The Jacket Snatcher

Chapter 58- Hurts Like Hell

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As I wait for his answer, I watch as his eyes sweep across the room. After brushing past my face, they land on the person beside me. I glance over to find Manuel standing there for some reason. He stretches his hand out to Luke.

"Hey, man! You're from that band, right?" Manuel asks.

Luke takes this opportunity to step into the apartment to shake his hand. He gives him a friendly smile, which I am not expecting at all.

"I'm Luke," he says, shaking Manuel's hand before giving a nod to the rest of the room.

"Why don't you join our game? I'm trying to beat the twins over there, but Matt pretty much sucks, so you can take his place," Manuel says, nodding at his beer pong partner who touches his heart with a shocked expression in mock-offense.

Luke is still wearing that friendly smile as he starts to respond, but I can tell that it's not genuine as I stare at his eyes. "I actually came because I need to talk to Stephanie about something."

His gaze flickers over to mine, as if waiting for an answer. That's when I feel Brett's hand press against mine on my other side. I can tell it's twin code for him asking me if he needs to kick Luke out. I squeeze his hand once to let him know that I'm okay and that I can handle it.

"Sure. Let's go," I say with a shrug, trying to feign nonchalance in front of this group of people when, on the inside, my emotions are in turmoil. I'm terrified of what he has come to say-- did he come to tell me it's better if I don't come back to work? The frantic beating of my heart is undeniable proof that I am excited to see him, despite my fears.

I start heading for my bedroom, assuming that Luke is following me. With the music on and all the people talking in the living room, I doubt they'll be able to hear us, so we should be okay with the door shut. Once inside my room, I turn around to face Luke and am a little surprised to find him heading straight for my bed. He sits down and looks up at me.

"Why don't we sit?"

I nod, but instead of joining him, I pull out my desk chair and wheel it a little closer to the bed before sitting.

He let's out something between a breath and a sigh, and as I study his face, I see that it's very different from the mask he was wearing in the living room. There is no sign of a smile, fake or otherwise. His eyes look tired as he studies his hands, his elbows on his knees, body hunched over. He looks...defeated. Finally, he raises his head and our eyes meet. I can tell that there's a lot roiling beneath the surface there, but I just can't tell what those emotions are. Then he speaks.

"So this is why you stayed behind? To have a party with a bunch of guys?" When he speaks, I can tell what at least one of those emotions is: annoyance. He's annoyed with me.

"I don't even know them. They're my brother's teammates. Besides, I didn't even know they were coming." Crossing my arms, I look off to the side. "If I did, I would've been wearing a freaking shirt when they came in," I mumble.

Luke coughs as if he's choking for a moment before staring at me with wide eyes. "What do you mean you would've been wearing a shirt?"

I grimace at his question and at myself for even saying that part out loud.

"I had a sports bra on," I say quietly with a shrug.

He lets out a sharp bark of laughter. "I lived on a bus with you for a month and I never even saw so much as your bellybutton, but you're telling me all those guys out there have seen you in your bra?!"