annabelle | hemmings

[13]

She would leave. She was going to leave. Bali. That was where she wanted to go. She didn't have any connections in Bali. It was supposed to be beautiful and tranquil and quaint and full of sunsets and beautiful sights to take in. She'd already brought her ticket.

They'd been living together for two months and it was perfect. They'd sleep in and make out before Luke had to disappear to his Uni class for the day. They'd listen to music and they'd gone to a Hozier concert together. But it was still Melbourne and Melbourne was slowly bringing her down.

Luke was clueless. Just like last time.

So was Naomi. Annabelle hadn't told anybody. She thought in her head that the best thing to do was to just leave. That way she didn't have to deal with goodbyes and the thought of saying goodbye to Luke right now made her sick to her stomach.

She'd considered staying. She'd thought about how she could probably get a more serious job. And how she could start going to university in Melbourne. But that idea made her feel even worse.

She wanted to travel and keep moving and not settle down. Her whole home life had been all about settling down but now that she'd gotten a taste for it, now that she'd gotten a taste of new, beautiful places she couldn't help but want more.

///

"I think I want to go to Bali." She murmured, they were laying on the carpet of Luke's bedroom, his head propped up on a pillow and her head laying in his lap. In her head she knew that there was no going back now, she'd packed a small bag and her flight was tomorrow morning at seven. 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Luke asked, his eyebrows creasing together and a little laugh leaving his lips. He was playing with her hair, trying desperately to braid the golden strands though he was failing miserably.

"Bali seems nice, don't you think? Wouldn't you want to go to Bali?" She asked, the hopeful tone of her voice fading a little as he laughed under his breath and shrugged carelessly.

"I don't know, babe. I've never really thought about it." He sighed, his index finger gliding gently down her nose and between her eyebrows. "Why the sudden interest?"

"I don't know, I just- I don't know." She sat up suddenly, turning so that she could look him in the eyes and focus on how blue they were. "I've just been thinking about going somewhere-"

"What?" Luke's dreamy expression had changed to one filled with shock and sadness. "You're- wait, what?"

"I don't know, okay? Really, it's nothing." She groaned, pulling the sleeves of her sweater over both hands and holding them over her eyes. "Look, just forget that I said anything."

"Belle, I don't know what to think. Are you kidding- like, are you fucking kidding me? You're leaving?" He seethed, watching her from his spot on the ground as she stood and started to head for the door of his bedroom.

"I didn't say anything, Luke! Just fucking calm down!" She yelled, pulling at her hair and meeting his eyes as hers threatened to fill with tears.

"You've got to kidding me?!" He stated loudly in reply, his voice booming throughout the room and making her jump.

"Don't fucking start, Luke. I swear to God-"

"Fuck this shit." He mumbled, cutting her off as he shook his head in disbelief, grazing his hair back from his eyes and walking across the room so that he could push past her. "I'm going to have a shower." He murmured, refusing to meet her gaze before slipping into the bathroom and locking the door behind him.

///

The apartment was silent when Luke emerged from the small bathroom half an hour later. He started to panic. Surely she wouldn't leave straight away. He didn't want his last memory of Annabelle to be one of the two of them yelling at each other.

His heart quit palpitating when he was able to hear water running from in the kitchen down the hall. He stepped inside the room, pulling a clean shirt over his head and running a hand through his damp hair before taking in the sight in front of him.

She stood over the sink, wearing one of his dark woollen sweaters with the sleeves rolled up. Her hair was pushed back from her face and swept over one shoulder but it still managed to look messy as hell, the strands falling over her forehead and blocking her line of sight.

She hadn't realised that Luke had entered the room until she felt his long arms entangle around her waist. She froze up, unsure of what to do before sighing at the feeling of his breath on the back of her neck.

"Luke-"

"I'm sorry." He murmured. The cold metal of his lip ring brushing against her shoulder as he pressed a kiss there. "I'm so fucking sorry, Belle."

"You don't have to be sorry." She mumbled, her head leaning back against his shoulder and his hands gripped at her waist a bit tighter.

He just didn't want to lose her. He'd spent so much time falling in love with her and losing her and trying to forget her before falling in love with her again. He didn't even want to begin thinking about her taking off once more. It'd been like hell the first time. He felt that he'd probably just give up altogether if he was to lose her again.

He knew that he couldn't stop her. If she wanted to leave, she would leave. That was just the way that she was. He had to show her, how much he loved her. Even if it didn't work, then at least she'd know.

"Luke-" she whimpered slightly at the feeling of his teeth grazing the skin of her neck. "Luke, what are you doing?"

"Shh, just let me show you."

///

Annabelle was laying breathless on the bed with Luke to her left. He let go a deep sigh before reaching out to grab her hand, smiling up at the ceiling in the dimly lit room as he felt her fingers curl around his.

"Belle?" He murmured, his voice breaking the silence of only heavy breathing.

"Mm-hmm?" She mumbled, the duvets underneath her rustling as she turned onto her side to take a closer look at him. His profile seemed tense, his jaw that was covered in stubble was taut and he had his bottom lip pulled tightly in between his teeth. "What's wrong?"

He sighed again, the air coming out in one long trail before his eyes drifted closed. "I just don't want to lose you again."

He fell asleep exactly seven minutes later at 12:38 AM.

Annabelle woke up at 5:37 AM and looked at the boy sleeping soundly next to her. "I'm so, so, so, so, so, sorry." She mumbled before pressing a petal-soft kiss to his temple and climbing out of the sheets.

Luke woke to an empty bed at 6:04 AM.