Chapter 14 – Lobotomy
Hadley – 22 years old
W hy is it so fucking bright? My throat burns. Oh God, water. I need water.
Jesus, help me please. I feel like I’ve been hit by a freight train—several times.
Lying on a sofa, I take in my surroundings, then roll my head to the side, and sick rises to my throat.
Rolling off the sofa onto the floor, I heave. Where the fuck am I?
A large bowl is pushed between my arms, so I glance up. Luke? Oh fuck!
Last night comes flying back to me—Margo, Travis, the bar downtown, then Luke.
I slowly move upright, dropping my arse onto my heels. Luke slides the bowl towards my knees and laughs. “Either the bowl or you can use the bathroom, in case you do throw up.”
“Sorry,” I whisper.
“Don’t be. We’ve all been there.” He points to me, and I blush, giving him a lobsided smile.
“I’ve made you some breakfast. Go sort yourself out. I left you a toothbrush and some clothes out. They are mine, so they might be a little big on you.” He pauses and shakes his head. “Take your time, I’ll make you a coffee.”
Nodding, I bite my lower lip and slowly rise as Luke helps steady me on my feet.
After I wash and brush my teeth, I throw on Luke’s white T-shirt and grey joggers. Taking a deep breath in, I smile at his woody and fresh scent filling my nose. He smells so good. I brush my fingers through my hair and step out of the bathroom.
The smell of bacon and eggs hits my nose, and I curse, my stomach grumbling loudly.
Luke has his back to me and is shirtless. What is he trying to do to me?
He spins around and smiles as I take in his body. “I spilt my coffee down my shirt.” He moves his hand up and down his body, smirking as I follow his movements. “Hence the shirt off.” Then he winks.
My knees feel like they could buckle, so I take a seat at the small table.
“It’s fine,” I mumble. It’s not, I’m an absolute mess. Damn him for being so sexy.
“Breakfast is served,” he says while placing a bacon, egg, and sausage sandwich in front of me.
Taking a huge bite as he watches on, I hum. “Ugh, this is amazing, thank you.”
Smiling from ear to ear, he sits down with his breakfast and tucks into it.
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, completely aware of how unlady like I look, I ask, “When did you learn to cook?”
“You can hardly call bacon and eggs cooking, but I’ll take it.” He grins. “Our old chef taught me; I’d love to actually make you a meal one night, if you’d like that?”
Is he asking me out on a date? Panic sets in. We have so much to talk about before I will even entertain that idea.
After successfully dodging the question, I finish my breakfast and tell Luke I need to get home. He wouldn’t let me call for a taxi and insisted on driving me home. I agreed, keeping it civil on our way over. As I thank him for the ride and start to climb out of his truck, he grabs my elbow.
“Trevor offered me my old job back; would you be okay with it? I can stay out of your way if you like?” Of course, Trevor did!
“Why wouldn’t I be okay with it? We are both adults. I am not really around as much anyway, with university and all.” My words come out harsh, and I instantly want to take them back.
His face drops, then he nods while letting go of my elbow. “Okay, I’ll see you around,” he mutters.
A pang of guilt hits me as I close the door, and he pulls out of the driveway and speeds down the road.
God I’m a bitch.
8.30 am –
Where the hell are you?
You’re not in your bed.
I need serious help!!!!
Like right now.
-8.35am
Urgh, calm down woman!
Too early for your dramatic antics.
I will be home in 20 minutes,
If I’m not, read this message again.
:)
Just as I am ready to kill her the moment she walks through the door; she texts me again.
-8.37am
Starbucks have brought out a gingerbread latte.
You want one?
Xx
Do I want one? I sigh loudly, rolling my eyes before typing back.
8.37am -
Yes, I do, I’m offended.
you’re asking such a dumb question.
Hurry up!!!
xxx
True to her text, Margo shows up twenty minutes later with two plastic cups in hand. After setting them on the kitchen table, she takes off her gloves and woolly hat.
“So …” She pushes one cup towards me. “What’s the hysteria for?”
Before I can answer, she rests her elbow onto the table and places her head in her hand. “Let me guess, Luke?”
Sighing, I look down at the coffee cup, dazed by the steam swirling off it, and breathe in the nutty gingerbread scent. “Yeaaaah,” I breathe out.
“And?”
“I don’t know what to do,” I mutter.
“Did you bang him last night?” She waggles her eyebrows at me.
“The fact you are so heavily invested in my sex life is concerning.” I sip my drink. “No, we didn’t. I crashed on his sofa, and the night’s a blur.”
Smiling at me, she asks, “But do you want to?”
Pulling my upper lip between my lip, I think it over. “I wish I could just forget, you know, the pain I’ve felt since he left. One minute, I was breaking, then I found a way to fix myself, and now overnight, I just … don’t know what I’m supposed to feel.”
She’s silent for a while, her eyebrow raised as she looks at me deep in thought.
“You were never fixing yourself, Hads.” She grabs my hand. “You were just surviving.”
“What if he leaves again?”
She shakes her head. “He won’t, just start again, go on a date, do the things sixteen-year-old you wanted to do with him.”
“And if he leaves again, what will I do? I don’t know if I can give him this chance and have him leave.”
She sits upright and shrugs. “Yeah, suuuure, blah, blah, blah, you’ll live, you’ll laugh, we will do a lobotomy.”
I break out into a giggle.