group chat ➳ l.h. [completed]

t w e n t y - e i g h t

One year later

Luke

They say time heals all wounds. They say within just a month, or two at the most, all heartbreak will heal.

In my case, that statement is very much false.

The first few weeks were the worst. I ate cold bread and rubbery meat until I finally grew used to it, and even then I couldn't help but imagine a hot turkey and chocolate cake.

But even more than that, there was Winnie.

Walking away from her was one of the hardest things I've had to do. But I couldn't make her wait for me in here, for it would eventually destroy her.

I share a bunk with a buff, bearded man that silently weeps every single night. By his looks you wouldn't believe me, but one sight at a photo of his two year old daughter and he lost it.

He talks about her often, saying things that he wished he could have done instead of drugs, alcohol, and stealing. He would explain to me that he wished he would have been as concentrated on his wife and baby girl as he was with liquor.

I simply nodded as he spoke, selfishly only thinking of Winnie as he did so.

When he asked me what I was in for, I said alcohol and drugs as well, because no one would quite understand my situation.

I sat in my cold bed staring up at the ceiling from the top bunk, imagining there was the usual ceiling fan above me and the usual beautiful girl beside me.

I craved her touch, her smile, I craved her like roots craved water. I was the tree in this situation, she the branches. And the branches were being cut off. In other words, she was being cut off from my life.

As horrible as it was to think about, I had to accept it.

I continued to imagine her at her grandmothers house mourning with her face in a pillow, her cheeks stained with unforgivable tears and her heart drowning in sorrow.

However, I knew that kind of pain would pass for her. For she is young and beautiful, I knew without a doubt she would find someone else.

Deep down, I didn't want her to. But that's what she deserves, and I used to think it's what I deserved as well. However as I sat in my cell with my nails bitten as far as they could go back, I realized that I've hurt her for too long.

I've flirted and touched her in ways I knew she loved, an eventually fell for her skin that I skimmed my fingertips across as she fell asleep. For her soft hair that I ran my hands through, brushing through each tangle before pressing my lips against her soft cheek, a large comparison to Kiersten's rough skin that I used to kiss in the past.

I cringed at the remembrance of my ex wife, and drew close to the memories of Winnie.

The girl, the woman, that I haven't seen in a years time.

The thoughts of never seeing her again consumed me, all until a man in a suit and an officer took me out of my cell to give me news that had my eyes lighting up again like they only have with my dear Winifred.

*

Winnie

Calum's fingers dug into my stomach over and over until my throat was hoarse from laughing so hard.

Ever since I told him about my tickle spots, he took every chance he got to make me almost cry of laughter.

About three months after Luke disappeared from my life, I began to look out the window and see the sun as a positive things instead of a negative. I began to smile more as well, not a fake one, but a real one.

I still love him so much, and that can never change. However I've been taking online classes and concentrating more on my education.

College is not on the agenda for me, I want to be a cosmetologist. I don't want to do it because I have a passion for hair or anything, I simply just know you don't need college for it so I jumped on the chance.

Stupid? Possibly. But money is money, and I can learn anything and really don't want to rely on my mothers money any longer.

Her checks did lower month by month, and I was guessing that either she was becoming financially unstable once again, or that Ashton guy is making her stop spending her money on the people he most likely hates. Me and Luke.

I was hoping to find an apartment somewhere close as well, and today Calum was helping me look online. I needed pretty cheap, although Calum told me not to go with cheap ones because of usual bug problems and just simply because most are in bad neighborhoods.

However I didn't care, I was focused on me.

Luke as well, if he were here. My mind spoke for me, and I shook my head out of the thoughts so I wouldn't start growing sad again.

That sometimes happened as I slept in Luke's bed.

Yes, I opened his door the day Calum went back home after his parents came back from vacation. He still came over daily though in the afternoons, we even grew very much closer by watching movies together and sometimes even going out to eat at some fast food joints around town at nighttime.

We never spoke about Luke, for it caused my brightened eyes to sadden like it had the day Luke was taken from me. He noticed, and that caused him to never talk about him.

I appreciated that he did so, and neglected to talk about him as well.

But my thoughts spoke out him, very loudly too. My brain screamed Luke, it screamed his touch and his kiss.

I cried again yesterday though when I cuddled up to his pillow, because I started to forget what it felt like to hug him.

"Are you ticklish everywhere?" He asked whilst laughing along with me and finally releasing his hold from my stomach.

I took a breath in relief, and looked him in his eyes with a glare.

"Maybe, maybe not." I replied and jokingly shoved his shoulder.

But this time like usual he didn't shove back, but instead, took off his glasses and placed them beside himself on my bed before looking at me.

His cheeks were turning pink, and for the first time in a while I swore I could see him look nervous. And God, it made me nervous as well.

"Winnie,"

I opened my mouth to simply ask him what was wrong, all until I felt his plump lips press against my own, neglecting to speak any longer.

My eyes widened, and my mind told me to push him away, but with his hands on my cheeks, I couldn't.

My lips remained still, all until his hands began to lower, and before I could take a breath he was on top of me and I was deepening the sweet kiss.

____

(A/N)

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