Against All Odds

Chapter 42

Eve

The light streaming through the curtains wakes me up. My body feels drained of hope and energy even though I'd only just woken up. Last night I'd realised I can't wait around for Lucas to come back to me. I was just setting myself up for heart break.
The nightmare last night had taken its toll on me.
"Hi." A voice comes from beside me and I flutter my eyes open, blinking in surprise.
Lucas is standing around a metre away, staring at me intently and holding a mug in his hands.
"I made you a cup of tea."
My sleepy eyes flicker from Lucas' soft expression to the cup of tea then back again, not understanding this sudden gesture.
His lips curve into a smile and I let out an involuntary sob, slamming my hand to my mouth to suppress my emotion. Is he finally letting me in?
"Please don't cry on me I already feel guilty enough as it is." He says lightly and offers me the tea so I take it and sit up, allowing him to sit beside me. Still I don't say a word; it's no longer my burden to fight for our friendship. "I've been a dick. You came all this way and I treated you like shit."
He pauses and I sip the tea he made me, loving the warm feeling that spreads through me although I'm not sure if that's entirely down to the warm drink.
"I left because you didn't deserve the pain I've caused you." Lucas admits, looking anywhere but my eyes. "It's all my fault that Benji..." That's when it all falls into place and everything makes sense. "I shouldn't have let you into my life. I put you and your family in danger. That's why I left; to keep you safe."
He blames himself for Benji's injuries. Lucas thinks he caused that to happen.
As I let this information settle I'm tempted to slap him round the face for being so stupid. Lucas is not to blame here and he certainly shouldn't be putting this unnecessary guilt on his shoulders. It does make sense though in some weird way.
"Say something please!" Lucas pleads, meeting my eyes properly for the first time and I now understand why they're filled with guilt and self hatred. He doesn't deserve to feel this way.
"It's not your fault Benji got shot."
"But..." Lucas tries to object but I cut him off.
"Did you pull that trigger?" I ask him, determined to rid him of his unneeded guilt. "No, you didn't. Your Dad did. He's to blame. Not you. No one blames you Luc."
His eyes study me with mixed emotions, as though he couldn't believe I don't blame him one bit.
"Tell me Lucas, if you'd been conscious would you have stepped in front of the gun pointed at my little brother?" I press further, watching as his eyes harden and he nods with certainty. "Exactly. Stop placing this ridiculous blame on your shoulders! If it had been your fault there's no way I'd have made so much effort to find you."
Lucas seems to think over my words to him for a few seconds. When it finally sinks in his shoulders relax and he offers me a small smile.
"I guess you're right." Lucas says and I give myself a mental high five. "I'm sorry I acted like a dick when you turned up."
"It's okay I'm just glad you don't hate me." I chuckle honestly, placing the half finished mug of tea on the desk near the sofa.
"I could never hate you Eve." Lucas' eyes bore into mine as he says and I have to look away, feeling a tad flustered.
"T-that's good." I manage to stutter. "Why the sudden change of heart anyway? Yesterday I thought I'd come all this way for nothing."
His relaxed features become worried for a second and his eyes dropped briefly.
"Last night you sounded so distressed. I...I guess I just realised I couldn't just cut you out of my life with no explanation." He sighs and I feel slightly embarrassed that he heard me last night. "I care for you too much."
My heart summersaults at his words. So he does care for me? It's hard to keep a huge smile from taking over my face. Lucas leans closer, his hand reaching up and he tucks a loose strand of my hair behind my ear, making my skin tingle like crazy.
"Breakfast is ready!" Rosie calls from the kitchen, breaking our little moment and I sit backwards making his hand drop to his lap. I'm pretty sure I'm blushing like hell right now and my hearts racing like a formula one racing car. Oh god why do I like this guy so much?
Lucas clears his throat and stands up and I follow suit.
"I asked Gran to make her infamous blueberry pancakes." Lucas smiles and I let him lead me into the kitchen. "You haven't lived until you've tasted her heavenly pancakes."

I'm not going to lie, Rosie's pancakes were probably the most heavenly delicious things I'd ever tasted.