Family Togetherness

Chapter 14- Friendships

Usually, when Luke awoke on Friday mornings, he was flooded with a feeling of happiness and relief. He had made it through the week. There was just one more day of maths problems and prolonged empty break times to endure before the weekend was his.

But not today.

Now there was nothing. His competition victory had left him feeling hollow; and his one true friend had disappeared overnight. Clara hadn't liked him because he was different from the other students. She hadn't taken the time to speak to him because he was special. She had done it because she had to; to avoid a guilty conscience. He didn't, and wouldn't, ever have any friends. That was the thing that stung the most.

"Are you sick again?" Nathan swung himself out of bed, narrowly missing a pair of scissors lying askew on the floor, left over from Luke's project.

Luke didn't say anything.

"That was crazy, yesterday," his brother continued. "Mum, and Dad, and the nurse. She beats Uncle Joe for sure. In fact, I think she's my favourite relative."

"Why didn't I know," Luke mumbled. "Why not me?"

Just as Nathan bent to perch on his younger brother's creaky bedpost, the door flung open to admit Abby and Layla.

"It's on the website," Abby cried. "And I got an email from the publisher! It was just what they wanted. They're really impressed- here, sit up and read this!" She thrust the laptop onto the bed.

"The article?" Nathan asked. "The one about spying?"

Abby jabbed him in the arm with one sharp elbow. "Aren't you even pleased? Luke?"

Layla surveyed him from the doorway. "He's sad," she said, "because of the science competition. And the girl who should have won."

"She didn't deserve to win," Nathan put in quickly, glaring at his youngest sister. "You won fair and square, Luke. Now get up. I've got to get to school before any rumours about the audition start."

Abby reluctantly scooped up the laptop. "Well, when you're ready to look, your name's printed at the end. With mine." She nudged the bedroom door open and they disappeared into the hallway, deep in whispered conversation.

Luke didn't move from his uncomfortable position until he heard their excited voices fade downstairs into the kitchen. They were wrong, all of them. He wasn't sad. If you were sad, it meant that you had to feel something, and Luke felt nothing. He was made of stone, or maybe even ice. He couldn't will himself to shift from the mattress. What was the point?

"I can catch up later," he said to Sophie before she could open her mouth. "I don't feel well. Honestly, Mum."

She tried to hug him then. "Clara really wants to talk to you, Luke. Won't you go into school today, for me?"

But right then, Luke wasn't in the mood to do anything for her. He stayed silent, and after a few impatient shouts from downstairs, Sophie was forced to leave him lying face-down in the bed. She called goodbye as the front door swung shut, leaving Luke alone with his thoughts.

Just yesterday, he had been feeling elated. Everything was full of hope and excitement. School was still bearable, and the prospect of the Science competition lay ahead. But now it had all been stolen from him- there was nothing left but lies and deceit.
Luke sat up, suddenly sick of his four green walls pasted with science posters. He snatched up a grey hoodie and stiffly made his way downstairs.

"If you don't go to school today," Victoria declared from her place at the kitchen table, "I'll drag you there myself."

Luke tried to explain. "There's no point anymore. Nothing's important."