the beginning of us

True

Chapter 13

April's POV

I had just finished with some work when I felt Lucas hold me from behind.

"Lulu!" I laughed and turned to him to give him a quick kiss as he slid his hand into my back pocket.

"Do it again." he whispered against my lips, his voice so low and husky that it made me tingle all over.

I placed my hands on his neck to lift myself up and leaned in, our lips colliding. He tilted my chin up, kissing me back and picked me up.

I pulled away and he shot me a disappointed look.

"I forgot I had something to tell you."

"What's that?" he asked, still carrying me.

"I'm hanging out with Macey and Hazel tomorrow and I'll spend the night at Macey's house."

"Alright, I'm going to visit my mum tomorrow, anyways." he said.

******

I sat on my bed and put my sneakers on. Macey, Hazel and I had planned to have an actual "girls night out", but we eventually realized that it wasn't advisable for Macey to do that.

I took a cab to Macey's house and knocked on her door.

The door was unexpectedly opened by Hazel, she was usually late.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"What you mean?" she looked confused.

"Well, you're always late." I said.

"I had to be here on time because we have a lot to talk about." she grinned and pulled me inside.

I went in and greeted Macey.

We put on cucumber face masks and they started looking at me in a suspicious way.

"What's going on?" I chuckled, awkwardly.

"Are you really not going to tell us?" Macey asked.

"Tell you..what?" I replied.

"What's going on between you and Lucas?" Hazel questioned.

"You mean, my boyfriend, Lucas?" I laughed.

"Oh my gosh! I knew you guys were together." Macey squealed.

"I can't believe you waited this long to tell us. Macey only suspected when she saw him in the background of your picture." Hazel said.

"Well, good job, detective Macey." I chuckled and continued, "I just didn't find the right time to tell you guys, okay?"

"It's alright."

"Hey, aren't you already in your six month of pregnancy?" I asked Macey.

"Yeah, I am." she replied.

"You should totally do a pregnancy photoshoot." I pointed out and sipped my drink.

"Oh, that's a great idea." Hazel agreed.

"My husband has been really busy lately so I didn't want to bring it up." Macey said.

"It'll be so much fun, you have to do it." Hazel tried to persuade her.

"I'll think about it." Macey said

We stepped out for karaoke, then came back to the house to binge watch 'Friends' till I dozed off on Macey's couch.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a cab and Hazel was beside me.

"Where are we going?" I mumbled.

"Your apartment, obviously." she said.

"I was supposed to spend the night at Macey's." I said and sat up to tie my hair.

"Macey told me to take you home because was she feeling nauseous and didn't want to disturb you with that." she replied.

"What?" I muttered.

"You wouldn't sleep and you'll just take of her all night." Hazel pointed out.

Hazel walked me to my room and I was so tired that just slept off right there.

Lucas' POV

I texted my mum as I walked into the elevator to tell her that I arrived safely. As I exited the elevator, I heard sounds coming from April's apartment. She told me that she would spend the night at her sister's house but I had to go in to see what was going on.

"I didn't say it.." she mumbled in her sleep, looking terrified as I walked into her bedroom.

"April." I whispered, sitting on the bed.

A tear fell from the corner of her eye as she whimpered uncontrollably.

"April." I called her again, trying to wake her up.

She forcefully opened her eyes and tears welled up in them.

"I didn't say it back." she mumbled and held the sheets tightly.

What was she possibly talking about?

"You're okay, April." I said.

"No, I'm not okay. I'm a terrible person." she whispered.

"You just had a nightmare." I said.

"Don't say that...you don't know anything." she said, crying even more.

"Will you tell me?" I asked.

"My dad.." she muttered.

"You don't have to tell me." I said.

"My dad, he was amazing. Macey and Ethan were closer to our mum and so it was always my dad and I against the world, until he wasn't with me anymore." she paused to wipe her tears away.

"It was the summer before tenth grade and I had asked my dad if I could go to Abby's party. He refused to let me go but that night he was supposed to travel for work. So, I snuck out to go to the party. He called me on his way to the airport, while I was already at the party, to check up on me. I lied that I was at home and during the call he told me that he loved me very much." she groaned softly.

"I wanted to quickly hang up so I wouldn't get caught. I didn't say it back. It would have taken seconds just to tell him that I truly loved him too, but like the horrible person that I am, I just said 'goodbye'. I snuck back into the house early in the morning and saw that no one was there. I texted my mother to ask her about what was going on and she told me to come to the hospital." she let out a shaky breath, a look of pure regret on her face.

"I went there, only to see his body in the mortuary. By that time, the party meant nothing. I just want him back." she cried, gripping the sheets.

"I just want him back, Lucas."

I moved closer to her, and said," You didn't know, April.  You didn't know and you are not a terrible person, I promise."

She didn't want to turn to face me so I just held her from behind as she caressed my forearm.

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