Lines // hemmings

Chapter 17

LUKE

“C’mon man, it’s mandatory.”

It’s Thanksgiving and just like every year, all the inmates are gathered, including Ryan, for a special meal in the canteen. He’s been sending my glares throughout the entire dinner but I’ve tried making me smaller. I don’t want another fight. Not today, not ever. I’m too tired for that.

Before I came here, I had no idea they even cared about their prisoners as much as they do here. Sure, the guards give us bruises and scars, but when it comes to food and taking care of ourselves, like a job or resting, they’re nice about it. They even encourage us to make something out of our time here. And it’s all for free.

“But there’s nothing I’m thankful for,” I shrug and look around the canteen where people are bowed over their plates with more food than we get in a week. Ryan is still looking this way. I know bad things will happen to me if he ever comes near me again.

“I am sure there’s something you’re thankful for,” Ashton tries again, nudging me slightly.

I shake my head at him and he sighs. If he’d asked me a month ago I’d have an answer but not anymore. I’ve lost my line. I’ve lost the only thing I was grateful for.

“Well, I am thankful for…”

I don’t pay attention to what he’s saying, what anyone’s saying, instead I pick up my plastic fork and start pushing around the food on my plate. I hear chatter and laughter from everyone. Everyone but me. Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. It’s a stupid tradition, at least here. I honestly can’t believe people are actually telling each other what they’re thankful for. You’re in prison, for God’s sake. 

“Hemmings?” Will Evans questions from across the table and I look up at him. “What’s up?”

I’ve been kind of avoiding him, actually I’ve been avoiding everyone, lately. So I just shrug for the millionth time since I sat down, and return my focus to my plate where the pile of food doesn’t want to disappear. It feels like it's getting bigger and bigger which makes me lose my appetite.

“You’ve been quite down lately, get a grip, man.”

“Leave the poor kid alone,” Ashton defends and puts his arm around my shoulder making me drop my fork to the plate. “We all have bad days,” he continues and I hear someone chuckle.

All days are bad days. There’s no such thing as a good day here.

“I’m just saying he’s been down lately.” Will rolls his eyes. 

I have been down a lot lately but I can’t tell them what it’s all about. I am sure Ashton has already figured out that it’s about Abby but he hasn’t asked and I haven’t told him. It’s been a couple of weeks and I still haven’t gotten a reply from her. I knew it was risky sending her that letter. I knew I shouldn’t have done it. Even though I didn’t tell her everything, it was enough. I knew it would get like this; she’d stop writing. That’s why I never told her in the first place.

I don’t have a line to follow anymore; she won’t be by the end of it because she’s gone.

She was my escape and now she’s gone.

ABBY 

“Will you hand me the turkey, darling?”

I raise an eyebrow at dad. Does he really think I’m gonna hand him the turkey that pretty much takes up all the place on the table? It probably weighs a ton.

“Are you serious?”

“When am I never serious?”

I frown at him but he just winks and hands me his empty plate so I can get him some turkey on there instead of actually handing it to him.

“You’re the most serious person I know, Steve,” Calum says next to me and earns a smile from my dad.

Every year we celebrate Thanksgiving with Calum and his family. We take turns on were to have the dinner and this year we’re at our house. We may be five people all together, but we eat like we’re 15. Well, at least four of us. One of us has barely touched their food.

“Abby? Are you alright? You haven’t said much this evening,” Calum says, poking my thigh under the table. Our parents are deep in a conversation about furniture or cars or whatever they use to talk about. I don’t exactly listen to them. 

“I’m fine. Just…I’m just tired, that’s all,” I shrug.

“You’ve been tired for a while now,” he raises an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” I lie.

Luke is what’s up. It’s been two weeks since I got his confession. Two weeks and his words are still repeating in my head.

Even before I opened it, I had a bad feeling about it. And as I started reading it, it just continued to grow inside of me. When I was done, I almost threw up. I was mad and sad at the same time. Mad because he didn’t tell me the truth. How can he withhold back such a huge piece of information from me? And sad because of the same reason. Didn’t he trust me?

And as I slowly began to think about his words everything made sense. Every letter he had written to me, every word; everything made sense. And it was so fucked up. He told me about his roommate Ashton who happened to be his cellmate. He told me he didn’t listen to music anymore and that makes sense because I doubt they’re letting them listen to it in jail. And how he couldn’t send me a photo or how he doesn’t own a phone. And the times he sounded tired and had a rough time, I bet something really bad happened in there. Like he was beaten up or something. Then there was the mistake he made. The one big mistake that made people hate him. I remember wanting to ask him more about it but now I finally got the answer. 

He was accused of having killed someone.

I gulp on the water when thinking back, having everyone turn their eyes to me. I cough a few times and they continue talking. Calum has joined them too and he’s telling them about his latest art project. Something about recycling.

It’s been two weeks and I haven’t told anyone about Luke’s letter. Dad thinks I’m just working too much so he cut off some hours for me so I now only work with Martha. Calum doesn’t know anything. He thinks I’ve stopped writing to Luke. In one way he’s right; because I don’t know what to write him back, or if I should at all. The letter was a lot to take in and I’m still progressing it. I wasn’t scared. I’ve never felt scared of Luke but this changes everything. It really shouldn’t, but it does. 

And now I have to make a huge decision.

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1. What do you think will happen? Comment and let me now :)

2. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here so I have no idea how to celebrate it, what happens and stuff. But I've watched movies and TV series and I am pretty sure turkey is involved.

3. The picture on the side is actually what I thought when I had to name Abby's dad (I know I've mentioned his name before but whatever). If you haven't seen the movie (Over The Hegde)...yOU BETTER WATCH IT NOW. Haven't seen it in a while but the part in the video is my favorite part :)

4 I SAW ED SHEERAN YESTERDAY AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND HE'S SO TALENTED AND HE'S A FREAKING LEGEND. HE'S THE MAN. THE KING. HE'S GOD.

5. Hmm....oh yeah, don't be a ghost reader, please vote and comment? :D