Lines // hemmings

Chapter 10

None of you guessed the right person...I wouldn't have either.

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LUKE

“You look like shit.”

“Well thanks, so do you,” I scoff at Jack who flips the finger on the other side of the glass.

Apparently he had tried visiting me last week but I wasn’t allowed to have any visitor’s since the fight with Ryan. The prohibition was this week too, but they accepted meetings through telephone calls. So now he’s sitting on the other side of the bulletproof glass, a telephone receiver in his hand and a smirk on his face. He hasn’t aged a day since I saw him last.

“When did this happen?”

“Like two weeks ago.” I shrug. “What are you doing here?”

“Can’t I visit my brother in jail?” He gasps, putting a hand over his heart and I roll my eyes.

“You haven’t been here for…” I start but is cut off.

“I know, I know and I’m sorry. Things have just been a little…intense.”

“Intense? At home? Pfft,” I snort. If he knew how intense things were here.

“Yeah, intense things happen in the real world as well. Isn’t that why you’re here in the first place?” Jack raises an eyebrow.

“You know I can just hang up and walk away, right?” I say and slowly move the receiver from my ear while seeing Jack wave a hand in front of him and mouthing no. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. You know I still care about you, man.”

There’s a sad look in his eyes but I just shake it off. I don’t want him to feel pity for me. I got myself into this place, not him. I ask him to tell me about the outside world and for another 5 minutes, he does. He tells me about a job he’s gotten and that Ben proposed to Mary and they’re getting married next year. He tells me he’s the best man and once again I feel my heart break. Because I probably won’t be there. I won’t see my oldest brother getting married. I close my eyes and continue listening to Jack rambling on about something, occasionally make a comment or smile.

“Oh, that reminds me. I have something for you,” Jack suddenly says and puts three envelopes in front of him. I recognize the round letters. “I’ve sent them forward to you for a while now and I’m just curious of who they’re from?”

“You’re the one forwarding them?”

It makes sense. Mom would never do that. She would probably throw them away.

“Yeah. These came last week and this one came yesterday,” he says and divides the three envelopes. “Thought I would deliver them personally. So who they're from?"

“No one.”

“Oh so no one is sending you letters? No one is making you smile at the mention of you receiving letters?” He smirks.

“Exactly. Now, call a guard for him to retrieve them for me,” I answer, feeling like this conversation will end up a different way.

“So you don’t mind if I take a look at one of them?” He raises an eyebrow and picks up one of the envelopes and slowly open it in one of the corners.

“No! Those are mine! Jack, stop!” I practically yell and I notice a guard walking towards me, in the corner of my eye. I wave my hands at him that it’s alright but he doesn’t walk back. He takes a place behind me and I feel his eyes burn into the back of my head.

“Tell me,” Jack demands and I sigh.

“Fine. They’re from a girl named Abby. Now please, just give them to me?”

“Abby? Who’s Abby?” He asks.

“Just a girl who started writing to me and no, she doesn’t know I’m in jail. Please don’t read them. They’re quite personal. I think,” I say and look down on the wooden panel in front of me, noticing people carved in names and other words, not necessarily nice ones.

Jack shakes his head at me before calling a guard who takes the letters and leaves the room, only to come back to me a few minutes later with the having black marks over them. But they’re not ripped open so I guess they trusted Jack this one time.

Jack leaves just a couple of minutes after with a promise to come visit again soon, but I don’t know if I should trust him. He said the same thing last time.

To Luke, 

I haven’t heard from you in a while and I’m just wondering how you’re doing? Hope you haven’t forgotten about me. Sorry if I come off as pushy.

                      Abby.

Luke, 

I know I just wrote you a letter but, I have an idea. Actually, it was my dad who gave me the idea some time ago and I hope I don’t sound creepy or anything, but maybe it’d be easier if we just texted each other? I can give you my number if you want?

                      Abby.

Luke, 

Forget what I wrote you. Maybe you weren’t even real.

                      Abby.

That’s what the letters say. And I re-read them a few times over the next couple of days but no matter how many times I try to write her back, I come up with nothing. My mind is completely blank. I can’t tell her the exact reason why I haven’t written her back (a little thanks to Jack for not sending them forward but also because of Ryan). I can’t tell her about my situation here. She would quit writing me and I don’t want that. Because her words… her words are what keep me going.

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