Faking It || l.r.h

4. Later

*Avery's POV*

After I finally convinced Dylan to take me home, he was too drunk so I had to drive him home. I'm seventeen and I have my license but no car. Sad, I know.

Once I dropped him off I walked to my house. Some may say it's stupid of me to be walking alone so late at night but he doesn't live too far from me, a good fifteen minute walk tops. And I enjoy walks at night, they're soothing to me in a way.

When I did finally get home, I saw my dad's car in the driveway and completely forgot about him. He doesn't like me going out without his permission and here I am walking home, alone, at one in the morning. Hopefully he's passed out on the couch or in his bed. I could sneak into my room and deal with any consequences in the morning. If, that is, he even remembers anything.

I unlocked my door and quietly pushed it open. I didn't see any lights on so that was a good sign. I closed it just as quietly as I had opened it and locked it behind me. I used the light on my phone to see so I didn't have to turn on anything else and possibly wake him up. But unfortunately my good streak of luck came to an end when the room lit up and I heard the low growl of my dad's voice.

"Where have you been?" He asked. I didn't want to turn and look at him, I was too scared.

"Uh I was...well me and-" I couldn't complete a sentence to save my life.

"Where the fuck were you?" He yelled this time.

"At a party." I squeaked.

"A party, huh?" He said it as if he was tasting the words. "I don't recall allowing you to go to a party."

"No, well..."

"And you're coming in here at one in the morning and I can smell the alcohol on you from over here!" I wish he'd stop yelling, I hated when he was loud, it was terrifying.

"I wasn't drinking, I swear." I shook my head, still not giving him eye contact. "Some idiot bumped into me and spilled it, honest."

I don't know why I wasted my time explaining myself, he never listens or believes me anyway.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" I could hear him walking towards me and my heart started beating faster. I still didn't turn to face him.

Yes.

"N-no, sir." I stuttered.

"What made you think you could go out and drink?" He asked.

I finally turned to face him. "I told you already, I wasn't drinking. Someone spilled theirs on me. Unlike some people, I don't live to get drunk."

I wanted to take the words back as soon as they came out of my mouth. Sometimes I wish I could control myself, my mouth is what gets me in trouble half the time. Before I knew it, I felt his hand across my cheek and I was on the floor. My cheek was burning and I could feel hot tears stream down my face.

"Do you wanna say that again?" His voice was low.

I shook my head, too scared to speak.

"Then I suggest you quickly get upstairs or it'll be worse for you."

I scrambled to my feet and quickly went up to my room, shutting and locking the door behind me. I went over to my mirror to examine me face. As expected, there was a large red print and I could tell where his ring hit my cheek, because that space was a deeper red and might even turn into a bruise overnight.

I walked over to my bed and sat on the edge. I put my head in my hands and began to cry. I knew I shouldn't have said that last bit, but I got carried away. My mouth said it before my brain had time to process it and for my stupidity,  I've got a soon-to-be-bruised cheek.

I deserve it. I deserve every fucking bad thing that happens to me because I'm such a terrible person. I'm a smartass, I'm a bitch, I'm rude, inconsiderate, and everyone hates me. I'm lucky to have Dylan as a friend, but I'm sure he prefers someone, anyone, over me. This is why Ashton doesn't like me, why Luke says I'm a bitch, because I am, and the countless other people that have stepped on me over the years. I suck as a person and I don't even deserve to be alive. If I was gone, everyone's lives would be so much easier. People would be happy and I wouldn't have to get thrown around by my father like I am now. Everything would be so much simpler. I'd finally be happy.

I managed to stop crying and shook the thought out of my head. I can't do it. I've got to be strong and power through it. No matter how tempting it sounds, I can't just give up like that. I have a plan for my life and killing myself isn't a part of it. I've got to power through it and I've got Dylan and he's all I need.

I got up to change my clothes and I laid back in bed. I know I can do this...I've just got to take it one day at a time.

-

The next day, I avoided my dad as much as I could. I stayed in my room until I got hungry and then I quickly went down to the kitchen for food and some ice for my throbbing cheek. I kept my eyes on whatever I was going to make sure I didn't make eye contact with him, I did everything he told me to do, and I went back to my room so I could be alone.

After a while, I started getting texts from Dylan about the party last night and he was telling me about this cute boy he met there. It was a nice distraction and it made me smile a little. He's the only reason I can't, and won't, give up. He's the brother I've never had and I love him. I'd most likely be dead if I didn't have him. He loves me just as much and I can't leave him because I'm weak. For him and only him, I won't give up.

*Luke's POV*

I woke up late the next morning with a slight hangover from last night. As I sat up in my bed, my head started beating really hard so I laid back down. I closed my eyes to block out the light and try to remember everything that happened.

I remember going to the party, but I didn't have as good a time as I thought I would. I remember Avery showing up after a while and I remember what she said about Brooke, which is still unbelievable to me. I think I know her well enough to know she wouldn't just give up on me like that.

Okay, so maybe she did when she broke up with me, but she wouldn't start dating another guy so soon.

And then she said to ask my friends. What the fuck is that supposed to mean? What do they have to do with anything? Like I said, they don't know how much I truly care about Brooke and they don't know I'm trying to win her back.

I've known them all my life and we tell each other everything. They'd never hide something from me so I know for a fact that everything she said last night was utter bullshit.

But right before I left, it looked like Brooke in the doorway. I'm not crazy, but I could've sworn it was her. Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me. Or because I was drunk, I was imagining things. All I'm saying is it couldn't have been her. I was there for a few hours, I'm pretty sure I would've bumped into her at some point.

And why would she be there anyway? She wasn't the partying type because she knew what I did when I got drunk at parties so if anything, she would've had to be there with someone, whether it was another guy or a friend. But like I said, she couldn't be with anyone already, it's too soon.

There was a knock at my door, disrupting my thoughts and causing my head to pound.

"What?" I grumbled.

"Luke," my mum said, "breakfast is ready."

"I'll be down in a minute."

"Hurry or your food will get cold." She said before I heard her footsteps disappear down the hall.

I got out of bed and threw on the first shirt I could find before leaving my room.

On Monday I'm gonna talk to her. I'm gonna sort all of this out and convince her to give me one more chance. She cares about me just as much as I care about her. I know she'll come around, it'll just take a bit of time.