Speak Now

Chapter 7

Caroline was doing her morning jog. She wore a baggy oversized hoodie, yoga pants, and sneakers. She had her music up high, both earbuds in, listening to some good ol' Toby Keith. Caroline's heart ached. She muttered under her breath all the curse words she could think of. She hated Luke for making her feel this way. She hated that she fell for a man who didn't love her back. She hated him for leading her on. But most of all, she hated that she had gave herself to him. He was her first, and she was sure he'd be her last, but that never would happen.

She knew that she wasn't going to be in his life forever after that night. Luke didn't have the right to use her like that. He made her think he loved her. He made her feel special. She wish she didn't give in to him so easily. That he wasn't so frisky and drunk. God, she wanted him back in her arms. But that was an illusion. Luke is just like any other guy. They just wanted sex, not love.

"I should've been a cowboy, I should've learn to-" Caroline's singing was cut off when someone tapped her shoulder. She pulled an earbud out and there stood Nathan, her ex from college, who had tried to push her into sex and had hit her so mucn, Luke got involved.

"Caroline?! Is that you?" Nathan smiled.

Caroline rolled her eyes, put her earbuds back in and continued her jog. Nathan ran after her. She spun around to face him. "You need to back off! I am perfectly content in life wihout you. You abused me so bad! Nathan, Luke didn't need to get involved!"

"Luke," the name rolled off Nathan's tongue as if it was a curse word. "He ruined eveything! His freakin' feelings got in the way! I would still have you if that lousy excuse of a man didn't love you to death!"

"Luke never loved me! He told me himself!" Caroline shouted, more pissed than ever.

Nathan laughed. God, his laugh sure was annoying. "Awe, did you and your boyfriend get into a little fight?"

"Fuck off, Nathan!" Caroline yelled at him.

"Hmm, let me guess. You didn't let him have sex with you?"

Caroline was about to blow a gasket. It was one thing to talk about her and Luke's relationship, but another when it came to their sex life.

"Nathan, you damn well know that's not the case. Wether we do things or not and if it's with each other is not your business. Luke and I are the only ones that need to know of who we sleep with, not you. And if you ever bring up Lule again, I'll beat you so fast, you won't even see it coming."

"Oh, feisty, are we?" Nathan chuckled.

Caroline was now furious. "Nathan, for the last fucking time-" she was cut off when her phone buzzed. She had a text message from Lee. When she read it, she felt her heart break. This was all her fault. She ran back home, leaving Nathan standing here alone, clueless.

Lizzy walked into the bedroom, seeing Luke laying lifeless on the bed with empty beer cans and a bottle of whiskey on the floor. Her heart started thudding loudly. How could this happen to him? She went over to him, trying to shake him awake, but he wouldn't wake up.

Something in Lizzy clicked. She had life insurance on Luke. And she was his fiance, therefore she would inherit all his money. She was marrying him for he money, but wouldn't it be better if she let him die now from the alcohol instead of waiting on old age to kill him? Lizzy smirked. This way, she could have love and money.

Lizzy backed out of the room, leaving the house with a smirk on her face. This plan was going to succeed, she knew it.

Lee came pulling into Luke's driveway. He wanted to check on him since he had last saw him drinking until he was drunk. As Lee pulled in, he noticed that Lizzy was leaving the place with a smirk on her face. Something seemed fishy right at that very moment.

Lee hopped out of his truck and ran inside the house, "Luke!?" Lee called. Nothing. "Luke!?" he tried again. Still no answer. Lee searched through the house, searching and calling for Luke. He wasn't getting any replies and Lee was worried LeClaire and Tommy had lost or will lose their finale and youngest child.

Lee finally went into Luke's room. There was a pungent smell of beer. Cans laid all over the floor. There was a puddle of whiskey with the empty bottle inches away from the liquid. Next to it, a cracked photo frame. The photograph was from Luke's college days. A picture of him and his friends.

Lee finally lookef towards the bed. Luke laid here, lifeless. His eyes were closed. He looked at peace, but in reality, he wasn't. His stomach didn't seem to move up and down. Lee checked Luke for a pulse, but didn't, could't, find one.

Lee felt Luke's hands, feet, and forehead. There were still warm, indicating that he was still alive, that his blood was still being pumped through his heart and traveling through his veins.

Of course, Luke wasn't gonna stay alive for much longer. Lee pulled out his cell phone, calling 911. He explained the scene he had walked in on and what he knew before he took the kids to LeClaire's. He also told them about the scene with Lizzy leaving Luke's house.

After he hung up, he waited for the ambulance to show up. Lee walked over to Luke, trying not to let the tears that were threatening to fall to actually fall. Luke is like a brother to him, and losing him would be hard. Especially after just losing his wife. He also couldn't bear telling his kids that God had also took their uncle home. And what about LeClaire and Tommy? Luke wasn't just their last child, but also their baby. The youngest kid they got to bring into the world and raise.

It was hard enough on them to bury their two oldest kids, let alone their baby. He was the one who got it easym but that always is what the youngest gets, isn't it?

Before Lee knew it, he was in the waiting room at a hospital, praying that God would save Luke's life. Luke deserved life. He also deserved love and kids and money. He deserved a wife and a family who loved him. His dream, his future. Luke deserved all of it.

Caroline came running through the heavy glass doors. She spotted Lee and ran to him, hugging him. Tears threatening to fall from her beautiful blue eyes. Luke loved her eyes.

"This is all my fault!" Caroline cried.

"Shh, it's not your fault. It's his own damn fault."

Caroline sniffled. "He really does love me, huh? I don't understand how I've been so blind from it. He was just trying to perfect our friendship."

Lee nodded. He knew Luke would end it with Lizzy after seeing what she had done today. She had left Luke there to die. She is obviously a gold digger, she can't deny that. The proof was there.

"Surprise him with a kiss when he wakes up. It'll heal him faster," Lee advised.

"Are you sure?" Caroline asked, pulling away from Lee.

Lee smiled as he nodded. "Love is always the best medicine. It'll make him smile. The more happy he is, the faster he'll heal."

Caroline nodded. "Okay, I just want my best friend okay again. And I just want to tell him how much he means to me. Everything. I just want to tell him everything."

"I know you do, Carol," Lee smiled at her. "Luke wants to apologize to you too."

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A/N: Well, we still don't know if Luke's okay, but he is getting medical attention. Will Luke be okay? What will happen to Lizzy? What's gonna happen with Nathan now? Will Caroline take Lee's advice? Will either of them tell each other how they feel? What if Luke doesn't make it? What will happen then? Okay, so I won't be updatig Friday for sure! I'm gonna be hanging out with friends that day. I also won't on Twitter to those of you who have me that night. Sorry. See y'all! ~Kelsea