Pill By Pill {Muke}

18 - A Parking Garage

There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart. ~Jane Austen 

Michael's POV 

Luke and I were sitting in a small cafe downtown, I suggested that we go. After all, I was not feeling like going home, but I did want to ask about Luke's. 

"So do you live with your mother and father?" I asked. 

"Yeah sorta." Luke shrugged. "Have we not talked about this before? I feel like we've discussed everything." 

"Just tell me anyways." I said. I remember hearing about how Luke's parents were never really a part of his life but I was very unsure as to why.

Luke nodded, I was expecting some sarcasm but it did not come. "My parents are never really home. My father is always working. My mother is always out with her friends. I am a child that was not supposed to exist so they don't exactly coordinate their life around me. They don't get along much either. So they prefer to spend time away from one another." 

"I'm going to be honest, I was kind of shocked that you just told me that." I admitted. Luke shrugged his shoulders. "Are you done trying to be cool?"

"Sure." Luke said. His shoulders seemed slumped slightly and he leaned on his hand as he stirred around the straw in a glass of water that was sitting in front of him. The ice cubes clinking as they swirled around. 

"Are you alright?" I asked. Luke nodded his head. "I didn't upset you, did I?"

"Why do you try so hard?" Luke asked, he raised his eyes to me and I waited for him to continue. "Why do you even bother with someone like me?"

"You said it yourself, you aren't a bad person." I said. "While you do have a temper sometimes, there's sides to you that I don't know but I want to know." 

Luke only looked confused but he nodded. "Okay. Come on." 

"Where are we going?" I asked as he stood up. 

"You said you wanted to know all of the sides so come on." Luke said as he shoved his hand in his pocket. I got off my chair and took care of our cups before following Luke out the door. "They should be around here.." 

Luke and I walked down a dark alley. I almost felt like he was some serial murderer that I did not know about. "Uh..Luke?"

"Don't be a baby, Michael." Luke sighed. "I didn't bring you to kill me either so you can stop freaking out." I followed Luke inside a parking garage and we walked to the bottom floor.

"So many stairs.." I groaned and then I could see some hobos sitting in a corner, little tents and a fire going on. Luke walked straight over to them and I followed behind - but a great distance behind. 

"Hey guys." Luke greeted the group. 

"Luke!" An older man chuckled. "How are you doing, son?" 

"Good." Luke nodded. "This is my friend Michael. He said he wanted to get to know me better so here we are." Luke turned to me. "Michael this is Martin, Rose, John and Silas. There's usually a few others but they're probably out and about." Luke pulled on my sleeve so he could whisper to me. "Don't go near Silas, as much as I hang out with these guys I really don't trust him." I nodded my head slowly and Luke pulled back.

"What are you whisperin' 'bout boy?" Martin chuckled. "Take a seat! Both of you!" Luke grabbed my wrist and pulled him down as we sat on a makeshift bench. I looked at Silas and he did look quite scary compared to the welcoming feeling of Martin and Abel. 

"So Luke," Rose said. "How are things coming with that..Oh what was his name..Kody!" 

"Oh well.." Luke tilted his head back as if he was thinking before he looked back and shrugged. "He just tried to kill me so we're not together anymore. I don't think he ever really cared about me in the first place though."