Nothing To Prove

18 In a Cruel World, We Stand.

Samantha

Playful Latin pop echoed downstairs. Ash and I warily craned our necks at the jam-packed dance floor. That's when we saw it. In the midst of flashing lights and smoke.

Luka and Cara in the center of the crowd.

"What is he doing?!" Ashton freaked out.

Luka had a devilish grin on his face, rolling his body like his limbs were liquid. With the flirtatious rhythm of the music, he approached Cara and everyone cheered. Cara being Cara, in her oversized black turtleneck tucked in black shirts and fishnet stockings, ignored him.

But it didn't faze Luka. Didn't stop him from pushing his chest against her shoulder and sweeping his blonde hair teasingly back. Cara scowled, raising an 'are you for real?' eyebrow and shove him back. The crowd went 'oooh' and gasped as Luka flew backward—

And intentionally landed on his hands and feet before bouncing back straight. People screamed, whooping with excitement. Cara marched at him angrily, but Luka dropped face-forward, hips doing illegal things to the floor. He looked up at Cara, face by her combat boots.

"Oh my God!" I was going to pass out.

"That's my... little brother." Ashton laughed, but came out pained.

But the best reaction was Cara's. Shocked, eyes unusually wide at bold Luka. He winked, slowly stood up and danced holding Cara's hips.

Cara smiled. They stared at each other, foreheads touching, like they were the only ones in the room, and it was the most beautiful thing. I wanted to wipe my tears with a napkin and wave it at them. Plan their wedding. Name their future children.

"Whooo! Now it's our turn!" Girls in bikini tops attacked Luka and tore him away.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Ashton took off downstairs with urgent haste.

What the hell was going on?

Luka raised his palms, smiling apologetically as the girls crowded him. One ran her hands down his button-down. Another messed up his hair. Three filmed the entire thing.

The crowd loved it even more. Cara watched with an unreadable expression, maybe waiting for him to do something, but he stood there as the girls flirted with him. So she walked away.

"Luka!" Ashton shoved people away where the stairs and the living room connected. The people and music drowned him. "Luka, не нервничай! Успокойся, я с тобой!"

I clutched the stairway, hating how my heels made it impossible to run faster. I heard Ashton scream 'no' as one of the girls ripped Luka's button-down open for duck-faced photos.

"Please, stop!" Useless sobs broke my voice.

Ashton elbowed a dude blocking his way, but it was no use. We were too far and no one was listening. No one cared.

Luka's shoulders were up to his ears, eyes watered, blinking like he wasn't here. He tried to hide. Cover up from the camera flashlights blinding him when a black fabric flew on his face.

Cara stepped in front of the cameras, turtleneck over Luka. The burn scars on her chest the world never saw now bared in front of everyone. She pointed a cold glare at the filming girls.

They wrinkled their faces at her pink and white bumps. Guys covered their laughs, gossiping among each other. Yelled at her to cover up and I just stood there. Not doing anything while my best friend got bullied. I wanted to run to her. Hug her. Wanted to scream at the people for being so cruel, but I felt too small. Too weak and pathetic to make a difference.