Chapter 85 - I Can Do This Myself

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Light poured through the window across from my bed, waking me up. I sat up in bed, and un wrapped myself from the blanket. I got up and changed into jeans and a t-shirt, and didn't bother to so much as touch my hair. I grabbed my bag and dragged myself out of my room.

"Morning Niñita." Lin was at the dining room table on his laptop writing.

"Morning. Where's Vanessa?" I asked, sitting down.

"She had to leave early, she has to be at a case in Albany, I'm driving you." He said, not taking his eyes off of his laptop. "How does this sound? It's the opening line, so, kinda important. Yeah, so, I'm, hear me out." He skimmed over his computer screen for a second before starting, to the tune of Alexander Hamilton, "How does a master's gore-filled sumptuous score
And a plot skimmed hot from a British novel
Involving a convict, hopped up on conflict
Washed up in London harbor
Grow up to be a bloody demon barber?" He stopped and looked at me for approval.

"That's for your Easter Bonnet skit?" I clarified, and he nodded. "Oh my gosh, that's so good. I'm serious, now I'm hyped for this to happen."

"Oh, you are not ready, no one is going to be ready." He said, standing up from the table, closing his laptop. "You ready to go?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I said shrugging, and grabbing my bag of the back of my chair.

"Hey. Hey, you ok?" He asked, whilst walking out of the apartment.

"Yeah, not super excited about school today." I replied, semi-honestly.

"Why?" He pressed, jabbing the lobby button in the elevator with his thumb.

"William." I whispered.

"Yeah, well he's not going to talk to you, I can assure you of that. He's not going to be bothering you."

"I don't know if it's just him. Josie said that it was circulating around school. Everyone knows that my boyfriend cheated on me." I confessed.

"Oh. Well that's tough. I'm sorry." He said stepping out of the elevator.

"Yeah. I don't really want to see him, or, um..." I trailed off, not knowing if I should say anything about Luke.

"Or what?" He pressed on, opening the door to the drivers side of his car.

"Nothing." I said, deciding not to say anything.

"What were you going to say?" He obviously wanted to get something out of me.

"You know Nicks friends Luke?" I asked, nervously.

"The one from the stage door?" He asked, tightening his grip on the steering wheel slightly.

"Yeah."

"Well, I guess, he, um..." I stammered, stumbling over my words. "He kinda told me this would happen. You know, the situation with William."

"Wait, he told you your boyfriend was going to cheat on you?"

"Not exactly, he said that William doesn't really care about me."

"I'm sorry Niñita." He said, pulling into my schools drop off zone.

"Thanks." I replied, grabbing my bag, and opening the door.

"Be safe, and have a good day." He waved a bit, as I got out of the car and headed inside.

•••

Lunch came all too quickly. I wasn't looking forward to it. I had spent the day having people tell me that William cheated, and speaking of, I couldn't eat with him, and I was trying to remember where I ate before we dated. We became friends in like October, what did I do for that month? I think I just ate alone, or in a teachers room, I didn't want to do that.

"Hey." I huffed out, sitting next to Luke at the bike racks.

"Oh. Princess what are you doing here?" He turned towards me. "Not that I'm complaining." I felt his hand snake around my waist.

"I dumped my boyfriend." I confessed.

"Ah, Deans party. Listen Princess," I looked at him, "did I or didn't I say that he didn't care about you?"

"You did." I looked down at my lap.

"Fantastic. Now, you're welcome to sit with us, but, you know what to do." He said.

"Ugh." I reached into my bag, and grabbed my lunch, handing it to him.

"Thank you. Now, you can have lunch again after you drop 5 pounds." I yanked my phone out of the front pocket of my jeans, and scrolled though Twitter, until that got boring, then checked snapchat. Andrew was doing something stupid. He almost always is. I responded, saying I was at lunch. He responded almost instantly, with a goofy pic of him, and wrote 'foooooood'. I laughed a little.

"What is it Princess?" Luke asked looking over at my phone.

"Nothing, just Andrew." I replied, as the picture on my phone had disappeared.

"Who's Andrew?"

"Andrew is a 20 something swing in Hamilton." I retorted.

"Alright, alright. I just thought you were ignoring me for some other guy." Oh I was Luke. Oh I was.

"Well, it's not like you were talking to me, so." I shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I don't like to talk with girls specifically." He said, and I rolled my eyes in response.

"Abigail?" I looked up at the sound of Williams voice, he was standing near us.

"What do you want with my girlfriend Hoffman?" Luke asked, and I looked at him, confused.

"Luke, we are not dating." I clarified.

"Well. You're mine."

"Well, you're creepy."

"So would you rather go with William there?" He asked, gesturing to my ex boyfriend.

"No." I whispered.

"Good, then you're mine."

"Why do I have to be anyone's?" I questioned.

"Shut up." Luke said, picking me up and putting me on his lap, facing him. Without warning he kissed me. My eyes flitted to William, still standing there, he had a look in his eyes that I wouldn't want to see on anyone. He just looked hurt.

"So that's it. You're just gonna kiss her? That's what she's quote unquote yours for?" William asked.

"Well." Luke started, pulling away. "No, that's not all. Abigail, stand up." I did as I was told.

"You're supposed to talk to her first. Forge a friendship then a relationship. Don't make her feel like a toy, or a tool. Love her, care about her protect her. Put her before you." William continued.

"Are you done Hoffman?" Luke asked.

"Nope, listen. Abigail. I get that I screwed up. You're right for dumping me. That was a good call, and if you want to date Luke, go ahead, just Luke. I don't care who Abi's with, just so long as she's treated well."

"Now are you done?" Luke asked, clearly bored.

"Sure." William sighed.

"Good, now, as I was saying, I'm not just going to kiss her, I'm also going to do this." Without  warning or any sign, Luke slapped me across the face. The force in his hand caused me to stumble back and fall.

"Woah!" William yelled, and ran over to me, he put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you ok?" He asked.

"Don't touch me." I said, shaking his hand off my shoulder.

"Sorry." He said, "I just wanted to help."

"Well, I can do this myself." I replied, starting to stand up.

"Okay." He stood up and started to leave. "Bye Roo. I love you."

"I love you too." I admitted standing myself.

"Does that mean you'll come with me?" He asked hopefully.

"No. I still love you, I just don't forgive you." I shrugged. "Yet."

"Awesome." Luke swung his arm over my shoulders. "Now, you can leave." He said to William, who walked away. "What's wrong with you?" He asked me right after William was out of earshot.

"I'm sorry." I said, and he shoved me back a little.

"Hey! Luke! Cut it out!" I heard Josie running towards us.

"I don't think I will, what are you gonna do if I don't?" Luke taunted. He didn't know Josie, because he had barely finished his sentence when her fist flew toward his face.

"You just got punched by a girl!" I heard one of his friends yell.

"Would you like to?" Josie asked, spinning around to face him.

"Nope. Nope. Nice shot by the way." His faced flushed quickly. And Josie took my hand, and started towards the front door of the school.

"Why were you sitting with those morons?" She asked, once we were inside the school.

"I though you were eating with William, and I didn't want to." I said.

"Um. No. Why would you think that? He's eating by himself."

Where would I be without my friends? I love them so much.

•••

Ok Q&A time again!
William:

Q: Do you realize the magnitude of the situation with Abigail, and what are you going to do to try and fix it?
W: Yeah, I realize the magnitude, and to be honest, I would've dumped me too. All I can do right now, is try and be her friend, as I said before, build a friendship, then a relationship.

Q: Dude what the actual heck?
W: I know I know I know. I'm sorry, I really am, I didn't mean to hurt her, I just... I'm so so sorry.

Q: Why did you react how you did to your mother dying? I mean, when my dad died I wouldn't even leave the house for a week, and spent most of my time crying. Why did you end up going to a party?
W: Everyone mourns differently. I guess anger and fear hit me first, and, I'm a dude, I'm not expected to be emotional, I don't cry a lot. I shut sadness out a lot, and I guess, it hit me after the fear and anger was gone. I went to the party because I didn't want to dwell on it.

Q: What were you thinking?
W: Honestly? I wasn't. That was the problem.

Q: How are you going to recover from your mother dying?
W: In all honesty. I don't know. I'm trying to take it day by day. I don't have anyone to talk to though. My dad just, locked himself in his room, I can't talk to my friends about it. I'm going through this alone and it's hard.

Q: Favorite animal?
W: Dog. I love dogs, I don't have one, but, darn they're cute.

Q: Favorite song?
W: Apologize. Or, maybe, ok, don't shoot me, or tell anyone, this stays between us. Me and you. You got that right? Don't tell Abigail, and please don't tell Lin. I'll never live it down. Seasons of Love.

Q: Why did you get drunk? Idiot.
W: Okay, I deserved that. I got drunk because I wanted to briefly forget that I lost my mother.

Q: How do you plan on making up with Abigail?
W: Well, I have something big planned, but that's a secret, because I do not trust you people to not tell her, but mostly, just to take it day by day, and try and be her friend. That's what's most important. And that's what I miss most, right now I dot necessarily need my girlfriend back, but dang it I need my best friend back.

•••

Sorry this is late (questions for Hunter, Luke, Nick and Abigail's friends are still open)

Thanks for reading!

- Abi

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