RAISING SUMMER

WHEN LUKE MET JANE

The world was still as I heard the everlasting beep. I followed the noise to a cold door and my heart raged in my ears. I opened the door and there she was.

"Mom?" I choked her dark brown curls moved gracefully along her shoulder and when she turned I stumbled back. Blood all over her face and neck cut the same as I remembered. Only her eyes were open hollow.

She said nothing.
As I backed away to the door she stood. I whimpered bringing my knees to my chest. Squeezing my eyes shut.

"Not real. Not real. Not real." I chanted like a prayer rocking myself as my heart raced. Before a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I looked up tentatively as Rachel paced.

"Rach?" I cried, rising to meet her.

"Look at you...You aren't cut out for this." She scoffed. "I made a mistake leaving her with you!" My heart shredded.

"Jesus Jane you can't even take care of yourself let alone my baby." She reared back in disgust. "You couldn't even say something at my funeral, what a friend."

"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry!" Tears formed in my eyes as I choked back.

"Don't even get me started on Luke." She turned her back on me.

"Luke?" I froze as chills roamed my body.

"Don't play dumb Jane." She smiled viciously unnaturally in the ways I saw her and knew her. Even when we cough in the past she never looked at me the way she did now, pure vile hatred and disappointment. "My body is freshly cold and you're cuddling up with my brother!" She shook me violently.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I mumbled, sobbing hysterically.

"He's never going to love you Jane, he's never going to see you no matter how hard you try." She continued to shake me as everything dissolved. I was still shaking.

"Jane!" Luke's voice rang through. I opened my eyes. The room was dark. I was covered and sweaty but freezing as I gasped.

"It's okay you were having a nightmare." My heart still raced as my mind grasped for reality. The dark room Luke's arms wrapped comfortingly around me. Guilt swallowed me whole as I backed away from him drowsily pulling my comforter off to shield off the chill. Luke turned on the light. And placed the back of his hand to my forehead, I groaned. "Jesus Jane you're burning!" He looked at me.

"No, I'm freezing." I croaked, my throat burning and my voice nearly gone.

"Well yeah genius, those would be chills." He reminded me as I slugged back down into bed.

"I can't be, I have things to do!" I whimpered.

"Not anymore you don't, you have a date with this bed till your fever is gone." He insisted on leaving the room phone in hand.

I glanced around, what the hell was I supposed to do! Sleep? Out of the question. I grabbed my phone to check the time. 2:42 am I sighed, only slept for 4 hours, Summer still asleep. Luke came back holding a tray he placed in front of me. Soup, tea and various medicines.

"Thank you." I strained expecting him to scurry off but instead he sat carefully beside me moving the covers and grabbing the remote.

"What are we gonna watch?" He looked at me the guilt crept back in as I fought the urge to distance myself. "Right it probably hurts to talk." He smiled softly before he browsed until finally he turned on When Harry Met Sally. Has he even watched this movie? Believe me the irony wasn't lost on me. Two friends, watching a movie about friends slowly falling in love. Were we even friends? I've watched this movie thousands of times. It was always one of my favorites.

Maybe that's why he picked it but I doubt he knew that. I settled in watching the movie, eating my soup and drinking my hot tea. I could feel his eyes on me but I tried not to notice as I moved the tray to the nightstand.

"That's 100% you." He chuckled as the diner scene came on Sally ordering her pie.

"Is not." I hoarsely stated.

"Oh really, remind me what's your coffee order again?"

"I don't..."

"Don't drink coffee, coffee makes you sleepy so you drink chai. Hot in winter or iced in summer but only light ice because it makes your teeth hurt." He turned to me. "Vanilla cold foam, unless it's fall then you pick pumpkin cold foam. Oat milk only, cause you think regular milk is gross, unless it's with cookies. Brown sugar is only one teaspoon though because if it's too sweet you either won't drink it or will drink it and make this little scrunch thing you do with your face." He mocked the face I made when I normally did something to avoid hurting others feelings. I sat back stunned and a little offended.

"How do you even know that?"

"Did you forget who used to take you and my beloved sister to the coffee shop all the time?" He winked, turning back to the movie as I continued to watch him. My heart squeezed in pain. I can't, it's never going to happen nor should it. I returned back to the movie. My eyes started to get droopy as I sank into the bed. I could feel my eyes getting heavier and heavier as I drifted off.