get pride: get pucked sequel - lh

18

Jude instantly started crying. She sat there for thirty minutes, wondering if this was real or not. She read the note so many times she lost count. So many things popped up in her mind and she became angry that he couldn't talk to her about this in person. He was that much of a coward.

She grabbed her keys and headed to Ashtons, knowing Setha had gone over there after skating. She would be able to talk to them both. She cried so hard she almost had to pull over and calm down. When she pulled up in front of the house, she saw that Ashton's truck was still there, but she wasn't sure if that was what he was driving. She cried just a bit more and then made her way to the porch.

She took a deep breath before knocking on the door. She needed to compose herself in order to tell Ashton what happened. She finally stopped sobbing and rubbed her face off with her sleeves. She went to open the door, but it was locked. She knocked and waited for someone to answer. She hoped that Luke wouldn't be anywhere near her when she walked in to the house looking the way she did, but to her luck, he was the one that opened the door.

"Oh, whats up- Are you okay?" Luke said after getting a good look at her.

"Is Ashton here?" She sniffled.

"No, he went out with Setha... what's wrong? What did he do?" Luke asked.

"Can-can I come in?" she said, trying not to cry at the thought of Ayce.

"Yeah," he said softly and moved aside for her to walk in. He closed the door and led her to his room. He sat down on the bed and moved his acoustic guitar aside. She sat down on the bed and took a deep breath. "So, what happened?"

Jude let tears fall down her face as she looked down at her hands in her lap. "I got home and when I went to see if Ayce had gotten back, his bags were gone. He left a note saying that he didn't think things were going to work out because he wanted to start his life with a family... and then he said-" Jude's throat tightened up as she though of everything. "He said he was leaving me." More tears fell as she recalled the words written on the paper. She covered her mouth as sobs escaped her mouth.

"How could he do this?" She asked. "He said he loved me..."

"Sometimes we do stupid things and don't realize it until we've lost the only good thing we had coming for us," Luke said as he looked deeply at her. She looked in to his eyes and knew he wasn't talking about just Ayce. "I'm so sorry he did this to you," he whispered.

Jude moved to lean on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and pulled her closer, letting her cry in to him. He rubbed circles in to her shoulder as they stayed in silence. After sitting there for what seemed like forever, they finally both laid down and faced each other. Luke sat and played with her hand while she just laid there to think.

Luke stayed silent until he said, "I know I wasn't much better than Ayce. I'm sorry for that," he said softly. "I think you deserve way more than what you've gotten so far."

Jude looked in to his eyes now, the blue seeming just as bright as before. She pursed her lips in thought, wondering what he was thinking in that moment. She hated that Luke thought so little of himself.

"Luke, I was so happy with you. I don't think you'll ever understand how happy I was that I got to call you mine... Don't ever think for one second that you didn't deserve me or that I deserved better than you. We were perfect for each other and everyone knew that."

"I fucked everything up, i'm so sorry Jude," he said and rolled over on to his back.

"It's okay," she said for the first time ever.

"No, it's not... because I don't have you anymore," he admitted. That left Jude speechless. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be bringing this up right now. You just got broken up with and you've hated me for months... I just need you to know that I still love you. I should have told you a long time ago."

Jude didn't know what to say, and thankfully she was saved by Ashton walking in.

"Luke! Did you-" He stopped at the sighed of the two of them. "Uh, i'll come back later.."

"No, I'm actually just about to leave," Jude got up.

"Are you okay?" Ashton looked at her now. "Have you been crying?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Uh, Ayce and I broke up..."

"What?" He asked, completely shocked.

"Want to go for a drive?" She asked as she walked out of Luke's room, leaving him alone.

"Sure let's go," He said and closed the door behind him.

–––––––––––––

Jude explained everything to Ashton and Setha on their drive. She tried not to cry but failed multiple times. She was still in such shock that she couldn't help but hide any of her emotions.

"Man, I really liked him," Setha sighed.

"I liked him too," Jude agreed. "But apparently he's looking for marriage.. and I can't give that to him right now."

"What are you going to do about living and stuff?" Ashton asked.

"I can probably move in with one of my teammates," Jude shrugged. "But it just makes me angry because I feel like he never loved me. He only wanted me to put a ring on his finger..."

"You know what I think you need?" Setha asked.

"Hmm?" Jude asked.

"You need to party," She suggested.

"I was thinking the same thing," Ashton chuckled.

"What party would we go to?" Jude asked.

"Not a party," Setha shook her head. "A club."

"We're all under age," Jude reminded her friends.

"Oh, Jude, you forget who I am now," Ashton smirked.

"Alright, let's do it. All of us. It will finally be just us together again," Jude agreed, wanting to get things off of her mind. This time she had nothing to lose, not even a boyfriend she might cheat on.

"I think it will be good for you," Setha stated.

Ashton nodded in agreement.

"Tomorrow night?" Jude asked.

"As long as we're not hung over for Christmas Eve," Setha said.

"That's not for another two days," Ashton reminded her.

"Tomorrow night then," Setha nodded.

Jude was glad that even after being dumped a second time, unlike the first time she had something to look forwards to.