When Love Gets in the Way

Chapter Fifty-one

James

I follow Luca not knowing where we're going. To be honest, I don't think he knows where we're going either.

The rain is coming down heavy and he's not wearing a coat. His clothes are soaked through and he must be freezing.

I still haven't apologize to him. I want to but I don't know what to say. It would have been easier earlier but then Oliver tolds us about Luca and Brandon and Seb hit him.

"Luca?" I call but he doesn't turn to look at me. I reach forward and take his hand, pulling him to a stop. He finally turns to look at me and I gasp when I see tears rolling down his face.

I stare at him for a second before I pull him into a hug. He starts to shake as he cries. I rub his back trying to comfort him and whisper sweet words to him that he probably can't hear over the rainfall.

"I'm really sorry for everything I've done to you." I tell him as guilt fills my body. He's broken and suffering and I haven't been here to help him. I haven't made him feel loved or protected and now he's hurt.

We stand there and let the rest of the world disappear. I hope that he can forget all of his pain even though I know he can't. The pain is part of who he is and that fact alone hurts more then anything else in the world.

"Come on." I say as we let each other go. I take his hand and start to walk back to my house.

"Where are we going?" He asks sounding confused. His voice shakes from crying and the weak sound breaks my heart. This is the weak side that Luca never lets anyone see. This is the real Luca.

"Back to my house. We can dry off there." I tell him.

"Will your parents let me in?" He asks and I can hear it in his tone that he doubts that he'll be allowed.

"Of course they will. They're not going to force you to stay out in this weather." I reasure him hoping that what I'm saying is the truth.

_________________________________________

Both of my parents give Luca a funny look at he stands in the hallway while I ask them if he can stay for a while. Both of them look from him to the puddle of rainwater of the floor from his soaked state.

"Please, the weather's horrid out there and he doesn't live very close." I tell them and they both sigh.

"Can't his parents drive him home?" My father asks.

"They don't drive." Luca states and my parents both look at each other.

"How do they get to work?" My mother asks.

"They..." He paused like he's trying to think of something to say. He's always like this when it comes to his parents. "They walk." He finally says.

"Fine. He can stay for a while." My father says and I smile at them.

"Thank you." I say.

"Yeah, cheers." Luca says and both my parents nod not looking convinced that they've made the right decision.

I lead Luca upstairs and into my room. I blush as I realise that I've just brought the boy I like to my bedroom. Luca looks around the room with a small smile on his face and then laughs.

"Just how I imagined it." He states and I smile.

"It's functional." I tell him and he nods as he picks up a pen from my desk and tapping it against the surface.

"Ya have loads of notes." He states and I nod before I pull him away from them.

"Please don't drip water on my stuff." I tell him and he nods. I open my wardrobe and stare at my clothes and back at Luca. He peers over my shoulder and starts to laugh again.

"Ya wear such weird stuff." He giggles and I glare at him.

"At least I don't wear the same thing for three days in a row." I point out and he frowns. I stare at this messy outfit and frown as well.

"That's not me fault." He states and and I nod. Maybe he just doesn't have many clothes to wear? His clothes are always wrinkled and faded. There are holes in his trousers and the ends of his hoodie sleeves are fraying.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it." I tell him and he nods. He starts to wonder around my room picking up different things and looking at them like he's never seen them before. To be honest, he looks like a curious child.

He hasn't asked me about why I started ignoring him and I don't know whether to be thankful for that or not. There is so much unsaid stuff between us and I know that we'll have to have the conversation at some point but now just doesn't seem like the time.

"Do you want to take a warm shower?" I ask him but he shakes his head.

"Nah, save ya water. Water bills are expensive." He tells me and I smile at him.

"What do you know about bills?" I ask and he sighs.

"More then you know." He tells me and I frown again. Luca doesn't seem like the sort of person who would learn about bills for the fun of it so I wonder why he knows.

I watch him for a while not really knowing what to say or do. He's soaking wet still yet I don't know if I should offer him any of my clothes after what he said about my fashion taste.

"You're going to get ill if you don't get out of those wet clothes." I say and he nods like it's nothing.

"I ain't been ill in years. Me body is immune to illness crap." He tells me and I roll my eyes.

"Everyone gets ill sometimes." I say but he only shrugs.

"Don't have time ta be ill." He states like that fact alone will prevent it. I sigh and then shake my head not knowing what to say. He's so stubborn it's unbelievable!

Luca, what is the world going to do with you?