Reject.

Chapter 25

Bekah joins us shortly after Luke calls her. "Why'd you break up with him?" Sophia, Luke, and I say, maybe a little too threatening.

"You honestly don't know?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

We shake our heads.

She sighs sadly. "Well, he's been drinking a lot lately. Almost every night he's been getting drunk and it started to scare me. He gets really scary when he's drunk. And I don't want to date a boy who smells like liquor."

"He's gotten drunk because of you, too." Sophia snaps.

"Because of me?" Bekah asks, pointing to herself.

"He misses you." I say.

"He should!" Bekah and and Sophie yell at me.

"Calum's over at your place, he's trying to talk some sense into your brother."

"Filthy, repulsive, dirtbag." Sophia mutters. "Breaking up with my best friend. Practically intoxicating himself." Sophia looks down at her feet.

She's trying not to cry.

I wrap my arm around her, letting her cry into my shirt.

"That's no way to talk about your brother." Luke complains flatly.

"Shut up, would you?" I say a little louder than I intended to. "She's having a rough time. Her family's falling apart."

Luke looks hurt. "I know, but-"

"I said shut up!"

"You aren't the only one who loves her." He says angrily, and stomps out of the room.

Bekah stares after him, her mouth hanging open. "What was that?" She says slowly.

"It's a long story." I tell her, still hugging Sophia.

"No it's not." Sophia whimpers.

She tells Bekah about what happened.

"I just want to leave, this is too hard for me." She says quietly. "My mum's gone, my dad's gone, Ash is hardly ever home; it's just too much."

"Hey, don't cry. We're here for you."

"But you aren't. You're always away, too." She says, looking up at me.

"I'm going to check on Luke." Bekah states, getting up. "I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

I nod, and Sophie says "okay," softly.

Sophia falls asleep in my arms, and I don't bother waking her. I know how she feels. She feels like her life is falling apart, just like me.