Photograph | l.h.

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six

Lillian

Screaming. All she heard was screaming.

She covered her ears and hid under her blankets to avoid it, but it never worked. She still heard the screaming, it was just muffled as she covered her ears.

It had become a regular thing. The ring was never found, which wasn't even a big deal in her opinion. But it all had gone downhill from there.

They fought, every single day. It never got any better. Always the same words every single day, "you don't appreciate me," and "this is never going to get any better."

She didn't know why they didn't just end it. Sure it would be complicated, but everyone would be happier in the end.

They had been living in Italy for six months now, but it felt like so much longer. Everything started going downhill after one month, therefore all the passing time felt like years, instead of months. She just wanted to go back.

Back to how things were before.

She missed him. She missed how things used to be.

She would check up on him occasionally. Not exactly in the way that anyone else would, no. She never texted or called him.

She checked his Facebook profile. He didn't use it often, but when he did she felt excited. She thought, maybe if he noticed that they were online at the same time, he would try and reach out to her. That never happened though.

When he would post on his profile, all he posted about was how the band was doing. Photos from gigs were uploaded, as well as videos of their performances. Her eyes watered as she watched them. She was so proud of him.

She never failed to check his twitter as well. He boasted on about how happy he was, how life was great. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Her life wasn't as great, it was almost horrible.

His twitter consisted of many photos of him and the boys, as well as some of him with girls. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous there, as well. Deep down she knew that being jealous made her a huge hypocrite. She technically left him, so she shouldn't feel that way about him moving on. It was what he was supposed to do. It was what she wanted him to do. But nonetheless, it still hurt.

But besides from that, Lillian found a group of photos that made her feel a mixture of emotions. They made her happy, yet sad. Hopeful, yet doubtful.

He had Polaroid photos. Pictures taken from his phone showing Polaroids filled his twitter page. Photographs that were taken from the camera that she had gotten him. It gave her hope, because clearly he still thought of her. A piece of her was left there the day she gave him that camera. Her fingers touched that camera, as well as his. She couldn't help but think that even after all this time, he still had the feeling of what she felt like. It was a wild thought, she knew that, but she missed him dearly and was sort of thinking irrationally.

Without any hesitation or much thought, Lillian picked up her phone and opened the twitter app. The last time she tweeted was months ago, but she didn't seem to notice. Within seconds she composed a new tweet saying "I miss you..." She didn't even think twice before pressing the send button. As soon as her brain caught up to her, she gasped. There was no point in deleting the accidental tweet, people had already probably seen it. And to be honest, she kind of wanted Luke to see it too.

-

Hours had passed, and all there was to be heard was screaming. Lillian didn't understand how her neighbors never filed a noise complaint. Nadine and Phil had fought so much that it could be heard from four houses down. Lillian would know, from the amount of times she stormed out during her parents screaming sessions.

But this time, she couldn't bring herself to leave.

She laid in bed with headphones in, but that was no help. She still heard the yelling over her music. Sighing quietly to herself, Lillian slowly drifted off to sleep. the last words she heard were, "I can't do this anymore."

Later on in the night she was awoken to her bedroom door opening. In walked Nadine, who looked like she was about to faint. Her skin was pale, along with dark bags under her eyes. It appeared that she hadn't slept in days, and that whatever sleep she did get was very little.

"Can I talk to you?" was the first thing that came out of her mouth. Before Lillian could say anything, Nadine welcomed herself in by sitting on the edge of her step-daughter's bed.

Turning on her bedside lamp, Lillian sat up tiredly.

"I guess," she mumbled.

"I'm just gonna get straight to the point," Nadine sighed. "Your - Your father and I think it will be best if we split up for awhile. Not necessarily get a divorce, but we do need some time apart. All of this fighting isn't healthy."

"I could've told you that." Lillian snickered.

Ignoring that sarcastic remark, Nadine continued.

"I'm going back to Australia for awhile, until we - " she began but was interrupted.

"Wait, what?" Lillian gasped.

"Yeah.. My family is there and I think it is necessary. I know that you don't like it here Lillian, I can tell. I know we have never really gotten along but I am proposing that you come back home with me. It may be a bit weird living with me and not your father, but I am almost certain that you would rather be in Australia with me than miserable here."

She was right. As much as Lillian didn't want to admit it, she knew that Nadine was right. She didn't like Italy, and she did want to go home. Although the circumstances were rough, this was her only chance to ever see Luke again. It was her only chance to have her life back, and there was no way in hell that she was going to pass it up.

"Do you want to think about it? I won't be leaving for a week so that gives you some - "

"No, I want to go." Lillian gulped, interrupting her stepmother once again.

"Are you sure?" Nadine asked, surprise evident on her face.

"Yes," Lillian nodded, processing everything that was just said.

Nadine nodded in return, not saying anything else. She left the bedroom, quietly closing the door on her way out.

Lillian laid awake in bed for the next two hours, thinking of all the possibilities of what could happen when she returns home. Did Luke move on? Will he be happy to see her, or will he be furious that she left him with no goodbye? The possibilities were endless.

There was one thing that Lillian knew for sure. Despite whether Luke moved on or not, she was going to see him again. She was going home, back to her old life, back to everything that she had missed in the last six months.

She wasn't going back on this decision - no matter how bad it seemed.

-

ohhh whats gonna happennn

sorry this is short lol i wanted to put something up :)

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