"Anyway, I was driving and so were Ashton and Kenzie, you know their side of the story already, right?" Luke asked. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hands again, and I felt bad once more for making him tell me this.
"She missed her period and they were fighting about her possibly being pregnant, right?" I said, vaguely repeating what Ashton had told me.
Luke shook his head. "Kenzie was really pregnant, like, at least two months. Ashton wanted to keep it but she didn't, she was planning to give it up for adoption. Like Brooke."
"But that's not what Ashton - " I started, but Luke cut me off. I didn't get it, why would Ashton lie?
"I don't know why he wouldn't tell you the truth, Dani, but I promise that I am. Kenzie and Ashton were arguing and from what I understand, Ashton was drunk, Kenzie wasn't." Luke continued, and I continued to shake my head. This story was different than Ashton's, and I wasn't sure who I was supposed to believe. I had to pick between my best friend and my boyfriend.
"They were fighting and Ashton got mad, so he swerved and hit my car, and obviously I was too drunk and didn't process what was going on until it was too late. His car hit mine and then swerved off the road but I - fuck, Dani, you're going to kill me." Luke stopped talking, trying to cover his face again.
"I told you that I won't hate you." I said slowly, still trying to take all of this in.
"I ran away."
"What do you mean?" I asked, "How did you - "
"I was fine, Ashton's car hit mine in a way so I wasn't even hurt, my car had more damage than I did. I just got out and ran. I was too scared that I was going to get in trouble for being so drunk and coming home so late, so I just ran away. I didn't even think about the fact that there were other people in the car that I hit, or that they may be dead." Luke finished. He was shaking now, hardly able to speak.
"So you just...ran?" I asked.
"Yeah, I ran all the way home. The police figured out that it was me, obviously, because I just left my car in the middle of the street while there was - while there was someone fucking dying just a few feet away from me." Luke said, a few tears slipping out the corners of his eyes.
"Did you get in trouble?" I asked, just curious. I couldn't believe that I had missed all of this, I was supposed to be one of Luke's closest friends and I didn't even know that any of this had happened.
"I had to do community service for the rest of the summer, my dad paid off all of the other charges himself. I lied to you and Brooke and Calum, remember, I told you all that I was going to my mom's summer house in Spain until school started again." Luke explained.
"You were here the entire time?" I gasped. I remembered all of it so clearly now, and how oblivious I had been, and Brooke too. I bet she still didn't know about this.
"Yes, but I was too ashamed to face anyone. I can't believe I did something like that. I killed someone." Luke said hurriedly, almost like he was gasping for air.
"But it wasn't all your fault - it was an accident, Luke. It was wrong of you to be drinking and driving but you have to remember that Ashton did the exact same thing, and he feels the same way that you do." I said, reaching forward and putting a hand on Luke's shoulder.
"I could have helped, that's what gets me. I could have gotten out of the God damn car and called 911 or something, I could have fucking called Calum and I didn't do anything. I ran away, like a coward." Luke said, shaking his head. I was so torn, I didn't know if I should try and comfort Luke or just agree with him, because we both knew that this was still partly his fault no matter what.
