Pill By Pill {Muke}

32 - Falling Away

There is no mistaking the dismay on the face of a writer who has just heard that his brain child is a deformed idiot. ~L. Sprague de Camp

Luke's POV

There must have been something wrong with me, to actually pick up a cigarette and for once have it leave a foul taste in my mouth. Not like it tasted bad - because in all honesty all cigarettes do - but more like it just did not feel as satisfying as it often does. A smoke outside of school grounds to start my morning. Usually a pleasant experience, but not this time.

I walked into the school and felt my stomach twist. As if I would literally be sick.

I placed a hand on my abdomen and turned my hand into a fist as I shoved it deep into my jacket's pocket. I looked around me and noticed the people were looking at me with disgust. What did I do?

When I found myself walking to my locker I noticed that in front of it was the school's headmaster. I felt my stomach clench as I went wide eyed. "Oh damn.." I muttered. What was she doing standing there?

I swallowed hard and noticed that two familiar people were standing there. They looked as if they were pleading with her. Lynn and Kody. Now I felt anger replace my sickness. It almost felt as if I would twitch at my anger. I began to wonder if I should go over to them, or turn my tail and run. By now a crowd of people were gathering. I had to make a choice.

I walked over to the three standing there and the headmaster locked eyes with me. But neither one of us spoke. I had no fear of the sweet looking short lady. But damn, she must have had a problem with me by the look she was giving me.

"Hello. I'd like to get into my locker." I spoke up. She looked me up and down and moved out of the way. Kody and Lynn stood in anticipation. Just as I was about to turn the dial, I turned to them.

"How are you trying to ruin me now, you two?" I asked, and this made everyone go in shock. "I don't need to open my locker anyways. Whatever you two put in it, let a janitor come and open it for you. You don't scare me, neither does what comes next."

I walked off in the opposite direction, I passed by Michael and grabbed his arm, tugging him along with me. "L-Luke!"

"Come on." I signed as I pulled him faster along.

"I need to go to my locker and then to class!" Michael huffed. "I'm not about to play hooky with you. I'm not like you in that sense."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I stopped and turned to him. Michael casted his eyes off to the side. He refused to look at me. "Well?"

"We're not like each other. You're just a - "

"Never mind." I huffed. "I see where you're going with this."

"Luke you didn't even listen to me!" Michael pleaded.

"I don't have to!" I snapped at him. "I've heard it time and time again! I'm nothing important, just a slacker, a drug addict, a slob, hoodlum, trash - whichever, I've heard it all before. I know what you're going to say."

"Okay fine." Michael gave up and I was a little shocked and a little disappointed. We all like to be told that we're wrong in a situation we're so sensitive about. It is a bittersweet victory.

"If you're such a hoodlum then, go on. Smoke, snort whatever. I don't care. Shoot it up? If you end up killing yourself, I would like to say I care," Michael scoffed. "But I don't."

I felt that same stomach twisting sensation now as I did when I was walking down the hallway.

Michael turned and walked down the hallway and I felt as if I was a puppy being scolded and tossed out into the cold rain.

I sniffled and walked down the hallway before feeling someone grab my shoulder and twist me around. Riley cocked an eyebrow. "What's your problem?"

"Everyone either hates me or is out to get me." I muttered and Riley laughed. Shaking his head. I wanted to punch him, but knew I wouldn't.

"You're a baby sometimes." Riley asked. "You ask to be treated like an adult but you want to be coddled like an infant. You make no sense."

"This was comforting.." I huffed.

"See! You're doing it right now, you want me to give you a pat on the back and tell you everything is alright. But you still want me to treat you as my equal!" Riley shook his head slowly. "You don't make sense."

Riley placed his hands on my shoulders with a slap and I watched his face contort slightly. "You seem stressed though."

"Knock it off." I sighed and pushed him off of me.

"There we go, you're bitter again." Riley snickered.

"Bitter? But I'm not - "

"Yes you are, that is exactly why Michael doesn't like you! That's why Kody used you." Riley said. "You think you have absolute control, but you have none." Riley patted my cheek. "There's no saving the damned Luke. Which is why we smoke away the time we can't afford to be thinking. We drink to forget. We repeat until we die."

Before I could open my mouth my name was called over the intercom. To the main office, is where it said for me to go Riley and I exchanged glances. "You can turn yourself in," He told me. "Or you can get the hell out of of here. While you still can."

"I'm getting out of here." I said and we both headed for the door when we reached the door and we swung it open. Galloping down the path. I knew they would be searching for someone like me. After all, I had done something. And by I, I mean Kody.

Now. Well now I just have to get the hell away from the flames inside. 

"Luke, Luke, Luke." Riley snickered. "What would your parents say about their little boy skipping all because he knows something had gone terribly wrong at school? Would they even care?" I thought about he said, for only a moment.

"They don't know me well enough to care." Is what I responded with.

Riley laughed a little bit, but that soon faded as he spoke. "Don't worry at all, I'm here to care."

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION; Ariana

Eyyyyyy. I'm here with an update. The man with a plan. I am going to try and do a few more but I really need to do some homework so I might not get anything out.

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX