Lines // hemmings

Chapter 18

LUKE

“That’s right, release all the anger!”

“I’m not angry,” I sigh before punching the punching bag again.

“Yeah right.” Ashton rolls his eyes.

“I’m not fucking angry,” I say again and this time I punch it even harder followed by a kick that accidently hits Ashton’s side. He lets out a groan and I mumble an apology but I don’t think he hears it.

The holiday is over and we are back at the gym because Ashton wants to keep up his game and lose the extra pounds he gained. I barely ate anything. I haven’t eaten properly since I sent Abby that letter. I haven’t slept very well either, only a few hours per night, if I’m lucky. I’m back to who I was before she entered my life. And I hate that. I hate this feeling of emptiness and loneliness. Life sucks. And I hate the fact that she probably hates me. That’s the only explanation I can come up with why she hasn’t replied to me. She doesn’t want anything to do with me. I don’t blame her but she could at least have written a reply saying she’s read it. I would do anything for that. Just a line from her and things would be better.

“Man, that’s a nice uppercut you’ve got, Hemmo,” Ashton says and removes the focus mitts off his hands. He throws me a towel that I use to wipe off my face.

I shrug and sit down next to him, feeling myself getting sweatier and sweatier each minute. I really need to work on my cardio. 

“You sure you haven’t practiced without me?”

“How could I have? You’re here 24/7, you would have seen me.”

“True,” he says, making me shake my head. “Alright, enough with the chitchat. You told Abby, what did she say?”

I feel myself stiffen next to him. I knew there was a reason why he’d talked more and more with me recently. Though, I’ve always found a way to avoid the topic; either I had to go to the library or I pretended to be asleep. Most time I didn’t even have to pretend. I actually did fall asleep several times when Ashton talked to me. He’d usually wake me up by throwing a pillow at me or even sitting on me.

“She hasn’t responded yet,” I shrug and put my elbows on my knees, leaning forward.

“What exactly did you tell her?” 

“Just where I was and basically why I was here.”

“They let you do that?” He asks and even though I’m not looking at him, I know his eyes are wide.

“Yeah, I mean I didn’t tell her everything. Just a summary pretty much,” I shrug.

Maybe they actually didn’t let the letter through? Maybe they found it inappropriate and that’s why she hasn’t replied; she hasn’t got it. But as quickly as that thought comes, it vanishes and I realize I would have gotten the letter back in that case, or I’d been sent to Mr. Conway.

“I’m proud, Luke,” Ashton says and pats my back. “Just give her some time. I promise she’ll come around soon.”

“I hope so,” I mumble.

I really hope so.

ABBY 

My back is pressed against the cold brick wall as I wait for someone to either enter or emerge from the front porch. I’ve been standing here for about 10 minutes and I’m freezing. My jacket is pulled up all the way and my hands are in the oversized gloves my grandma sent me last year around Christmas time. My ears are cold even though I’m wearing a beanie and my nose is all red. Small puffs of cold air are visible as I exhale.