I will not be destroyed.
I will not let that fucking monster destroy me.
I owe it to myself to come out of this stronger.
I owe it to myself to live a good fucking life.
I owe it to the girl in the picture. The one that never thought she would get out alive.
Chapter Forty
Forgiveness
Lucy
I walk through the front door of Cal’s house feeling like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.
I packed some of my clothes from Michael’s apartment and cleaned up the broken picture, throwing it into the rubbish bin where it belonged before I walked out and posted the key back through the letterbox. I didn’t bother packing anything else, because apart from clothes, there is nothing else in that apartment that I would want. It can stay there for all I care.
I dump the bag of clothes by the stairs and go through to the kitchen where I can hear someone humming along to the radio. I expect it to be Cal, but when I enter, I see that it’s Sullivan.
“Hey,” I say, making him jump, interrupting him from swaying his hips to the beat. “Having fun there?” I tease.
“Yes, thanks,” he replies with a cheeky smile. “Enjoying the show?”
“Oh, of course,” I say with an eye roll and a laugh. “Where’s Cal?”
“He’s been in his room for the last hour. Every time I go up to see what he’s doing, he shouts at me to fuck off.”
“Oh, well, I guess I better go and see what he’s getting up to,” I say as I go to turn around and leave the kitchen. Before I can though, Sullivan stops me, his hand lightly resting on my forearm. I look back at him and can see a hint of worry in his eyes.
“Listen, Lucy, I don’t want you to think that I’m sticking my nose in where it’s not wanted, but I just wanted to say that… I hope you give Cal the chance he deserves. He loves you, and I can see you love him. I don’t know what’s happened in your past, but I can tell that it was bad. I’m not here to pry, I just… Cal’s been good to me, letting me stay, being a mate even though I don’t deserve it half the time…” His voice fades off and his hand drops from my arm.
I can see that he is just looking out for his friend, and I appreciate that even though Sullivan seems good at fucking his own life up, he’s clearly just trying to do right by Cal.
“One day, Sullivan, I may tell you, when I’m stronger and it doesn’t hurt so much to talk about it. You’re Cal’s friend, and I see you as my friend too, and I can promise you that Cal is it for me. There’s never really been anyone else, just a couple of road blocks that got in the way,” I say with a shrug and a small smile.
Road blocks that I should have smashed my way through sooner, but I keep that to myself. I don’t know Sullivan well enough yet to tell him all that I have been through.
“I like you, Lucy,” Sullivan says but it’s not in a creepy way and it doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable.
“You’re not too bad either, I suppose.” Except for the cheating on your girlfriend part, but I don’t know enough about that to comment. “I’m gonna head up and see what Cal’s up to,” I say before I leave the kitchen and make my way upstairs.
Stopping outside of Cal’s bedroom door, I listen, but there is no sound. I lightly knock on the door to be greeted by Cal shouting, “Sullivan, I told you to leave me alone.” I chuckle and open the door, pushing it slowly, wondering what on earth Cal is trying to keep secret.
I don’t have to wonder for long as the reason for his secrecy comes into view.
My jaw drops and Cal spins around, his face going from annoyed to shocked as he registers that it’s me stood here and not Sullivan.
“You’re back already?” Cal says as he runs his fingers through his hair.
“What is all of this?” I say as I shut the door behind me and take in the scene before me.
Petals are scattered in a trail, leading to a blanket set out by the window.
Candles are placed around the room, dimly glowing as the sun starts to set outside.
A picnic basket is set in the middle of the blanket, and a bottle of wine and two glasses sit next to it.
