Former Teacher

32

It's been past a week, and I haven't shot Lucas a text or call. I don't know what to do. I have different feelings for both of them... And what Lucas told me that I was playing them both makes me feel sick about myself. I didn't notice I was hurting him. For Dalton, he is unaware of what is going on between me, and Lucas. I feel horrible about leaving him in the dark. I have so much complicated stress on my shoulder. I have work in an hour, and I don't feel like going. I want to cry and eat my feelings away.

An hour into my shift, I get a text from Lucas, which confuses me. I wouldn't think he would message me since he told me to contact him when I have made up my mind, and as you can tell, I haven't. He sent me a message of hey and never responded. It bothered me a little, so after my shift, I plan to check up on him.

I get to his house at sundown. I ringed his phone multiple times on the way, but he didn't respond, which spiked up my anxiety. He eventually opens the door after my few pounds on the door.

I look behind his shoulder, seeing alcohol everywhere. "Are you okay?" I ask sincerely.

He leans on his front door with his left arm. "Yeah." He says, sniffing his clogged nose.

I shove past him and helped myself in. "You're not okay. Sit down and talk to me."

He slowly walks to the couch and plops himself down.

I sit myself next to him. "Talk to me..."

He struggles to talk because his crying is preventing him from expressing himself to me. I draw him close to me, and he holds onto me and cries deeply. I wrap my arms around him, comforting him. He sits up, and I wipe his eyes.

"Today marks the 5th anniversary of me losing my girlfriend and child."

My mouth drops like an anvil in the cartoon films. I wasn't expecting that coming out of his mouth.

"He would have been five and starting kindergarten this year." He adds.

"Aww baby, I'm so sorry," I say, hugging him tightly.

He sits up and smiles. "You can ask questions. You don't need to be scared to ask like I was with your brother."

I fidget with my fingers. "Oh, alright... Um, how did they die?"

"They both died at the hospital. Alexa, my ex-girlfriend, died giving birth, and baby Ethan didn't make it. There was something wrong with him, to begin with, and the doctors couldn't do anything about it."

"Come here," I say, bringing him close.

I hold him in my arms, playing with his hair as he cries softly.

"Thanks for coming, Bell, when I didn't leave a hint that I needed you." He says, tracing his finger on my skin.

I smile. "No need to thank me, Lucas."

We stayed in this position for a while.

"Alright up and adam!" I say, getting off his couch.

"Nooo, I was comfortable." He says, reaching for me from the couch.

"We are cleaning up this mess and going to go get food. I'm hungry, and food solves everything."

He plants his head on the couch. "Alright!"

I picked up his cans of beer and threw them in the trash. He picked up his laundry that was laying around everywhere. There were more alcohol bottles that he must have drank in the past because he doesn't seem that tipsy. Before leaving, I made sure he showered. He smelled horrible. We are on our way to get food. McDonald's might be the option due to the restaurant's closing. We found a park to eat our food. We both ordered McNuggets, fries, and McFlurries.