Remember: Completed

Seven: hope

"Luke?" Jackson asked, standing on the side walk looking over to see luke on his hands and knees peering oddly at the ground below him. Luke slowly looked over his shoulder, looking at jackson in surprise. he quickly jumped into a stand, brushing himself off.

" i thought that was you.." jackson said, looking luke up and down. He watched luke run his hands through his hair, trying to fix the messy hair. Lukes hands went to his hoodie to tug and smooth it down, he glanced around not wanting to meet jacksons gaze yet. "you okay?" jackson asked.

Luke bit his lower lip, he gulped and took a deep breath. he walked off the yard and onto the side walk, walking right past jackson without a word. he shoved his hands back into his pockets and kept walking way. Jackson raised his hands, " hey!" he started to walk, trying to follow luke. " luke, would you hold up for a second?"

" no." Answered luke in a mean tone. "he probably thinks youre a sure-fire lay, like in the 1940s, and your gonna be shipped off in the morning." michael teased with amusement, following the two boys. " Listen, " started jackson, picking up his speed to get closer to luke. " i know i should have come to you sooner, but i didnt know what to say.."

Luke bowed his head just as one of the police cars pulled away from his car, driving by. luke frowned and took a left to go down another path. " luke! " jackson said as he stopped walking. he looked around, seeing the plice car, "did anyone see you at that liquor store?"

Luke froze then spun around and glared at jackson, " is that a threat?" Michael narrowed his eyes at jackson, crossing his arms. Jackson started to walk closer to luke, " i guess that depends on your answer.."

" knee him in the balls!" shouted michael, as if he was cheering luke on.

"not that it is any of your business, but im retracing my steps. trying to piece together what happened leading up to..." Luke paused, looking down at the ground. " look, are you satisfied or do you want to check my pockets, too?"

Jackson frowned, looking perplexed as he stopped infront of luke. "you do not remember what happened that night?" He looked slightly suspicious. Luke looked up at jackson, sighing, " bits and pieces."

"but, uh, i heard that you pled guilty to the accident.."

" yeah, my mom thought it would be easier. No messy trial." luke said, slowly pulling his hands from his pockets. Jackson closed his parted lips, pursing them together. " oh." he said in thought, looking away as if he knew something.

" what? is there something i need to know? " luke took more steps to get closer to jackson. "Yeah.." Answered Jackson, looking back at luke for a moment before looking around to see if anyone was watching them.

"we went to a house party at a friends in chesterfield that night." Started jackson. "Brooke." stated luke, getting a small flashback of michael and him getting out of the car with Pete and Jackson. " yeah, so you remember."

Luke licked his dry lips, shaking his head slightly. "bits and pieces." Jackson stared at Luke again, trying to see if he was lying. " well, all right. um.." he started to rub his hands together in thought. Trying to see what info was important. " i dont know, we were all just drinking and having a good time. just like a normal night. and then eventually you and michael wanted to go home. but you were really wasted, so michael and pete helped you out into the car..."

"and?" demanded luke. " it doesnt bring back anything?" Jackson asked. "no, and... no... and what?" Luke demanded again, stuttering over his words in frustration since it was clear that jackson was stalling from telling him something that could be important.

Jackson stared down luke, taking deep breaths. he was unsure if it was a wise idea to tell the truth now, so late after everything that happened. " Pete was driving.. " Michael did a dramatic gasp, covering his mouth with his hands, like he was watching some soap opera.

"how could you not tell me?" Weakly said luke, feeling as if everything was suddenly crashing all around him. " i wasn't there, you know? i didnt want to speculate--" Jackson tried to go on, but luke angerily interrupted, speaking loudly. " you mean you didnt want the police to speculate! "

Jackson looked offended, " im sorry luke, No one ever talks about that night..." Luke looked away, his expression of anger fading into one in thought. he licked his dry lips, " where did we go after the liquor store?" he questioned.

" Sams Gas station." Jackson said, he opened his mouth to speak but before he could get another word out luke had already turned and started to walk away. He headed to the left, down the side walk at a fast pace.

After walking in silence , deep in thought, for a few minutes, luke finally spoke up. " do you know what this means?" he asked, knowing michael was followng him. "that you value the opinions of others over your dead best friend?" Snarkily replied michael. 

" no, that theres a chance i didnt kill you." luke said, sounding a little excited. " Wait, what?" michael asked, rushing forward to grab luke by the back of the hoodie to stop him from walking. Luke turned to face michael, "if pete was the one driving, then hes the one that got into the crash. not me!" there was a sparkle of hope in lukes blue eyes.

" okay, but they only found two of us in the car, and you were behind the wheel." stated michael, watching luke turn back around and start to walk again. Michael scurried to catch up to luke. " well, maybe he swapped us out." luke said in thought. " maybe he booked it for the woods before the police came."

Luke crossed the street at a rush pace, then took a right down another side-walk. "I mean, the drinking, the downward spiral, it all adds up. those arent the actions of a guiltless person, theyre just not. " it sounded as if luke was even trying to keep himself convinced.

" okay, no, but.." michael tried to say, as if he knew something. " we need to keep moving!" Interrupted luke, walking faster. " i mean, if i can get memories back, then maybe i can clear my name." a small smile started to form on his lips.

" god.. after all this time.." luke said more to himself, letting out a breath of relief. "Luke, maybe you should just.." michael said, trying to speak again. "just what?" Luke curiously questioned, stopping to face michael.

The small smile and look of hopefulness in lukes eyes made it harder for michael, so he just shook his head and forced a smile, " nothing." He looked away from Luke. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go."