The interview

Chapter 22

A week later, Daniel was sat in his tidier living room holding his phone to his ear. It rang and rang, until it cut off and he sighed looking down at the screen. He pressed her number again, and held it back to his ear. This time it rang at least 6 times before it cut off again and he cradled his head in his hands. He really fucked up. Staring at Lucy's name he felt his eyes well up before he blinked harshly, all the crying he had done the past week had given him a severe migraine. He opened his message app and typed out another text to her,

D: Bby plz. Stop avoiding my calls, I'm rlly sry. I can't take back what I said and did but plz don't ignore me. I need u Lu, I miss u. I love u ♥️♥️♥️

He watched it send through. But it wasn't opened. He sighed heavier and left it on the coffee table in front of him before lying down and hugging a pillow to himself. Jax was still with his parents, he was all alone.
'Isn't this what you wanted?' A bitter voiced echoed in his head. He screwed his eyes shut and buried his face into the cushion, "Not like this. Jesus, not like this."

"Maybe you should call him back?" Riley suggested, sitting on the edge of Lucy's bed, looking at her roommates 13 missed calls, 8 voice messages, and 10 texts. She then turned to the bundle under the quilt, "Lu? I know he touched a sore subject, and threw shit at you, but he was broken then. You get it right?"
No answer. Riley sighed and rubbed what felt like Lucy's shoulder, "C'mon, you've been like this for days. Are you gonna go in today or stay home, 'cause I'm gonna be late."
"Staying." Came a small voice.
Riley sighed again but nodded, "Ok, there's food downstairs when your hungry. I've got the living room set up too if you wanna get out of bed and have some movies in the background." She stood, "I'll be back a little late too, we're short today."
"Ok."
"Want me to bring back pizza?" She tempted, after a second, the lump nodded and Riley smiled, "Got it, extra large, fuck ton of pepperoni and garlic bread. See ya in a few."
Lucy listened to her footsteps getting further away and her door click closed. She sniffed softly and sat up, pushing the quilt from her face. It was grey outside, and dark. Little drops of rain were hitting her window too. A gloomy day for a gloomy mood. She sat up and wrapped her quilt around her, leaving the bed and walking to the door. She caught site of herself in the mirror and stopped. Her face was so pale. Her eyes looked as sore as they felt and her nose almost resembled that of Rudolph. She had cried so much she had made herself sick. Her sinuses were throbbing at the same rhythm as her head and her body felt like led. She tried to clear her throat as she popped more cold medicine into her mouth, chugging the bottle of water beside her bed, forcing air through her nose as the pressure eased slightly. She dropped the quilt and decided to head to the bathroom, taking her phone with her. She set it down by the sink, opened a playlist and peeled off her sticky pyjamas, stepping under the hot water. She sighed softly with relief and sat in the tub, letting the water wash over her. She jumped when the music cut off and her phone rang. She didn't even need to look up to know who it was. She buried her face in her knees, she wanted to answer, she really did. But what if he hadn't picked himself up yet? What if he was just calling to yell at her for running? She shook her head, he wasn't like that was he?
'He wasn't they type to throw ceramic at you but here we are.' She looked at the cut on her shin and ran her finger down the long scab, 'It wasn't his fault.' She argued back, 'He was upset. And drunk. He... he didn't mean it.'
'The way he sounded and looked at you says otherwise.'
Lucy shook off the internal argument she was having with herself and reached around the shower curtain for the tissues, blowing her nose hard, more pressure lifting from her face and her ears popping uncomfortably.
After 5 more interruptions to her music and more nose blowing, she finally left the bathroom and walked back into her room, grabbing another set of pyjamas and her laptop. She left her phone upstairs to keep any distractions away before heading to the living room and settling herself down on the sofa, Life as we know it playing on the tv.

Daniel stood on the doorstep, hands stuffed in his pockets as he listened to footsteps coming closer to the door. It opened and Jax jumped up at his owner, barking softly, tail wagging and tongue leaving wet trails all over Daniel's face. He smiled and pushed him down gently by the nose, "Down buddy, down. I missed you too."
"Hey."
He looked up at his father, "Hey."
"Good see you looking more like you. You've been going to the sessions right?" Carter looked stern, and still a little angry.
"Don't you think therapy is a little much?"
"Not from how you looked last week. You spoken to her yet?"
Daniel sighed and stepped into the house, wiping his shoes on the welcome mat, "She won't answer my calls."
"Have you gone over?"
"I didn't want to until I figured my shit out. I was a real dick to her." He muttered.
"Worse but good enough."
"Go easy on him Carter, please." Olivia sighed, walking out from the living room and hugging her only son left, "But you do need to go and fix things, you don't wanna lose her too." She rubbed Daniel's back before letting him go.
"I know. I'm sorry."
Olivia shook her head, "No apologise, it happened, it's done. You're better now and the sessions seem to have helped a hell of a lot."
Daniel nodded and looked back down at Jax, still sitting by his leg, looking up at him, "Has he had breakfast?"
"Yep, he's good to go." Carter nodded.
Daniel rubbed his dog's ears softly and sighed, "You wanna go home buddy?" He murmured softly. Jax pawed his jeans and Daniel gave his mother another hug, "I'm gonna drop some stuff home and head to Lucy's."
"Ok honey. Call us later ok?"
He nodded and opened the door for Jax, "See you both later."
Carter and Olivia watched him go back to his car and opened the door for Jax to jump in and sit in the front seat. Daniel climbed into the driver's seat next to him and fastened his seatbelt. Pulling away from the curb, he saw his parents waving him off before disappearing back inside. He pushed his damp hair from his face and looked over to Jax, watching the rain happily. He turned back to the road and gripped the wheel. Would she even still be home? He glanced at the clock, 11:45. She should be at the office by now right? He took a turn and drove into the city, it was worth a shot. Right?
Within minutes he had pulled up and was leaving the window slightly open for Jax before he left the car and ran into the building. He didn't stop until he got to the front desk, "Is Lucy Queen here?"
The lady, he remembered as Veronica shook her head, "No, she's been calling in sick for the past week. Sounded really rough over the phone."
"Rough how?" He asked, panicked slightly.
"Kinda scratchy and blocked up. All the rain must've given her one hell of a head cold. If you're going to see her tell her I said hi ok? And to get well soon." She subtly looked to her left, "It's hell being here alone with her."
He slumped slightly but nodded, "Yeah. Ok. Thank you." He turned and left, dashing back to his car and resting his head on the wheel. Was he the reason she wasn't coming in? Was she actually sick? He groaned softly and rubbed his eyes before sitting up and starting the engine again. Only one way to find out.

***

Lucy flexed her fingers and set her laptop to one side, she had managed to get more work done that she would at office, without having to run Melissa's errands and also cover some of her work while she was off fucking colleagues. For the first time in a while, she was all caught up. She stretched herself out and yawned, her stomach growling angrily. She sighed and pushed her self up from her den in the sofa and went to go to the kitchen. As she left the doorway to the living room, the door bell rang. She froze and turned to the door, frowning. She tiptoed over and peered through the peep hole, gasping softly. It was him. She stepped back, hand hovering over the handle. Hesitating for a moment longer caused another ring from the doorbell, making her jump and grab the handle. She gulped and turned it slowly, pulling the door open enough to peek out.
Daniel looked up from his shoes as the door opened and he saw one of her gorgeous brown eyes looking right at him. He opened his mouth to say something but his throat squeezed itself shut. She wasn't saying anything either. He lowered his eyes again and spotted a bandage around her lower shin, he frowned for a moment before realisation hit him. He looked back to her eye, "I did that..." He chocked out, "Didn't I?"
She stayed quiet, just looked down at the floor. He swallowed again but it didn't stop his voice from shaking, "Fuck... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. I didn't..." He felt his eyes burn and blinked harshly. Jax, who was sat beside whined up at Lucy. She looked down at him then at Daniel as he breathed shakily, "Don't leave."
"What?" She rose an eyebrow at him.
"Don't leave me." He looked back up at her again, tears streaming from his eyes, "I messed up. I messed up big, but don't go. I need you baby I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
Lucy felt her own eyes well up and opened the door wider, pulling him to her, "I'm not going anywhere." She rested his head on her shoulder and ran her fingers through his hair. He shook as he wrapped both arms around her tightly, holding her to him like she would disappear if he let go.