Taxi (muke)

8. Michael

I don't know if I'm taking it too fast with Luke when I offered to cuddle.
But thankfully he doesn't seem to mind that much and actually smiles for 5 minutes straight and his hands are for once not fiddling with each other.

For a tiny second I close my eyes, something I do when I want to remember something better, I want to remember how soft his hands are in mine and how he smells like daisies and cole winter night.
And how tiny and soft his body is against mine, it's almost too nice and comfortable to be true.

Almost at the end of the movie, I check the time on my phone without Luke noticing, I don't want him to think I want to go.
I realize that I have to get ready for work now and groan in frustration.

" What is it ?", Luke asks in a quite voice.

" My shift starts in 15 minutes ",
I rub my face, turning my lip ring and pulling at it.

"Oh", he tenses in my arms, " it's okay you can go get ready".

I notice the change in his voice, it isn't big but it's there, like a switch was pulled and all the emotion was drowned out again.

" Nah, I think I'm staying here today.
I'm not really in the mood", I can't leave him here alone.

He turns his head towards me leaving only a tiny space between us and I try so hard to only look at his eyes and not his lips.

" No! You need to go. I shouldn't be holding you off . Please Michael go."

He climbs off of me, leaving my cold body behind.

I shake my head and stand up too,
" No Luke, it's really not a big deal, I barely get calls anyways. They know all I do is buy pizza and listen to music.
I'm staying ".

He lowers his head ." Are you sure ?"

" Yes, Luke", I say chuckling in a failed attempt to get rid of the tension.

He rocks back on his heels and neither of us knows what to say.
I stare at the pans in the kitchen like they are super interesting and he states , well , as always at his hands.

After a minute that seemed to never find an end he breaks the silence,
" Um, I think I-I'm gonna go take a shower "

" Sure, I'll get you a towel", I say and head or the bathroom and get a pink towel.

I go back to the living room and give it to him and he says thank you and I say you're welcome and he goes.

The whole day it continues like that, he asks for something or I say something and we answer to each other in 2 worded sentenced.
But the whole day he hasn't eaten once, I'll ask him about that after today evening.

But I know that if I want to help him, and I do, I'll have to get through to him.
So I head to the guest room at almost 10 P.M hoping he's awake so i can talk to him.

I knock twice and reach for the doorknob to open the door but he opens it first.
His hair is sticking up in various directions like he ran though it with his hands many times and his eyes are red and puffy.

I stretch out my arm to touch his shoulder but he turns around
" Luke, what's wrong ?"

" Nothing. It's all good, don't worry ", I can tell he's lying.

" It's not "

" When is anything good?", He squinting his eyes like he's holding back tears.

" It's okay to cry , it helps. Just let it out ", I sit down on the edge of the bed and pat the spot next to me.

After looking at the spot for about 10 seconds he slowly walks over and sits down.

" I never cry", he says it so quietly that I have to strain my ears to hear him.

" But you did. Are you feeling better?"

He looks up from his hands for a seconds to meet my eyes.
" Yeah kinda I don't know ", he answers.

We both fall silent again and I try to look at him but he keeps his head down looking at his hands.

" Luke ", I say , my voice too loud in the quite room.

He looks up at me and eventhough he's taller than me he seems a lot shorter.

" I know I only know you exist for 2 days but that's enough for me to know that you're a nice guy. And I don't like seeing you sad and wether you like it or not I'll be by your side." I smile down at him .

He looks up at me for a split second and opens his mouth like he wants to say something but closes it again.

" C'mon lets get us some food ", I stand up and offer him my hand but he stands up by himself.

He fiddles with his long sleeves " B-But we just had food earlier "

" There's never a thing as too much food "

He nods and follows me to the wardrobe where I have some jackets.
As I'm about to take out a black raincoat for Luke, he taps on my shoulder.

" T-thank you ", he says looking at my eyes for a second and back at his hands , " for saying that in the room"

I smile and rub his shoulder.
And for the fourth time since that night he smiles again.