Chapter 16: Truth to be told
*Audrey's POV*
It is finally official.
I want to kill myself. No, that would be too extreme. Maybe, a banging of my head in the wall would do. Why do I spurt things without thinking?! I hate you word vomit.
"What do you mean that you won't be staying here long?" Luke asks with confusion in his handsome face. Handsome? Really Audrey?
"Umm, it's nothing. Forget about it." I quickly mumble as I stand up. Luke looks at me with absolute curiosity as he sits on the couch across me. He was about to say something I'm afraid of so I cut him off, "C'mon. Sylvia is probably done with lunch." I quickly pull him up and grab his hand without even giving him a chance to reply.
I glance at him at the edge of my eyes and see his mouth shut contemplating something. I know he was just bidding his time. I'm pretty sure he was going to ask me the same question later. Luke's not stupid. Why would I even make him my boyfriend if he was? I had standards people, besides he was the golden boy of our school.
That reminds me of something, time to distract him. I know it won't work for long, but I'm willing to distract him as long as possible.
I drag him to the table where Sylvia was just finishing preparing the table. She looks up at us and smiles, "Miss Harper, I was just about to call you."
I smile back, "Good thing we're here then Sylv."
Sylvia serves as lunch, and we eat it heartily engaging in light conversations, regaling each other of stories from our college days. We seem to both agree subconsciously to avoid the topic that seems to sit like a very big elephant on the room, though we both smile genuinely and laugh merrily when our stories told us to do so.
After lunch, we sit at the patio looking at the garden that I've worked on for the past two months of being on a so-called house arrest.
Luke looks at me with his melting green eyes, and I get uneasy wondering if he will ask the question that I've been expecting him to an hour ago, but he seemed to be adamant on surprising me, "Sooo, Audy," I blush at his nickname remembering the times he would use that on me when we were still dating, "any boyfriends during college that I should know of?"
I laugh expecting the question to serve as a joke because of his playful manner of saying it, but when I sneaked a glance at him, the laugh was smothered when I took his very serious expression in. He was expecting an answer and he was not going to stop until he gets it. I purse my lips, "None actually. A few dates here and there, but I was mostly focused on finishing college and catching up with the lost time with my brother, my grandmother, and well, my new not so new sister-in-law." His jaw visibly relaxed, but asking me a personal question like that also has its disadvantages and he almost expects it. "How about you, hmm?" I turn my head at him looking at him intently as if challenging him to lie to me.
He sighs and sags on the chair, though for a person who doesn't know him well, it wouldn't be obvious because of his broad shoulders that he has eventually developed in those five years, but for me, it is quite obvious. "To be honest, too many flings to count." He avoids my eyes, and my vision darkens.
Damn. I knew a guy who would wait for me for five years would be too good to be true. Here I am, saving my innocence for him while he was out fucking other girls.
Well, I'd rather give my innocence to someone worth it, and with that piece of information that he has just graced me with right now, he is not worthy enough. I keep my facial expression the same as before, before giving out a fake laugh sounding scandalous, "Wow Luke!" I laugh as if finding the whole thing funny and not plunging my heart a million times, "You're still famous with the ladies even after high school." I fake a smile that he seems to have bought.
"It's not anything worth bragging for." He scratches his head as if he was embarrassed.
Embarrassed! Ha! As if.
I fondle for my phone discreetly in my pocket before activating the fake call. I succeed, and I just have to wait for 30 seconds so I can get out of this situation where I seem to fake everything, and just curl up in ball and cry myself to sleep, maybe drink whiskey to forget, and hide my phone so that I don't accidentally drunk dial him, and tell him what I actually feel about this whole situation.
He was about to open his mouth to say something when the (expected) sound of my ringing phone interrupts him. He quickly closes his mouth, and I pick my phone up and moving away from him in case he eavesdrops. Ha! Eavesdrop! As if someone was actually calling me.
I keep my facial expression thoughtful as if curious to who was calling me and pulling the phone out of my pocket. "Hello?" I keep quiet as if listening to something, "I'll be there soon. Goodbye." I drop my phone and looks at Luke who was very curious. "I'm sorry Luke, I have to go. Emily says I'm needed at the office to sign some files."
He nods to say he understands, and smiles while standing up, "It's alright. Let's take a rain check okay?" he kisses my cheek as I lead him out the door and offering him a ride home, but he says he has to stop somewhere before going home so I didn't push further.
Going somewhere, out to fuck another girl I suppose. Once a playboy, always a playboy.
I quickly go to my garage and get my car out. I don't want to ride a cab to where I'm going because he might get suspicious and start asking questions, and I hate meddling people.
I drive my car smoothly through the ways of London and stopping at a liquor store a long way from home. The reason for this is because my brother is quite famous in that town and his friends own most of the liquor stores and I'm pretty sure the staff has at least talked about me once or twice. I'm not egotistical or anything, but it's better to be safe than sorry. That being said, I slip out of the car striding with purpose clear on my shoulders and enter the empty liquor store.
The cashier quickly glances up at me, "Good afternoon Madam. What could I get you today?" He was very polite, and he seems like he doesn't know me so I nod and approach him.
"Can I have your best and most expensive whiskey?" He raises an eyebrow at my request, but did not comment, which I was very grateful for. He gets up and walks to a door and was in there for not more than two minutes when he comes out holding a box.
"This is our best and most expensive whiskey madam." I nod and he brings the liquor to the counter and I give him my credit card and he puts the liquor in a paper bag. "Thank you, and come again."
I smile genuinely, get my card and liquor, and walk out the door to my car and quickly drive home.
I arrive home and was greeted by the sight of my brother's car in front of my house. I put my car in the garage, get the paper bag and checking of there was any label in the paper bag. Thankful that there was none, I went inside my house and found my brother sitting on my couch looking through his phone probably through emails.
I clear my throat to announce my arrival and he turns his head to look at me, "To what do I owe this very unwelcome visit to my home?"
He rolls his eyes and gestures to the couch in front of him. I scrunch my eyebrows curious as to why he was making me sit down. "What is it?"
"Grandma wants you to go to Cobalton sooner than expected Audrey. She says she can't wait for two weeks for you to finish training here, and that you'll be a natural anyway. I know you probably want to stay here longer and finish your training, but if you just think about it. I think she really misses you so much." I raise my eyebrows.
This was perfect!
This was the excuse I was looking for to avoid Luke completely. Running away would seem like a move for the cowards, but I was pretty desperate to not get my heart broken.
But it's already broken.
I choke back a sob with that thought. I look at my brother.
"Okay."
"Audrey please think abou- What?" He seems very surprised that I said yes.
"Don't look at me like that. I want to see grandma too. Could I leave tomorrow night?" I ask him with puppy eyes.
Seeing grandma was just an excuse, but I can't help but think it was the perfect excuse. I miss grandma.
"Okay little sis. I'll send you off to the airport tomorrow."
"No!" I say too eagerly and I refrain the urge to smack my head repeatedly.
Way to go Audrey. Make him suspicious, why don't you?
"I mean, it's alright. I can send myself off. I'll visit soon anyway. You won't even notice I'm gone." Good Audrey. Where Christian is, Drew is, and wherever Drew is, Luke might be there too.
He nods and says goodbye by kissing my cheek.
I smile, but it drops quickly though when the door closes behind him. I get my phone out and leave it on the table and stride upstairs to my room bringing the whiskey with me.
Locking the door behind me I crash on the floor, sobs wracking my body. Gripping the bottle of whiskey on my hand, I open it and gulp not caring when it burned my throat.
I just want to forget. Even for just one night.
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