Converse ·· Luke Brooks

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

“You sure everything’s okay?” Luke asked once again, on the phone. He had rung me up again this morning.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just wasn’t feeling well last night,” I answered, lying straight through my teeth.

“You should’ve waited until I got home to drive you back to the academy. It was raining pretty hard last night, still is raining,” Luke replied. I bit my lip, listening to him.

He had rung me last night as well, when he found out I left his house. I had walked home in the rain last night, luckily not bumping into anyone in the alley. Mostly because it was raining and no one was out. It had taken me hours to walk home. I was completely drenched when I got back. Luckily, my parents had gone back to their hotel and they were off to work today, so I wouldn’t see them again until the musical. Two weeks. Two weeks until I get shipped back off home.

My Auntie had found out last night as well. She was devasted. She tried her hardest to convince my Father to let me stay, saying that I was the best student here and pulling me out would be pulling me out of my future career. He didn’t care though. Even my Mother started to try and convince my Father to let me stay, once she had heard what my Auntie had to say. She didn’t want me to not have a future. I mean, I don’t want to have a future in ballet, but if it was to let me stay here, then I would. I would do anything right now to let me stay in Melbourne. I had a reason to stay now.

“You still there?” Luke asked.

I shook my head, realizing I wasn’t even listening to him. “Yeah, sorry, I zoned out.”

“Oh well, I said, if you don’t mind, could I pop over tonight? I want to make sure my girlfriend isn’t really unwell,” He said.

“Oh…I don’t want you to catch what I have though,” I lied. I wasn’t sick. I wasn’t sick at all. I was just saying I was so he wouldn’t come over to see me like this. I had cried all night and I wasn’t exactly a pretty crying. My whole face had puffed up. My eyes were bloodshot. My nose was running. My Face was red and blotchy. I had bags under my eyes. My hair was everywhere. Tissues were also strung out all around the room.

“I don’t care if I catch what you got, I want to be there to help you get better,” Luke said.

“It’s honestly okay. I have Simon and Natalie looking after me right now. I’m sure I’ll be better by tomorrow though,” I replied.

“You know I hate when I can’t see you.”

“I know.”

“Well, tomorrow morning I’m coming over. It’s the weekend, so you have no classes right?”

“I have rehearsals in the afternoon though.”

“Well, tomorrow morning is going to be you and me time.”

I couldn’t help but let out a little giggle. I only had two weeks left in Melbourne, so why not make the most of it with Luke. I just couldn’t let him see me today though, I looked horrible. “Okay.”

“Good, I’ll be at yours by 9,” Luke said. I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Well, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow though,” I said. Class was going to start in 15 minutes.

“Okay, bye. I love you,” Luke said.

I smiled to myself when he said, I love you. “I love you too.”

I hung up and stayed silent for a minute. I hated lying to Luke, but I can’t tell him I was leaving. I mean, he’ll hate me. If I tell him, he could break up with me. We haven’t been going out for long, but damn, I don’t know what I’d do without Luke. I have no idea how I’m going to survive in Perth without him there. I don’t know how I’ve survived this long until I met him.

I decided to head down to class, so I could have a ten minute stretch. I grabbed my bag, swinging it over my shoulder before walking out of my room. I knew people were going to be looking at me today. I still had the bruise on my cheek, even though it was fading. My face was just red and blotchy. My hair wasn’t in the perfect bun it was supposed to be in. I tried to make it look perfect like normal, but my hands were just shaking the whole time. I knew the teacher wouldn’t be happy. Every girl had to have their hair in a perfect bun. Maybe I could get Natalie to do it for me.

I opened the door to class and walked in, ignoring everyone. Simon and Natalie were already here, so I walked over to them. “Hi,” I greeted, in a soft voice.

“Hey,” Simon said, giving me a smile. I smiled back.

“You look horrible,” Natalie said.

“Thanks, that makes me feel much better,” I sarcastically said. I knew I looked horrible.

“Sorry, but did you get any sleep last night?” She asked.

“No, not really. I was up all night, crying,” I answered.

“Why were you crying?” She asked.

“My Dad has finally flipped,” I said. “He’s making me move back to Perth after the musical.”

“What? He can’t do that!” She said, raising her voice. Simon put his finger to her lips, indicating to be quiet. “Oh, sorry…”

“Technically, he can,” I said. “I’m not 18 yet.”

“When do you turn 18? Can’t you just come back once you turn 18?” Simon asked.

“I don’t turn 18 for a couple of months. Even so, I have to try and get back into the academy,” I answered.

“Why would it be so hard to get back into the academy? Your Auntie’s the principal. Can’t she just let you back in?” Simon asked, again.

“I won’t be able to come back to Melbourne until next year, and that’s going to be the final year for us at the academy. They don’t let you come into the final year, unless you’ve been here throughout the whole past two years.”

“So, what are you saying?” Natalie asked.

“I’m saying, I’m leaving before the end of the year, meaning I’m leaving the academy. Once you leave, you can’t come back,” I answered.

“But, but, but….what about Luke?” Natalie asked.

“There’s nothing I can do,” I said, putting my head to the ground.

“But, can’t you tell him you’ll be back? You will come back once you turn 18 right?” Natalie asked. I knew she was starting to panic. This past semester, me, Natalie and Simon have been getting along better and I actually have friends here now.

“I have nowhere to come back to though. I can’t come back to the academy. I can’t afford an apartment here. My Father won’t give me any money to come back. I’ll be on the streets if I come back. Just because my parents are rich, doesn’t mean I am. Sure, they give me money to go buy clothes and everything, but they won’t pay for me to come back to Melbourne. Dad would want me to stay in Perth. And he’ll make sure I do.”

“So, what you’re saying, is that you can never come back?” Simon asked. I nodded my head. This is why I was upset. My Auntie had told me everything last night when I got back. That how I can never get back into the academy and that my Father said I would never come back to Melbourne. There was nothing I could do.

“So you have two weeks left in Melbourne…” Natalie said, almost like she was saying it to herself. I nodded my head, again.

“I haven’t known you long, but damn, I’m going to miss you,” Natalie said, pulling me into a hug. I was very surprised, so I stiffened up a bit, but quickly relaxed, hugging her back. She was taller than me. Much taller. It was because of her long legs. It was crazy.

“I’m going to miss you too. You guys were my first friends at the academy…and kind of my only,” I admitted.

We stayed silent for a bit, letting everything in for a moment. Finally, Natalie broke the silence. “Did you want me to fix your bun? It’s kind of gone lopsided…”

“That’d be great, thank-you,” I said.

“No problem.”