Speak Now

Chapter 9

Luke was laying there in the hospital bed, confused. He had never been so unsure of anything in his life. Why didn't Caroline stay? Why did she leave? Lee walked in, he had a look of misery on his face. He never looked up. He slowly walked to Luke's bed and sighed. He then looked at Luke and jumped back slightly.

"Luke?! You're alive?!" Lee questioned.

Luke gave him a puzzled look. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

Lee sat down. "Caroline just came in to say goodbye. She loves you so much. She was so scared. You should have seen her when the doctors said you weren't gonna make it. She was hysterical."

Luke looked down. He couldn't believe that the doctors told Caroline he was dying. That his death actually would effect her in some way. Luke felt a pang of guilt. Why did he tell her he didn't have feelings for her? Why did he lie?

Lee shook his head. "I don't understand you, Luke. How could you get yourself engaged to Lizzy? She left you there to die!"

"What!?" Luke shouted. "She wants me dead!? I can't believe this! I should've known. Caroline told me I was making a mistake. But what happened to me anyways?"

"I'd like to know why you proposed to Lizzy first," Lee told him.

Luke took in a deep breath. He was always regretting his choice. He knew he made a mistake he moment he proposed. "I was desperate. I thought Caroline didn't like me. I never worked up the nerve to ask her out. I'd insane thoughts about her. Like what it'd be like to lay her down and, well, make love to her. I was trying to make her jealous, that's why I was with Lizzy im the first place. I wanted to prove to Caroline that I could be a loving man. The lovving man she wanted."

Lee stood up. "Gosh, Luke! How stupid are you?! Caroline thought you didn't love her back! You were having fantasies about sleeping with another woman while you were with Lizzy? You know how bad the looks and sounds?!"

"I was having those thoughts long before Lizzy came into my life. I imagined myself loving her the way any man should! And I have slept with her while I was with Lizzy! I don't regret it one bit! I'm gonna end it with Lizzy and get Caroline back in my God damn life! I'm not a child, Lee! This is how I wanted to do things! And it's working!"

"No, Luke, it's not. You almost got yourself killed! You got way way past drunk and got alcohol poisoning! Caroline's been blaming herself for it! You don't understand it, but you hurt her! She fucking thanks you're dying, Luke!" Lee yelled at Luke, getting his point across."She loves you, all your doing is pushimg her away. She thinks she needs to cut off all ties with you!"

Luke slumped back in he bed. He had really fucked up this time. He was never going to be able to convince her to stay. But he was ending it with Lizzy. What made Lizzy thank she was getting Luke's money was beyond him. Caroline, Carter, Lee, and his parents were. That's who was on the will, not Lizzy. How could he give her his stuff when he doesn't love her? Either way, Luke had to fix his mistakes.

Caroline through a beer can into the creek. "You fucking ruined my life! God, why did you take the one man I love and hold close away from me?! What did I do to deseve this?! What did he do?! It's because he cheated on Lizzy with me, isn't it?!"

Caroline want to punch a wall. She hated herself for causing Luke's death. "I never wanted this to happen! Take me, not him! Take me!"

Caroline sat down. She just wanted out. If she could choose, she let Luke live and leave the world herself. She never thouht she'd have to say goodbye to such a wonderful man. He was so young, so young. Caroline wiped a tear away. She so desperately wanted to kiss his lips again. They had the only warmth on his body. He was her first love, her first kiss, her first everything. She remembered the night they slept togther so vividly. No more nights like that anymore. Caroline and Luke's relationship ended with Luke's life.

Caroline jumped when her phone buzzed. Luke's alive, Caroline. He needs to see you. Hurry back! Caroline shoved her phone back in her pocket. He needed to see her?! Yeah, right. He had told her he hated her. As much as she loves him, she's not about to deal with his shit, she's going back to Sandersville. Luke will have to find some other girl to play around with. This wasn't a game. He probably purposely made her think he was dead.

Luke slept soundly as Lee was facetiming LeClaire and the kids. "How's my baby?" LeClaire questioned Lee.

"He's napping right now. He really is missing Carol, though. He is crazy in love with that girl. I texted her like five hours ago, but no response. I think she's mad at him. He really wants to apologize and tell her he loves her," Lee explained to his mother-in-law.

"That's too bad, I wanted to say hi to her. At least Luke's doing okay. I'd hate for him to get hurt because of what happened to Kelly and because of his fight with Caroline."

"She's probably still mad at him. That would explain why she ain't coming back," Lee guessed.

"Probably, now the kids want to say goodnight."

Til popped up in the screen, as well as Jordan and Kris. "Night, Daddy!" They all said in unison.

"Night, guys! Be good for Memaw. I'm gonna stay with Uncle Luke for a while. Make sure you brush your teeth," Lee smiled into at them.

The kids ran off. LeClaire smiled into the camera. "Alright, tell my boy I said goodnight. Night, Lee."

"Night, LeClaire," Lee saluted before shutting his phone off. He hope Caroline could find it in her heart to forgive Luke, he needed her now more than ever.

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A/N: Hope you guys loved this update. I didn't really have any questions ready for you guys, and this chapter is short, so sorry about that. But I have started an original, nonfanfiction story. It's about a couple from Powell River, Canada named Brooke Jackson and Blake Parker, so check that out! That's all I've got to say. Peace! ~Kelsea