A Leap Into Life || m.clifford || book #1

Chapter 5: Strong

The struggle is real in this chapter omFG

"Kasey? You in there?" Ashton's voice calls through the door. I had been sitting in the floor going through every picture and text I had from Luke for the past 2 and a half hours.

"Yeah." I say standing up. I knew my face was red from all the crying I had been doing. But, I open the door anyway, I focus on my phone hoping he didn't know anything. Ashton takes my phone making me quickly grab it trying to hide the puffiness, it didnt work. He takes my chin in his hand making me look up at him.

"Oh my god, what Luke said was true." He says. I step back a little looking up at him like a little child. "Are you okay Kasey?"

"I'm fine." I tell him walking out of the bathroom.

"Kasey?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." he tells me following me down the hallway.

"Okay." I say scrolling through Instagram, hoping he gets that I wanted to be left alone and I really didn't need this.

"You know I do Kasey, you're my sister!" He exclaims. I roll my eyes turning to face him.

"Ashton go look up the defintion of the word 'love', then tell me you 'love' me." I tell him before walking off down the hall again.

"Come on Kasey! We're family. I love you alot," he tells me. I shake my head repeatedly.

"Just because we're family, does not mean you love me! You don't love dad!" I snap walking into my room, slamming the door in his face.

"Dad left Kasey. Family isnt supposed to leave," Ashton says through my door.

"You didn't leave me. You gave up on me." I tell him leaning on the door. After a minute I hear his footsteps down the hall. He was gone, once again. I close my eyes trying to calm myself. I look up at all the posters on my walls taking deep breaths. I had every damn reason to not believe him. He hasn't given me a damn choice.

When youre the 'badest bitch' in school, you shouldn't be surprised when you hear your bestfriend cussed out Calum for making you feel bad, but really surprises you is that Michael said something. 

"Beaut's you didnt answer my text and calls last night, " Luke says coming towards me.

"Sorry I fell asleep last night I didn't feel up to staying up much longer." I tell him opening my locker.

"Its fine. I was really worried about you." he tells me. I smile grabbing my history book and notebook before peering at myself in my mirror. No matter how much makeup I put on you could still see the puffiness around my eyes.

"I love you." Luke whispers coming closer to me.

"I love you." I reply closing my locker. History was the only class I had without Luke and the horrible thing is Luke has Chemistry with Aleshia, his ex-girlfriend. That has always made me uncomfortable.. and now that I'm closer to Luke than ever I do not in anyway feel comfortable with him being in that class with her.

"Hey." He says wrapping his arms around my waist. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I always have something to worry about," I reply turning to face him. He kisses my cheek softly before letting go.

"I've gotta go." He tells me before disappearing off down the hall. I frown turning around walking towards History.

"Ms. Irwin! So nice to see you today, dear!" Mr. Reid says making me smile.

"Hey Mr. Reid." I respond laughing softly. I notice Michael sitting in the back of the room. I catch his eye, I noticed a hint of a smile on his lips so I take my chances in thanking him for saying something to Calum, which I hadn't seen all day.

"Michael." I say apporching him. "I just wanted to thank you for yesterday."

"Of course." he says looking up at me. I nod sitting down in front of him.

"You're far from a bitch, why the hell do you hang out with the assholes?" Michael asks taking me off guard. I turn to face him.

"Luke." I say answering his question.

"He's not an asshole though."

"Oh, I know, he just got caught up with the wrong people at the wrong time."

"Calum?"

"Calum." I confess frowning.

"Doesnt really surprise me that you'd go with Luke." He tells me.

"What do you mean?" I question raising an eyebrow.

"You're popular and so is he. Really doesn't surprise me that you'd stay with the popular one."

"Luke's not like that." I tell him, "He's not an asshole."

"Sure he's not, and I'm an amazing artist."

"You are?"

"I can't draw worth a damn." He smirks. I roll my eyes turning back around. Mr. Reid starts to teach class shortly after. All though class I could feel Michael staring at me. I shift uncomfortably several times trying to make him see I was uncomfortable, but he didn't seem to notice or care.

After History there is lunch and personally I hate lunch. Luke meets me at the doors and grabs my hand.

"Hey you." He says poking my nose. I didn't feel like smiling alot and I guess Luke noticed something was wrong.

"What's wrong babe?" he asks putting his arm around me.

"Nothing." I tell him trying to get him to drop it. Of course he doesn't .

"Why are you lying?" he questions. I sigh shrugging my shoulders. I didnt know what was wrong with me either. I just didnt want to smile I didn't feel happy.

"Maybe I should go with Aleisha she wouldn't lie to me." he mumbles. My breath hiches in my throat.

"What?" I choke out. I blink a few times trying to stop myself from crying. "I um..

"Beaut's I was only kidding." He tells me.

"Only kidding? Try not to say something like like that to a girl who already wants to die." I say backing away from him. He reaches for my hand but I turn around and run out the cafertia for the second time this week. I walk into the bathroom and close the door. I hear footsteps running into the bathroom.

"Kasey?" I hear Rachael calls. I let out a sob. She comes to the door and sighs. "What did he say?"

"H-He said that he should b-be with Aleisha because she wouldnt l-lie to him." I sob. She sighs again.

"Come on out." She says. I open the door before walking out. "You know what you need?"

"What?" I question rubbing my eyes.

"To go home and crawl under the covers and eat a bunch a ice cream."

"That sounds great." I giggle. She puts her arm around me pulling me out of the bathroom.

"He shouldn't have said that... But you shouldn't be lying about how you feel."

"I didn't know how to tell him I wasn't feeling the best in the world. He's Luke! He likes details."

"Well tell him in a way he will understand Kasey. He's a boy." She tells me. I roll my eyes pushing open the doors of school.

"You coming with? We can make it a party of two." I tell her. She shrugs.

"I don't see why not." She replies putting her arm around me.

Hola people of earth. HAPPY FIRST DAY OF NOVEMBER!