Impavid

Changes

     I awoke to the sound of the front door closing. I didn't move, however, as I didn't want to think about having to talk to my family about this, especially Melanie. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to think of a way to go about saying what I needed to say. I could tell Luke had moved from my bed, as I was stretched out, and I could not feel him against me. I didn't want to think about him right then either. 

     I heard shuffling on the other side of my room before hearing footsteps heading toward my door. I waited until I heard Luke's voice speaking to my parents before I rolled over. My heart fluttered at the sight before me. An unfolded blanket was bunched up in the reading chair beside my bed. It was obvious that Luke had been sitting there watching me sleep. It meant a lot to me to know he was protecting me, even if we had had differences in the past. 

     I couldn't quite make out the entirety of the conversation that was occurring downstairs. I heard my dad saying something about Dave being an asshole, and Melanie was crying. My mom kept asking to see me, but Luke said I was asleep upstairs, and they should let me rest. I laid flat on my back, staring at the ceiling. I knew things were going to be changing. Luke and I's relationship was going to be different, as were my family dynamics. 

     I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, when I heard footsteps scaling the stairs. I rolled over, grunting, pretending to wake up when I sensed whoever I had heard was standing in my doorway. 

     "Hi," I whispered, rolling over.

     "Are you okay?" 

     I was surprised to hear Melanie speaking. I thought she wouldn't talk to me. I sat up quickly to make eye contact. Her eyes were already red and puffy, and her makeup stained her cheeks.

    "Lanie," I whispered sympathetically. 

    "Don't make me the victim," she stated. 

    "It can't be easy for you."

    "I guarantee it's harder for you." 

    I was relieved to hear she wasn't mad at me, although I still felt guilty about not telling her about the kiss. She moved across the room quickly, without saying anymore. She dove onto my bed beside me, pulling me into a hug. We both started crying before I had even realized what was going on. 

     As scared as I was when everything was going on, I wasn't surprised. That was definitely one emotion I didn't feel at all. Dave had always scared me. Dave had always made me angry and uncomfortable. I couldn't even imagine Melanie's heartbreak. She loved him so much, and she never suspected a thing. I could tell in her eyes that while most of her was angry at him for trying to hurt me, there was also a part of her that was angry he thought it was okay to hurt her. He was trying to cheat on her. He hadn't felt she was enough for him. I couldn't even imagine her pain. 

     "Hey." I heard Luke's voice from the other side of the room. 

     Melanie pulled back slowly, looking into my eyes. 

     "I'll leave you two alone." 

     I nodded, watching her stand up and leave the room. She smiled at Luke as she passed, whispering a thank you. He only smiled in return, setting a hand on her shoulder as she paused to look back at me. "Are you sure you're okay?" Melanie questioned, frowning. I nodded once more, and she smiled at Luke again before heading downstairs.

     "Hey," Luke repeated. 

     "Luke." I was crying again.

     "It's okay, Carse." He moved across the room quickly, already reaching out to pull me into his arms. "She's not mad. Everything's okay now. You're safe." 

     "I know I am." I smiled up at him. He used his thumb to wipe away the tear that had settled on my cheek. He, then, leaned forward, and I realized I was holding my breath. He pressed his lips against my forehead, my eyes fluttering closed in response. I knew everything was about to change.

     The next week was awkward, to say the least. My mom had a really hard time with me not in her sight, and Melanie rarely left her room. I had found out later that night when Luke finally took my hand and led me down the stairs that my dad had gone directly over to confront Dave in front of his parents. The police were called, and he had been arrested. Melanie had already locked herself in her room by that point. Part of her was ashamed to be associated with him, part was just angry, and most of her was hurt. Dave had been her first real boyfriend, and he was her first love. 

     I had been talking to Sophie a lot more, and she had visited almost every day after she finished her shift at the public library. Luke hadn't been around as much as I originally expected. I did hear him playing basketball a lot more throughout the week though, which I took as a signal to me that he was still there. He had known how much I loved when he did the things he loved, and playing basketball was at the top of that list. I just knew deep down that he was playing all of those night games for me. 

     The following Friday night, just short of a week after the incident had happened, I found myself deciding to leave the house for the first time. I knew I wasn't going far, so I had no worries of stumbling into Dave or anyone else who would question me about what had happened. I left my house through the backdoor, not wanting the front door to warn Luke of my entrance. I wanted to watch him play for a few minutes without him knowing. 

     I snuck around the side of my house, opening the gate to the fence that had surrounded the backyard. I moved to the middle of the driveway, taking a seat on the blacktop beside the car. He hadn't noticed, continuing to dribble toward the basket and shoot. The ball slid into the hoop with ease. I watched him make two, three, four baskets before his eyes wandered to my house. He looked up toward my window, and I could see by the way his shoulder's slumped that he was disappointed I wasn't watching from my room like I had been for the last few days. 

     "Luke." I stood up. 

     "How long have you been there?" He was smiling. He dropped the ball, moving toward me as the ball dribbled down the driveway. I crossed the street quickly, wrapping my arms around his neck without saying a word. "Carson?" He questioned, laughing a little at my silence. I pulled back only slightly, my arms still wrapped around his neck.

      "I never really thanked you for saving me." 

      "Yeah, you did." He laughed. "You thanked me like six times."

     "That day." I clarified, "I haven't really thanked you since that day."

     "Watching me play basketball was thank you enough," he whispered. 

     I let my arms fall from his neck as I turned back toward my house for a brief second, expecting to find my mom sitting at the kitchen table watching me. I had told her I was only going across the street to talk to Luke, but I was still expecting her to be protective of me. I was surprised when she wasn't. I was thankful she trusted Luke enough to look after me and relieved that she finally got a chance to sit back and stop worrying about me. 

     When I turned back to look at Luke, his blue eyes were piercing into me. Without any sort of warning, his lips were on mine. This was different than with Dave, though. I felt comfortable. I hadn't realized how badly this was something I had wanted until I felt his fingers cup my cheek and I tangled my hands into his hair. 

     Everything had changed.