Love is a Strong Word

Chapter 2

The early morning breeze brushed through the tree's, making them wave silently in the morning air. Luke always found mornings beatiful. Nothing would make him more happy then curling up on a window seat with a good cup of coffee and a good book. But this, like all good things in life it seemed, was just a dream. When the sun rose and sunlight streamed into view it meet a shabby house, paint peeling and a rusty roof. As the soft light hit Luke's face he smiled, loving how the light made his room glow. Pushing himself out of his bed he grabbed a long sleeved shirt and wrinkled  jeans. Smoothing his hair down he walked out of his cramped room and into an equally small room but instead of a bed and small cuboard there was a visibly old table and three chairs. Sighing, he sunk into one of the two chairs that were unoccupied. 

"Morning, ready for school?" A kind voice came from the grey haired man man seated opposite to him. 

Smiling back at him Luke answered, "Yeah, just grabbing some toast and I'll be off." 

His dad nodded and went back to frowning at the important looking documents spread out in front of him. As Luke watched him with a worried look in his eye a woman entered the room and placed a plate of toast in front of sat down next to his father. 

"How's it going?" She put a comforting arm around him and tried, in vain, to smile reassuringly.

"Same as always. In debt, electricity bill due and 50 million other bills. I don't know where we're going to find the money this time." 

Luke knew that this came as no surprise, in fact it made sense why they weren't eating. As his step-mum, Sonia, sighed he stood up and made for the door.

"Your not going to finish your toast?" His Dad looked confused but the look of worry had not left his eyes. 

"No. If your not eating to save let's at least starve together. We talked about this last time, I'm not going to sit here and eat while you guys just sit there and starve." Luke walked to the door and picked up his visibly worn bag and paused in the doorway, "Oh and someones going to have to have that toast, can't leave it there since I'm eating at school." Gesturing the the two bits of toast that lay of his plate he grinned and walked out but not before seeing a small smile from his Dad. 

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Rose groaned as she heaved her body out of bed. Her head was killing her and her breath smelled like something had died in her mouth. Once she had managed to pull her weary body up to a sitting position she rubbed her eyes and tried to remember what had happened last night. Most of it was blurred and as her head throbbed again she gave up and pushed herself out of bed and walked to her closet.

"God I hate Mondays." Yanking a shirt and track pants from her closet she walked out of her room, pausing to hastily pull her hair into something that resembled a pony tail. Yawning as she walked into a spacious room with a polished wood table and chairs. A woman sat there, reading the paper with a pompous air. 

"Mum." Rose nodded stiffly at the woman and sat down. Her mother barely glanced at her and returned to reading. Narrowing her eyes at her apparent lack of interest in her daughter Rose pulled the plate of bacon and eggs towards her own empty plate. Heaping the delcious  food onto her plate she ignored her mothers dissapproving glare and grabbing some fresh toast she began eating. She ate quickly, more focused on filling her body fast then atually enjoying her fried breakfast.

"Rosemary Elizabeth that is not how we eat breakfast!" Her mothers appalled voice broke Rose's train of thought and instead of replying she scowled and gulped down the rest of her food. Hastily standing up she walked as fast as she could out of the kitchen and grabbing her bag from where she had thrown it on Friday she headed for the door. Shouting a goodbye to her Dad she pushed open the large doors and embraced the cold wind. She loved the cold, always had. Jumping in her expensive looking car she took off down the road, heading for school where no-one would look at her dissaprovingly for eating and everyone wanted to be her friend.