freefall |[ luke kuechly ]|

|[elephant]|

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August 26th, 2012
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Ellen sat in her bedroom finishing up her packing. She was leaving for Coastal Carolina University in the morning and still wasn't finished packing. She sat on her carpeted bedroom floor. She couldn't believe this was her final year at Coastal Carolina. She also thought about Luke. Ellen held a picture in her hands of the night her and Luke saw the fireworks over the lake. She was smiling widely into the camera while Luke kissed her cheek and took the picture. She smiled every time she looked at it.

"Knock, knock," Luke said pounding his fist lightly on Ellen's bedroom door and walking towards her bed. He found a seat on the corner of the bed closest to Ellen.

"Hey Luke," Ellen said tucking the picture underneath a pile of clothes so Luke wouldn't know she had been thinking about him.

"Watcha doin?" Luke asked now laying on his stomach to face Ellen.

"Just packing," Ellen said folding up a Panther T-shirt that Luke bought her. "Are you going to come say goodbye tomorrow morning before I leave?" Ellen asked finally looking up into his eyes that were just inches from her face.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Luke said in a lower than usual voice. His hair was in its normal curl and he wore a pair of black athletic shorts and a white Panther T-shirt. Ellen had her hair in a messy bun and wore her glasses with short gray athletic shorts and a baggy Coastal Carolina T-shirt. Ellen got up from her spot on the floor and moved to lay on Luke's. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his temple causing him to smile.

"We actually need to talk," Ellen said in a serious voice now. Luke sensed the tone and he raised his eyebrows.

"Can we do it after dinner? I'm starving," Luke said standing from the bed. He just got back from practice and didn't eat since before then. Ellen laughed and followed him into the kitchen. They made spaghetti together. Luke boiled the noodles while Ellen made the sauce. "We are a good team," Luke said. He wrapped his arms around Ellen's waist from behind and he kissed her neck making her heart race. She turned in his embrace and draped her arms around his neck. She placed her lips on his and smiled into the kiss. They pulled away from the kiss at the same time and rested their foreheads against each others before going back to making dinner.

"Dinner is served," Ellen said proudly as she finished setting the table. Nicole was working late tonight so they didn't have to worry about her eating. The two of them ate dinner in silence because they knew there was an elephant in the room. Luke finished his spaghetti first and shortly afterwards Ellen finished too.

"Okay Eleanor what's on your mind?" Luke said finally ready to talk. He rested his chin in his palm. Ellen flashed him a knowing smile. She couldnt decide if she liked when he called her Eleanor or not. She reached for Luke's free hand.

"Do you know how far Coastal Carolina is from this very spot?" Ellen asked him. Luke shrugged his shoulders, already knowing where this conversation was going. "Coastal Carolina is exactly 3 hours and 24 minutes from this spot," Ellen said flashing Luke wide eyes.

"Ellen, people do long distance all the time," Luke said quickly.

"Luke, I don't know if that's what I want. I don't even know what we are yet. I need to focus on my studies and long distance never works out," Ellen said sadly. She felt bad, but she had said all along that she didn't want a boyfriend in college. Luke quickly removed his hand from her grasp and ran it through his hair.

"You don't know what we are?" Luke said now crossing his arms. Ellen shook her head truthfully. She had no idea what they were, they never made it official but they hung out like they were boyfriend and girlfriend. "Well I thought you were my girlfriend," Luke said angrily. Ellen had never seen Luke mad before and he looked hot. If they weren't arguing, she would have kissed him.

"Did you ever say that to me?" Ellen said defensively. Luke didn't answer. "Luke maybe when I'm graduated-"

"No. Do you hear the problem with that sentence? You said maybe. Maybe? Maybe when you are graduated? Maybe when you are graduated I'll be good enough? Fuck this," Luke angrily got up from the table and went to the door. Ellen followed quickly. She never allowed herself to cry but seeing him walk out the door set her off.

"Luke, please don't go," she sobbed grabbing his muscular arm. Luke whipped around to face her and she could see compassion in his eyes. She knew he felt bad for making her cry.

"Ellen, I can't be your second choice. I won't sit around waiting for you," Luke said through gritted teeth. Ellen breathed sharply.

"I can't sacrifice my education," Ellen retorted. Luke removed his arm from her grip.

"That's too bad because I really could have loved you Ellen Reilly," Luke said before finally leaving the apartment complex. Ellen slammed the door and leaned against it for a while crying.

"I could have loved you too," Ellen whispered. She wished Nicole wasn't working late. She finally pulled herself together and finished packing. She got everything packed except one thing. The picture of her and Luke.

The next morning Nicole helped Ellen load everything into her black Nissan Altima. "Are you sure you have everything?" Nicole asked as she shut the trunk of the car.

Ellen hesitated before finally nodding her head. "Yeah, I have everything I need."

"Is Luke coming to say goodbye at least?" Nicole asked leaning against the car. Ellen kicked at a rock on the ground.

"He said he wouldn't miss saying goodbye for the world but that was before everything happened last night," Ellen said adjusting her side part. She told Nicole everything that happened last night. "I'm just going to go, I don't need him to say goodbye," Ellen decided. "Bye Nicole. Leaving you never gets easier but this is the last time," Ellen said as she pulled her sister in for a hug.

"Bye El, I love you," Nicole mumbled into Ellen's shoulder.

"I love you too Nic," Ellen said finally pulling away from the hug. She got in her car and drive the 3 hours and 24 minutes from her apartment to Coastal Carolina University. Without saying goodbye to Luke and regretting it just a little.

Little did she know Luke showed up to say goodbye shortly after she left.