Thick and Thin [l. hemmings]

three

The summer before my second year of university was a summer sent from hell. At first it was nice, when we all moved in together. But as the weeks went on, it was awful.

My two weeks turned into five, causing Luke and I to fight. A lot. One night nobody was home to witness the screaming match Luke and I had over the phone. It was brutal, we both said things we shouldn't have, and it resulted in my sobbing and spending a full day in bed.

//

"I thought you were coming home?"

"I'm sorry, Luke. I will be coming home... I just need a few more weeks here. I love you." I tell him, a frown forming on my lips.

"Do you?" He harshly asks, clearly unhappy with this information he was just given.

"Excuse me?" I question, sitting down on my mattress.

"Lately it doesn't seem like you love me, just wasn't sure if you mean it."

"What the fuck, Luke? Obviously, I love you! I'm in love with you. What's going on with you?" I ask, raising my voice at him.

"I miss you, Kelsey! I just want to be able to see you! I feel like you don't care, it's like you've forgotten about me!" Luke screams.

"I miss you too, you're the love of my life! I just have other shit going on and I'd thought you'd respect that!" I yell back, laying back on my mattress set on the floor.

He groans, "I do, babe! I just don't understand why you aren't up front, and why you're staying away even longer!"

"Then what's the fucking problem if you respect it! I have stuff to do, I can't drop everything here because you miss me!"

He sighs, "God, it feels like you forget we're married."

"Fuck you, Luke."

"Why are you being such a bitch?"

I scoff, "Are you fucking kidding me? You're insane; thank god I have a few more weeks away. Figure your shit out."

"Me? I have my shit figured out. You're the one that doesn't know what they want. Don't start this shit with me."

"I know what I want! That's why I'm here for a few more weeks! I know what I need to do. But you're not okay with that for some reason. I literally have no idea what's going on right now." I tell hm.

"Whatever, Kelsey. I get things change when people go to college. People change. But I didn't think it'd change you like it has."

"I haven't!" I insist, raising my voice at him once again.

"I'll talk to you later." Luke replies, before almost immediately hanging up the phone.

//

Part of me didn't understand why he was acting like this, but I also understood that he missed me and wanted to see me. I wanted to see him too; I just had other plans as well. I couldn't have my entire world revolve around him at this point in my life. It wasn't realistic.

Things started to get better for me after a couple of days, though Luke and I weren't talking. That is, until I got a text from Kiana that would change everything.

Kiana and I stayed in pretty good contact, so her texting me wasn't out of the ordinary. I figured it'd just be a text about her missing me, or how she couldn't wait until I went back to Seattle.

But it wasn't. The second I saw how long it was I knew something was up. She told me I needed to sit. Panic started to set in when she said it'd be best if we spoke over the phone because she didn't know how to type it out.