What This Is

Chapter 6

Lacey's POV
A hand grabbed me by the arm, but this time I knew whose it was. I sprinted along with Luke away from the scene. We left Trevor on his knees back in the park.
As we reached a street, we slowed to a walk; we went the other direction and went the long way, around the park. I was totally shaken up, questions racing through my head. He probably was too, so I decided to ease the tension.
"Back there, did you reference 'Ender's Game'?" I asked, chuckling a bit.
"Uh, maybe?" Luke laughed, but his laugh was interrupted by a yell of pain. Luke clutched his side, and tried to recover. He couldn't. I could see the blood bleed through the shirt.
"Oh my god, Luke! Did that happen when you jumped in front of him?" I exclaimed worriedly. I couldn't believe he would do that!
"Ya, but I'll be fine," he cringed.
"No, you're coming over to my house. I'll get you cleaned up," I demanded.
"No! I mean, no, it's ok. I'll just go home."
"Oh ya, so you're going to enter your house telling your mom, 'hey, I got jumped. Can you come heal this shank wound I got?'" I said, sounding a little more smart ass than I meant to.
"Ya, I guess, but..."
"Come on. Logic defeats desire," I winked, hoping to sooth the tension that's risen.
With that, I lead the last block to my house, Luke remaining silent for the rest of the walk.
"Just go ahead and go into the kitchen, my mom's not home so you can just grab whatever. I'll be right back," I guided him to the kitchen and rushed to the bathroom to grab the first aid.
I returned, and he sat there with two juice pouches. I laughed, unable remember the last time I had one of those.
"What?" He asked, amused at my outburst.
"Thanks for the juice pouch. Real stuff now huh?" I teased, glancing in his direction, noticing he was blushing slightly.
I also noticed that I was going to have extra difficulty getting to his cut with his shirt on.
"Um, Luke?"
"Ya? Is something wrong?"
"Ya, um-" I chuckled at my awkwardness. "You're shirt's in the way- can you take it off?"
I hated that I was blushing.
Luke gave me a sideways glance, raising one eyebrow.
From my vantage point, which was next to his chair on my knees, I put my hands up innocently, and said, "Hey, your the one with the cut, not me," realizing what I said only after I said it. He chuckled at the dirty thought and slowly, very carefully, peeled off his shirt, showing his bare skin.
Bruises and cuts coated nearly every inch of his upper body, yet somehow, his skin was still radiant.
I quickly fixed up Luke's wound, and got up silently. He looked up at me from the seat with a thankful gleam in his eyes.
I put the tools back in the first aid box. He begins to wriggle into his shirt but stops. For a moment, I don't know why he stopped and I don't know why my hand is on one of his shoulder blades. But then I realize I asked him to. His arms froze right over his pecs, twisted awkwardly around his arms.
"How did you get all of these? That guy couldn't possibly do all of this...." I ask. I trace his back softly, waiting for an answer.
"No, um, he wasn't the only one. After tonight though, I lost an attacker. I don't know what happened to me tonight, but I know that I didn't want him to hurt you. So I made sure of it. But I promise you that he won't hurt me again, okay? I promise," he assures, holding my gaze from over his tanned shoulder.
I nod, a lump growing in my throat. One thing I noticed about myself is that I usually don't cry for myself. In fact, I don't cry hardly ever, but when I do, it's for someone else. I don't believe that Luke should have to go through all this suffering.
"I'm going to walk you home, okay?" I whisper, holding my composure better than I thought I could.
He nodded and with that, we made our way, carefully, back to his house.
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Luke's POV
Well, that was a lot. But I'm going to put that behind me. She was going to learn at some point. Actually, she wasn't supposed to. She's an undertow that, with all the techniques I know, I can't get out of.
She has a nice house. It's one of those house that I recognize; one that is lived in, but doesn't look like it. Like she's prepared to leave everything. Or if she already has.....
We reach my house in only a matter of minutes. We only live one road apart, my nerves rippling with each step we took closer to my house.
We stopped in front of my house, and she looked down silently; she was holding something back.
"What?" I ask, curiosity killing me.
"This is unreal," she chuckled, but quickly silencing herself by biting her lip.
"Ya? Unreal?" I nudge her, and I swear, even in the glow of streetlights, she's blushing.
"Um, never mind," she states, closing the door that I was starting to peek my head through. Strange that she does that, closes people out when she starts to let them in.
I decided to return her smile as she says, "I'll see you tomorrow right?"
"Of course, goodnight Lacey."
"Goodnight Luke," she says as I make my way across my yard.
The door slams open and Mike booms, "Where the hell have you been, Luke?"
I see my sister next to him, sadness masking her face.
I will myself to look him in the eye, "I have a friend who needed help studying for the test tomorrow."
"If he needs help from someone like you, he just needs to go to hell," Mike states.
I shove past him, but not without getting punched in my side.
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Mia's POV
I made my way home from the community college, wishing the classes lasted longer. I really didn't want to go home.
The piece of crap door creaked loudly as I nudge it open.
"Mia!!!"
'Crap,' I thought.
"Yes, daddy?"
"Your mom's going to be late coming home tonight. Do me a favor and make me something to eat," my dad slurred.
"Um, sure, what do you want?"
"Don't ask me that fucking question!" He snapped.
"I-I'm sorry, I'll just go make something." I bite my lip, willing myself not to cry.
"No! God damn, you and your shit brother can't do ANYTHING right! Where is he anyways?" Mike slurred, rising from his recliner.
"I have no idea...." I whispered, fear bubbling inside me.
I try to get out of the way, but Mike's quick. His hand wrenches around my wrist, causing a yell to escape my mouth.
"Don't lie to me, little bitch," he growled, a slap stinging my face.
I waited for Luke to come home for about an hour.
I see him out of my window, cringing with each step. He's not alone.
I almost reach the door, but my dad beats me to it, shoving backwards.
I shyly ease my way next to him. The girl's not with Luke anymore. But I see her, behind the landscape bushes.
I give Luke a discrete look as to tell him not to push Mike's buttons.
He sees me, and I can tell he's lying when he tells our dad he was tutoring. I could tell Luke got hurt today. Must have been Trevor. I cringe as I see my bitch ass father punch Luke in the side. Luke is amazing at hiding stuff, but I can see that Mike just hit him in a new wound.
I look around him and meet eyes with the girl. I give her a nod, silently thanking her.