"There was this one time, I was so out of it with the medications, that I thought my mom was trying to kill me," Paige said, laughing.
"No way! Like, were you scared?" Luke had been in Paige's hospital room for only 30 minutes, and already he felt he knew her better than she knew herself. She's funny, self conscious, and very independent.
"Well, yeah I was! I thought she was gonna commit murder in the hospital, and on me!" Her laugh is so beautiful, much like watching the waves out at sea. It would come in and out, and you had no choice but to notice.
"So did she like, threaten you?"
"No, she was just confused. I guess she gave off a bad vibe or something," she said, calming down a bit. "Can I hear one of your funny stories?" she asked softly.
Luke let out a sly smile, biting at his lip ring. "Sure, why not? So, I'm at Hardee's, and I'm going through the drive through with my friends. There's like five of us all crammed into this truck, and we're all laughing our a**es off," he says, erupted in laughter. "We finally spit out what we want to the speaker and drive up to the window. When we get there, this girl is just looking at us like we're a group of nut cases. That's when I realize that this girl used to work with my mom at the general store, and she's actually really good friends with her. So this girl is like, ‘Yo Luke, what are you, high?’ And that's when the whole truck just can't stop laughing, so I just yell, ‘f**k yeah, I am!’ and speed off, forgetting the food."
Paige is laughing, Luke is laughing, and then Luke feels something in his chest he had only felt once before. Just as Luke begins to think about leaving, the door opens. A large woman walks in, wearing scrubs and looking mad.
"Paige, you know visiting hours are over," she said. Her voice was stern, like she was scolding her.
"I know, sorry Deborah. We were just having so much fun!"
"It's okay, I was just thinking about going," Luke interjected. He stood up, walked to the doorway, and threw a wink at Paige. "See ya tomorrow, babe."
When Luke arrived at home, all the guys were in the main room, drinking beers and smoking joints. Harry and Aubrey were seated together on our junky old love seat, Sean was sitting at the table with Zayn, playing cards.
“Don’t look so happy Luke, did you score,” asked Harry.
“You know, man, I was just trying to see if Justin was okay.”
“Nah dude, he said you left an hour ago. Figured you met a little lady,” Zayn said.
“I did, but I don’t want to mess it up just yet.”
The room was then a chorus oohs and aws, them thinking he’s actually fallen for someone. They act like little kids sometimes and it frustrates Luke to no end.
“Shut up, guys. You know I don’t get those feelings. She’s just a patient at the hospital, calm your tits.”
The whole room erupted in laughter, probably due to the drugs running through their veins. He nods at Zayn, asking him to pass over a joint. He did, and the rest of the night was spent in such a way that he didn’t worry about anything.

---

Justin had a way of charming people when he wanted to, despite his violent outbursts and reckless attitude. All it took was a wink and some sly talking to convince the nurses that he was okay to return home, back to business as usual.
“Just don’t let us see your face again anytime soon, you hear?” Justin smirked as the nurses words filled the air around him on his way out the door.
He went out the door with the type of walk you may associate with a serial killer, all strong and purposeful. He didn’t have his motorcycle and hadn’t told the guys he was coming home, so he walked down Portland Avenue on his own. The sun was just setting, so the sky was full of an assortment of pink and orange, and if Justin had cared, he’d almost think it beautiful. But Justin didn’t care, just like he didn’t care that there was a couple across the street fighting, and the female was just about as beautiful as the setting sun.
Justin pulled out a cigarette, blatantly ignoring the couple. As he took a long drag, he heard a car door slam and saw the car that had once been parked on the side of the road race off. He figured that was the girl, but then he noticed her sitting on the curb, crying. He thought for a moment, was about to walk off, then decided against it. She was vulnerable like a wounded lamb, unable to see the lion approaching. He should help her, right?
“Yo girl, what’s your name?” he asked. She looked up as he crossed the street, startled by his sudden appearance. She had thought she was alone.
“Um, uh.. Chloe. What’s yours?” she choked out. He noticed there were tears running down her face, but it only made it easier for his lion to strike.
“My name is Justin, and I couldn’t help but notice you fighting,” he said softly, crouching down next to her. He reached out and took her hand, and she let him. He slowly pulled her up, and she glumly obeyed.
“I’m not in the mood to talk,” she said. “Your gesture was nice, but just go on.” Her voice cracked, giving Justin access to drive further.
“Come on, babe. You’re upset, just talk it over with me.” He slipped his hand further in hers, holding it gently.
“I said go. I have a boyfriend,” she said, pulling out her hand harshly.
“Come on, at least give me your number,” he begged. She looked at him in the twilight, breathing heavily. Her eyes were big and blue, her red hair falling over her face. She agreed to give her number, and then rushed off after they exchanged them.
Justin finished walking in silence. He had dropped his cigarette down the street, so he lit up a new one quickly. It was finished by the time he walked up his familiar porch, opening the door violently. Nobody was in the living room, so he knew they’d be in the basement. He headed down there, stepping over piles of trash that littered the floor. He noticed the smoke wafting up the stairs as soon as he turned the corner, bringing in a big whiff of it.

---

When Chloe got home after dark, she knew things would be going down with Corbyn. They’d been sharing an apartment for a couple of months now, since they decided they’d never leave each other. Corbyn was ready for that type of commitment, but yet he wouldn’t marry her.
She closed the door gently behind her, hoping he’d be sleeping. She could just sleep on the couch if he was in the bedroom. As she tiptoed to the closet to grab some pillows and blankets, she noticed some broken glass on the floor. Evidence of his rage when he returned home, all the more reason for her to be quiet. Deathly quiet.
When pulling down her pillow from a high shelf, she felt something touch her elbow. She only had time for a gasp before it tumbled down, loud enough to wake the whole house. She cringed in fear while looking through the darkness to see Corbyn. There he was, staring down at her.
“I thought I told you never to come back,” his deep, sleepy voice rumbled at her. “You aren’t welcome here, and you know it. Leave!” He ripped the pillow out of her hand, knocking her against the door to the closet.
It swung backwards with the impact, landing her on the floor. He stepped closer to her body, his tall shadow looming over her. Fear rippled in her body, accompanied with just enough to push out her next words. “This is my place too.”
He didn’t like those words, and decided to prove it with an angry kick to her side before storming out of the house. His final words while leaving were, “I will never be back.”

Notes