curves ⇥ l.h au

twenty-eight

+

day after day, bella would say she had to go back to her crazy mother, but luke begged her to stay.

after the fifth day, bella had enough of wearing luke's clothes, so she slipped her sweatshirt on and headed out of the apartment.

'you're sure you don't want me to come?' he questioned for the seventh time.

'im okay, promise' she half smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, planting a kiss to the top of her forehead.

'text me on how it goes' he let go and closed the door with a weak smile.

she trudged out the door, sitting at the bus stop until the run-down bus pulled up.

walking through the small door, a jingle went off, signaling she had arrived at the small cafe (which she thought was not needed considering everyone's gazes that were on her already).

'hi liz, have you seen my mom?' she walked up to the counter, greeting the small women at the counter.

'she just went on her twenty minute break, darling, and i'm about to go on mine, but you're welcome to talk and have a coffee if you want' she smiled.

maybe i should, bella thought. her and liz hadn't had a good chat since her son was kicked out of the house. they had even talked about how she felt bad for the poor boy.

she didn't know his name, but bella practically knew him due to liz's constant adoring blabber about him.

'caramel late, right?' she placed a ivory coffee cup on the counter, making a small thump noise. bella nodded and pulled the mug closer, her hands instantly warming up.

'any stories this time, liz?' she smiled, taking a sip of her coffee.

bella wasn't the type to act interested, she really did care about someone she didn't know. plus, the fact it made liz glad was a huge bonus.

'well let's see' she looked up slightly, her lips pursed as she searched her memories.

'oh, he finally got a girlfriend!' she exclaimed excitedly, her eyes practically gleaming.

'really?' bella replied, taking another sip of the hot drink.

'yeah, she makes him happy, that's all i know. im happy for him that he's getting better.' she smiled, taking a sip of her own drink.

'getting better?' bella furrowed her eyebrows.

what a stupid question, i know.

'he's been um- sad since he was at least thirteen, dear, they said it was severe depression. but when he turned sixteen we signed the medication bills, so he isn't so uh-' she trailed off, the light in her eyes dwindling slowly.

bella felt a pang of guilt hit her.

'sorry, i-i didn't mean to make you sad.'

'its fine. now how are you dear?' liz smiled, taking yet another sip of her coffee.

'im really good, actually'

'hmm?' liz, hummed.

'yeah.. i- uh- i got a boyfriend' her cheeks turned a light pink, her fingers rearranging the pattern of her bracelets under the wooden table.

'oh my goodness i've been waiting! my bella has a boyfriend!' she squealed.

this was their relationship; liz and her talking about everything over coffee, but it was as close as she could get to a real teenage girl friend. if anything, liz was like a second mother to bella.

bella's cheeks turned darker as she looked down at the table.

'we'll he- he um makes me happy? like feel a little better about myself i guess.'

'what's his name?' she squealed again.

'luke.' she breathed out quickly.

'that's strange.' liz's mood was changed in a meer five seconds.

'wh-what?' she looked up to the woman furrowing her eyebrows.

'my son, his name is lucas or uh- luke, actually.'

bella shrugged nonchalantly and took another sip.

'and how long have you and your uh- boyfriend been together, dear?'

'like two and a half weeks'

'oh.' liz dismissed quite quickly, looking down at her coffee.

'what's wrong?'

'it's nothing dear- oh look. my shift is over. i think your mother might have gone home, sweetie. it was nice talking to you.' she rambled, pulling bella into a short hug before practically running to the counter.

'strange, alright' bella mumbled to herself, placing her empty mug on the dish rack before making her way to the door.