. This is horrible news. I can't imagine what you are feeling, she was your-"

"My everything,"

We sat there on the top bunk, leaning against his posters as tears fell from both of our eyes. Neither of us moved for a long time. We communicated through sniffles and long sighs as we tried to pull ourselves together. I told him the whole story, including the promise I made to her.

"Thanks again mate for letting me come here. I really appreciate it. I don't know how I'll ever repay your family."

"Don't worry about that Luke. Just worry about how you're going to keep that promise. You know how Lily is when you break one," he said with a small laugh.

I grinned, "Yeah she's a real pain sometimes."

I liked this; talking about her in present tense as if she had simply gone on a long trip and I had to finish her list of to-dos before she returned.

"But seriously dude, do you know of any place that is hiring because I need to at least pay rent."

"Actually, now that you mention it I do think I saw a "now hiring" sign in the window of that little flower shop across the street. Maybe Michael could put in a good word for you."

"Who's Michael?"

"He's a friend from school. His grandad owns the shop. The guy looks like he's started a fight with everyone in his way, but he's a pacifist. Take one look at his hair and you'll see why he likes to be around so much color all the time. I can walk over with you later today if you want."

"That would be great!" I said with as much enthusiasm as I could gather.

Michael's POV

I'd spent the day watering the flowers since it was a particularly hot day in Queenstown. I was nearly finished with another bouquet of daisies when Calum walked in with a guy I had never seen before, which was weird considering that we lived in a fairly small town.

"Hey Mikey! How are ya mate?" Calum asked with a slight grin.

"I'm doing well thanks! It's just me in the shop today, so I've had my hands pretty full," I say as I gesture towards all the flowers that have yet to be tended to.

"I'm glad to hear it because my friend Luke here is staying at my place on holiday and is looking for a job, right Luke?"

The lanky guy was wearing all black and it actually made me laugh that he would want to be surrounded by color all day. "Yeah, well we will take any help we can get!" I said as I stifled my laugh.

When the guy finally looked up, he took one look at the bouquet in my hands and ran out the glass door. "Sorry Mike I'll be right back," Calum said while rushing out the door.

I watched them through the window, and tried to cover up my attempts of eavesdropping by cleaning the window. Calum seemed to be giving his friend a pep talk and if I saw correctly he pointed at the daisies I left on the counter and wiped a tear from his eye.

I was curious what his story was and I found myself in deep thought when Luke pushed open the door once again and blurted out, "I'll take the job."